English Trade Department

Identity Statement

Content & Structure

• Scope & Content: Arthur Guinness Son & Company Limited ↴

  These are the surviving papers of the English Trade Department (1928 – 1939), one of the many different departments, which together formed the Guinness Company based at St. James’s Gate Brewery, Dublin. These papers relate specifically to the management of supply of GUINNESS, which was sold into the British, Continental (The term ‘Continental’ refers to European countries, excluding Great Britain and Ireland ) and Foreign (The term ‘Foreign’ refers to all countries outside of Europe, including: Australia, United States of America, South America, South Africa etc.) markets. They provide an insight into how the trade in these markets was managed and developed. They also include the papers of the Advertising Department, which was a sub-function of the English Trade Department.
  These papers constitute a small body of documentation, and are only a small proportion of the total amount of documentation that would have been produced. Like many of those within the overall collection, the English Trade Department records, have survived as a result of the efforts made by a small number of people within the Company to gather such historical documentation together until a proper Archive could be established to take custody of them. Consequently, files were often stored in locations that were not conducive to their preservation, and many have suffered damage, particularly from flooding. Despite these factors the surviving documentation provides a fair representation of the work of the English Trade Department.
  During the 1930s, GUINNESS was exported from Dublin by ship to England, where it was then distributed to either the British, Continental or Foreign markets. This represented a sizeable proportion of the Brewery’s total trade. Beer for all overseas markets would at some point pass through England (hence the title ‘English Trade Department’).
  Agents and Bottling firms, such as Schweppes Limited or E.& J. Burke, organised bottling and distribution to Continental and Foreign markets. Beer intended for the British market was distributed via the network of Company Trade Stores across Great Britain, who in turn supplied customers in the British trade. It was the English Trade Department that was responsible for organising the supply and transportation of GUINNESS Extra Stout and GUINNESS Foreign Extra Stout to these markets –British, Continental and Foreign – and the Department’s papers document these activities.
  The English Trade Department, as with other Brewery Departments had a hierarchical structure. It was led by the Manager, E.L. Kidd, and was supported by a number of clerical Staff. In addition, Kidd was also responsible for the newly established Advertising Department led by G.F.E. Story (See GDB/SA01.02).
  The English Trade Department worked closely with a number of other Brewery departments and posts in fulfilling its duties, in particular the Brewers, British Trade Store Managers and the Forwarding Department. The Brewers provided advice and instructions in connection with quality control and condition of stout in trade, such as formulation of instructions for handling beer and training for travellers in sampling techniques. The Stores Managers provided information on market conditions and customer relations whilst also reporting back on the management of their beer stocks, and requesting supplies. The Forwarding Department provided assistance in connection with the transportation arrangements. In Continental and Foreign markets it was the agents and bottlers who dealt directly with the trade, and so the English Trade Department had to work closely with agents and bottlers to organise supplies for these markets. They relied on them for information on market conditions and sales estimates.
  The English Trade Department was responsible for monitoring and managing: sales volumes and market conditions; customer relations; quality control in trade; transportation; and ultimately preparations for the introduction of Park Royal brewed GUINNESS into the British market.

• Appraisal Destruction ↴

  Permanent Retention

• Arrangement ↴

  The papers within the English Trade Department have been categorised as such because they originated from within the English Trade Department, or its sub-functions the Advertising Department (See GDB/SA01.02), and were created by them.

Conditions of Access & Use

Allied Materials

There are no Allied Materials

Descriptive Control Area