Burton-on-Trent

Burton-on-Trent, a municipal borough of East Staffordshire and South Derbyshire, 25 miles from Stafford, on the river Trent, with stations on the Midland, London and North-Western, Great Northern, and North Stafford railways. The Grand Trunk Canal also passes the town, and enters the Trent below. The ancient bridge of thirty-four arches was replaced in 1864 by a new one of twenty-nine arches. Burton-on-Trent owes its rapid extension to the brewing of ale, which is the staple product of the place. The opening of the Midland Railway in 1839 paved the way for future progress. Cotton-spinning was at first the chief industry, but this has been discontinued since 1849. Its rise and progress as a brewing centre has been largely due to the suitability of the water for this purpose. There was some small local trade in beer in the 16th century here; Burton ale had a repute in London in 1630; and a considerable export trade had been established with the Baltic ports by the middle of the 18th century. Burton-on-Trent had nine breweries in 1791, sixteen in 1851, and now there are thirty, some of them, such as those of Bass (q.v.) and Allsopp (q.v.), being on a scale of unparalleled magnitude. These thirty breweries employ about 8000 men and boys. There are, of course, extensive cooperages, and also iron-foundries. The town was incorporated by royal charter, dated 3d September 1878. It has an endowed school, a grammar-school, and various board schools. There is a recreation-ground, with walks and gardens, reading-rooms, and literary institutions. A church or monastery was erected by the Trent in the 9th century; Burton Abbey was founded and endowed by Wulfric, Earl of Mercia, in 1002. It was made over by Henry VIII. with its lands to his secretary, Sir William Paget, ancestor of the present lord of the manor, the Marquis of Anglesey. In a fray which took place in 1321 on the old bridge, the forces of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, were defeated by those of Edward II. The town suffered in the civil wars of the 17th century, and has suffered repeatedly by floods, the water standing to a depth of 4 or 5 feet on some streets in 1875. Pop. (1861) 18,745; (1881) 39,285; (1891) 46,047.