Pickwick brewery

THE LONDON GAZETTE, APRIL 12, 1887.
NOTICE is hereby given, that the Partnership heretofore subsisting between us the undersigned, Isaac
Belcher and Samuel Hale Smith, carrying on business as
Brewers, Maltsters, and Wine and Spirit Merchants, at
Pickwick Brewery, Gorsham, in the county of Wilts,
under the style or firm of Belcher and Smith, has this
day been dissolved by mutual consent. The business
will in future be carried on at the same address by
Thomas Pearman Stevens, by whom all debts due to the
late firm will be received. All debts owing by the late
firm will be paid by the undersigned, Isaac Belcher and
Samuel Hale Smith.—Dated this 4th day of April, 1887.
Isaac Belcher.
Samuel Hale Smith

The Falcon was owned by Thomas Pearman-Stevens, Pickwick Brewery of Corsham in Wiltshire in 1891. The business was acquired by Wilkins Brothers & Hudson Ltd of Bradford on Avon in 1896 with 20 tied houses. However, according to the 1903 petty licensing book, the Falcon was still owned by the Pickwick Brewery in 1903.

The pubs of the Wilkins Bros & Hudson Newtown Brewery were later acquired by Ushers Wiltshire Brewery. The Falcon Inn, however, was sold to Georges Bristol Brewery on 1st April 1926. The ownership later passed to the Courage Brewery.

The 17th century Falcon Hotel closed early in 2008 and it was feared that it would never again open as a pub. A controversial restrictive covenant was placed on the property by owners Enterprise Inns, that stipulated that the sale must be without a licence to sell intoxicating liquor. The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and other interested parties are actively campaigning against these unjust restrictive covenants. However, common sense prevailed and the restrictive covenant was removed from the Falcon which began trading once more in the summer of 2009.

It is now owned by Tynedale Inns and the interior has been sympathetically redesigned. Real ales are now served direct from casks from behind the bar. The Falcon has survived against all odds.

Detail:

Map Reference: ST 759933

Owner in 1891: Thomas Pearman-Stephens , Pickwick Brewery, Corsham, Wilts

Rateable Value in 1891: £14.10s.0d.

Type of licence in 1891: Alehouse

Owner in 1903: Pickwick Brewery

Rateable Value in 1903: £14.10s.0s.

Type of licence in 1903: Alehouse

Closing time in 1903: 11pm

Owner in 1926: Georges & Co, Bristol Brewery

Present Status: Currently closed (March 2009)
Landlords:

1820,1830 Thomas Cary

1849,1863 George Hobbs Minett

1867 Elizabeth Wiles (Mrs)

1879,1881 James Derrett (born 1826 in Wotton under Edge)

1885 Elizabeth Derrett (Mrs)

1889 John Merson Baxter

1891 Laura Isabel Randall

1899 J. Saywood

1902,1903,1910 Caleb Goddard

1919,1927 John Hy. Goddard

1933,1939 Percival Stephen Harper

? William Charles Hooper

? Arthur Nicklin

? James Bond

? Raymond Cross

? John Bartram

1977 - March 1989 William and Irene Suffell

1997 Alison Neave

1997 (Nov) - 1998 (Jan) Mike Birch (former Gloucester rugby player)

1998 Steve Mirfin (manager)

2000 Chris Marchant (owner), Mike Donnelly (deputy manager)

2002 Brigitte Appleyard and Martyn Mould (who afterwards moved to the White Lion in Long Street)

2009 Wendy Turner