A history of brewing in Oxford

This is a hybrid meeting starting at 8pm (UK Time) – Exeter Hall doors open at 7:30pm, Zoom meeting opens at 7:55pm.

Speaker:  Liz Woolley

Talk Summary: As early as the 13th century, professional commercial brewers had begun to appear in Oxford, and brewing became big business, both in the colleges and in the town. There were brewhouses in the castle and at the Radcliffe Infirmary, and by the 19th century the place was awash with beer: in 1883 it was reported that there were no fewer than 319 licensed premises in the city, and that more money was being spent on alcohol than on food. This talk will examine how and why – despite Temperance efforts – Oxford’s brewing trade flourished.

Speaker Bio: Liz Woolley is a local historian specialising in aspects of the history of Oxford and Oxfordshire. She is particularly interested in the history of the city’s “town” – as opposed to “gown” – and in the everyday lives of rural people across the county, chiefly during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Liz has lived in Oxford since 1984. She completed an MSc in English Local History (with Distinction) at the University of Oxford’s Department for Continuing Education in 2009, having gained a Diploma (also with Distinction) in the same subject in 2007. She is an experienced speaker, guide, tutor, researcher and writer who is keen to help individuals and groups to enjoy finding out about the history of their local area.

The Zoom registration link will be made available in the Members’ Area nearer the time of the meeting.