with the tools supplied, a 5 lb hammer and a driver, then I gave
it to the washers for scrubbing. I chased that little barrel all
over the place till I managed and was I cold, just about frozen.
The coopers' shop had no window frames, just two large openings.
The head cooper had been watching me from there, so he spoke to
the foreman about my being out in the cold; I was then transferred
to the shop which had no electric lighting, only gas jets without
mantles and candles only used during darkness. My first cask was
a 1/4 barrel for repair — each cooper in turn would teach me — they
had of course their own work to do. They had to repair two barrels
per day and a bit. Within the first week the brewer sent for the
other apprentice and myself, he wanted us to go to the evening classes
for coopers at Tynecastle. The firm paid our travelling fares and
night-school fees. In these days there were no buses, so we both
travelled by tram to Musselburgh, then the train to Edinburgh, then
the tram from Princes Street out to Tynecastle. Every year we got
full marks, theory 100%, practical excellent. When the brewer saw
these reports he was delighted and gifted both of us on pay day
with an envelope containing £2. Shortly after the First World War,
a new brewer came to Fowler, namely Mr J. D. Ross who was a real
go-ahead person, very strict yet very fair. It was through his foresight
that the firm were made aware that there was a market for bottling
strong ale. A small bottling plant was installed, employing about
twelve girls to bottle it. This being the first strong ale to go
on the market in Britain, it was a huge success with the public.
Strong ale was widely advertised in the press, with slogans such
as "Hit for a thorough-bred", or "Makes weak men stronger", another
slogan was "Famous since the 45" (rebellion). The demand by the
public for wee heavies was so great that at a board meeting of directors,
he persuaded them to build a new modern bottling hall, which when
completed was the most modern in the country, and able to keep up
demand all over Scotland. A new fleet of lorries was purchased,
Leylands and Bedfords which delivered all over Scotland, the far
north and south.
Around 1961 along came the big concerns, all small breweries were
being bought over. Eventually Fowler's was bought over by a Canadian
from United Caledonian, which eventually went to Tennents. All the
bottling machines were dismantled and transferred to Tennents Brewery.
In all of my 37 years as a cooper with Fowler, not one modern machine
was installed in the cooperage; every job was done by hand, brute
strength and muscle. As a matter of interest, all oak shavings were
collected in sacks. A firm would collect these every Saturday taking
them to Port Seton where they were used for smoking kippers. At
the end of each month we received a box of kippers which were evenly
distributed. |
