George Elliott London Brewery Sandhurst (Bendigo) Poster

The first reference to the London Brewery is an advertisement in the Bendigo Advertiser of 13 October 1854: ‘Messrs Elliott & Hill, London Brewery, Kangaroo Flat, have commenced brewing from malt’. The goldrush was well under way at the time, and breweries operated under appalling conditions with the heat and dust, lack of hygiene and the scarcity of clean water. It was almost impossible to make a pleasant-tasting, wholesome beer.

The London Brewery managed to survive better than most, and after a year or two George Elliott relocated to larger premises at Golders Flat, Golden Square. In May 1858 James Fawns joined the company, and four years later, in July 1862, Elliott retired from the daily routine of the brewery, leaving Fawns in charge.

William Bruce acquired George Elliott’s interest in 1864 and the London Brewery was then conducted by Bruce & Fawns, a partnership that lasted until 1872. Fawns then continued on his own until his death in 1891. His wife, Helen, kept the business going for three years, and then accepted a takeover offer from the City Brewery. The London and City breweries were next to each other in High Street, Golden Square and the merger meant the closure of the London Brewery.