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When the gates closed at the West End Brewery site in Adelaide in June 2021, the State Library received a donation offer for the business records of the South Australian Brewing Company. With the company having been a part of the South Australia community since 1859, we were eager to learn more.  

Four of our archivists visited the brewery to view, appraise and select from their vast collection of records. The Brewery's archive was spread over eight rooms, housed among rows and rows of West End bottle and can designs, memorabilia, and disused office and technical equipment. The records cover over a hundred years of the company’s history.

Over four days the archivists made a selection of records that reflect the Brewery’s history, development, and impact upon society. The records were loaded into boxes for transport to the Library where the process began to prepare the records for public use. The archives were cleaned, catalogued, numbered,  stored, and made ready for researchers to use and access. 

West End Brewery and the South Australian Brewing Company 

The original West End Brewery was established in Hindley Street, Adelaide, in 1859. Over the next 150 years, the company would evolve and merge, changing its name several times, and producing well-known beers such as West End, Eagle Blue, and Southwark. The Thebarton brewery site was purchased in 1938, and the company operated exclusively from there after 1980, before that site was closed in June 2021. 

Hindley Street, south side, West End Brewery, 8 December 1925. SLSA: B 3179
Hindley Street, south side, West End Brewery, 8 December 1925. SLSA: B 3179

The West End Brewery had an active role in the South Australian community. It ran a network of pubs across the state (and Broken Hill) and sponsored many sporting and community events. It sponsored the South Australian National Football league (SANFL) and started the annual tradition of painting the brewery chimney in the premiership colours in 1954, first at Hindley Street then at Thebarton. The Riverbank Gardens along the River Torrens were established in 1958 and since 1959 have hosted the annual Christmas display which generations of South Australian children have visited.  

The iconic New Market Hotel, Adelaide, 1941. SLSA: B 10554

It ran a network of pubs across the state, as seen in this image of the iconic New Market Hotel, Adelaide. The West End logo in neon lights is proudly displayed on the roof, circa 1941. SLSA: B 10554

The SANFL West End Brewery chimney stack, photo taken by Toby Woolley. SLSA:

Photo of the chimney stack at the West End Brewery featuring the SANFL team colours. Photo taken by Toby Woolley.

Christmas brewery lights, circa 1972. SLSA: PRG 1681/19/89

This image of the West End Brewery Christmas display was kindly donated by the Colton Family.

Christmas brewery lights display, circa 1972. SLSA: PRG 1681/19/89

The iconic New Market Hotel, Adelaide, 1941. SLSA: B 10554
The SANFL West End Brewery chimney stack, photo taken by Toby Woolley. SLSA:
Christmas brewery lights, circa 1972. SLSA: PRG 1681/19/89

Visiting the brewery 

Our Archival staff visited the West End Brewery site at Thebarton in June 2021 to appraise and select a sample of suitable material which met our collecting criteria. Staff had to wear safety boots and high-vis vests and carry a C02 monitor with us at all times.

State Library of SA Archivists visiting the West End Brewery.
State Library of SA Archivists visiting the West End Brewery.

Appraising the records was a challenge, as the company’s extensive history and memorabilia were spread over multiple rooms. This meant that it was not feasible for us to take everything, so a representative sample of records was chosen.

Delivery of the West End Brewery records to the State Library of South Australia.
Taking delivery of the West End Brewery records to the State Library of South Australia.

What is in the collection? 

The collection includes a large selection of material relating to the history of the West End Brewery, the South Australian Brewing Company and its affiliated hotels from the 1890s to the early 2000s. We hold approximately 25 metres of material, in 64 boxes, along with over 100 plans and maps. The records include:

  • brewing records
  • administrative records and employee lists
  • site plans of breweries and hotels
  • marketing materials
  • bottle labels
  • hundreds of photographs. 

The records offer a unique insight into the running of the brewery and the wider South Australian Brewing Company, and its role in South Australian society. Company records show how the organisation was run and how it provided for its workers, its relationship with its affiliated hotels, and the impact of social and political change such as metrification, container deposit legislation and drink-driving campaigns. They also reveal the Company’s community engagement via sports sponsorship and the Christmas Riverbank Display.  

One of the store room featuring the records of the SA Brewing Company.

One of the store room featuring the records of the SA Brewing Company.

One of the store room featuring records of the SA Brewing Company.
One of the store room featuring records and memorabilia of the SA Brewing Company.

One of the store room featuring records and memorabilia of the SA Brewing Company.

One of the store room featuring records of the SA Brewing Company.
One of the store room featuring records and memorabilia of the SA Brewing Company.

One of the store room featuring records and memorabilia of the SA Brewing Company.

One of the store room featuring records and memorabilia of the SA Brewing Company.

One of the store room featuring records and memorabilia of the SA Brewing Company.

One of the store room featuring records and memorabilia of the SA Brewing Company.

One of the store room featuring records and memorabilia of the SA Brewing Company.

One of the store room featuring the records of the SA Brewing Company.
One of the store room featuring records of the SA Brewing Company.
One of the store room featuring records and memorabilia of the SA Brewing Company.
One of the store room featuring records of the SA Brewing Company.
One of the store room featuring records and memorabilia of the SA Brewing Company.
One of the store room featuring records and memorabilia of the SA Brewing Company.
One of the store room featuring records and memorabilia of the SA Brewing Company.

Getting the collection ready for research

With such a large collection, we develop a processing plan to manage the different stages of archival processing. A large collection such as the West End records can take about 1,000 hours of an archivist’s time to complete processing. 

Before we could start processing, much of the material had to be cleaned. Take a look at the before and after slides for the 'Local Option Campaign' book.

Local option campaign book, as received by the State Library of SA.
Local option campaign book, after cleaning by the State Library of SA.

We vacuumed large volumes, papers and plans using a special vacuum cleaner to remove the surface dust and dirt. Take a look at this folder of papers named 'The Land of Promise Hotel'.

The Land of Promise Hotel, folder as it arrived at the State Library of SA.
The Land of Promise Hotel, folder after it was cleaned by State Library of SA.

To make it easier for researchers to find specific records, we arrange them into groups based on their content, the type of record (such as a photograph or a printed document), and how the records were used by the organisation.  This first level of organisation is called a series. For example, all the brew records are put together into a series. Then we describe in detail what is in each series in a series list, and in the catalogue entry. This detail allows researchers to discover records of interest through searching our online catalogue. 

We are currently in the middle of arranging and describing the West End Brewery records. Once this stage is complete, we will rehouse the records into archival boxes, ready for permanent storage. Some items, such as rolled architectural plans, engineering diagrams and maps may require flattening so they can be stored flat in large drawers. We will number photographs and put them in acid-free sleeves. Selected items will be digitised so they can be viewed online through our catalogue via record: ACC 3949 Records of West End Brewery.

All of the records will ultimately be available for researchers to view in the Library’s Reading Room, where they can discover the stories they tell. 

Help grow and provide access to the archival collection

Every bit of support for the State Library plays a vital role in the collection, preservation and promotion of South Australia’s stories as well as the upkeep of all the wonderful spaces at the library. 

If you'd like help grow the library's archives and make them accessible, please consider donating and give today.

 

Written by Kate Zwar and Clare Parker, Archivists at the State Library of South Australia