A photo in 1910 of the Sponwell Brewery of Thomas Henry Bates in Spon Lane.
The position is shown on the 1913 map below
The brewery was founded by Thomas around 1900 . His father Henry was a brewer, and after Henry's death his wife carried on brewing, andin 1875 supplied beer to West Bromwich board of guardians. In 1924 the brewery merged with the Arnold brewery to become Arnold & Bates, but this again was taken over by Darby's brewery of Greets Green, and the Sponwell brewery closed. Thomas died at his home in Perry Barr in 1930. He seemed to do quite well out of his endeavours, as his estate was valued at £50,000.
The position is shown on the 1913 map below
The brewery was founded by Thomas around 1900 . His father Henry was a brewer, and after Henry's death his wife carried on brewing, andin 1875 supplied beer to West Bromwich board of guardians. In 1924 the brewery merged with the Arnold brewery to become Arnold & Bates, but this again was taken over by Darby's brewery of Greets Green, and the Sponwell brewery closed. Thomas died at his home in Perry Barr in 1930. He seemed to do quite well out of his endeavours, as his estate was valued at £50,000.