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Royal Ale-A Postscript
Recent euphoria about Taylor`s royal ale,coupled with recent media mumblings about the Queen`s Golden Jubilee this year {street parties, royal tours and such} took my mind back to 1953-the year of our Queen`s Coronation and another Royal ale.

After furtive fumblings in the nether regions of my cellars{can you say that?},I came up with a few treasures.Firstly, an unopened bottle of Whitworth`s Coronation ale, brewed and bottled by Whit worth son & Nephew at Wath upon Dearne{four miles north of rotherham}.The cap bears a Royal crown and the words "Coronation 1953". in those days it would need a very special occasion to produce a commemorative bottled beer such as this. I don`t know what strength it is {was?} perhaps someone knows? or even if it was available in draught form.

There are now many commemorative beers, as the smaller breweries have found almost any occasion worth producing a limited edition beer for a little earner perhaps?The other unopened Royal ales plumbed from the depths wre,Mary Anne Jubilee Strong Lager,{Queen`s silver Jubilee 1977},St.Austell Royal Wedding ale {HRH Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer} and Hook norton Royal Wedding ale {HRH Prince Andrew to Miss Sarah Ferguson}.

This raises the point is ther any point in buying a bottle of ale and then not drinking it? Perhaps one should buy two and save one as a keepsake? Or perhaps enjoy the beer and keep an empty bottle? i don`t know.

Whatever the answer, i hope that there will be some very special brews to commemorate the Qieen`s Golden Jubilee i`ll drink to that..

Jeff Utley of Otley
Historical note 1. Spedding Whitworth was a local maltster who bought James Utley`s wath brewery in the late 1860`s. Whitworth`s became a well respected brand in the dearne and don valleys, taking over small breweries in Doncaster, Sheffield and Conisbrough.It had a tied estate of 172 pubs by thr 2nd World War. Its most revered ale was IPA, but was also known for its Barley malt stout and Dinner ale.It was taken over by John Smiths in 1958 and closed down a few years later {no surprise}. All that`s left is part of one shed and roads named Whitworth Way and Brewery road.

Historical note 2. i spent the formative years of my life in the Village of Newhill, a district of Wath upon Dearne; living adjacent to it`s noly pub Whitworth`s Crown at least that`s still intact. Hence my found memories of Whitworth`s.

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