Our aim is to research the history of the brewery, providing a comprehensive ongoing record of a key part of Pooles social history
Richard Pride
The History
It was acquired by Tom & William Adey in 1818, followed by R Miller in 1830, and Tom Rickman in 1838. The business traded as Tom & Joseph Rickman from 1856 to 1860, Tom Rickman, junior, becoming sole proprietor in 1860.
Henry Emmott joined him in partnership in 1864, the firm trading as Rickman & Emmott until 1867 when T Rickman was replaced by Mills & Marston, trading as Emmott, Mills & Marston.
From 1871 the business was known as Mills & Marston, John Taylor Marston becoming sole proprietor in 1878.
Marston's Dolphin Brewery Ltd., was registered in June 1897 as a limited liability company to acquire the business. The company took over some licensed houses of A T Sibeth, Fontmell Magna Brewery, Fontmell Magna, Dorset, in 1904 and Heath Poult Brewery, Boscombe, Dorset,
In 1916. the brewery was acquired, along with 59 tied houses, by Strong & Co of Romsey Ltd, Hampshire, in 1926, and went into liquidation in December 1928. The brewery ceased to brew, but was used as a depot until 1939.
The brewery was demolished but the main doorcase was re-used in the art school at Canford Magna.
Over the life of the brewery it owned around 60 well beloved pubs in and round the Bournemouth, Poole, Wareham and local Dorset area and even as far as Lymington.