Elma Yerburgh
Elma Amy Yerburgh | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Addison Lodge, Holland Park, London, England |
| Died | December 6, 1946 (aged 82) |
| Occupation(s) | Brewery proprietor, philanthropist |
| Known for | Proprietor and chairperson of Thwaites Brewery; philanthropy including Blackburn Royal Infirmary War Memorial wing and Blackburn's Empire Theatre |
Elma Amy Yerburgh (born Thwaites, 30 July 1864 – 6 December 1946) served as the proprietor and chairperson of Thwaites Brewery located in Blackburn, England, from 1888 until her passing in 1946. She was the daughter of Daniel Thwaites, Member of Parliament for Blackburn, and married Robert Yerburgh, who represented Chester as an MP. Renowned within the local community for her philanthropy towards brewery employees and various charitable contributions, she financed the War Memorial wing at Blackburn Royal Infirmary and played a key role in establishing Blackburn's Empire Theatre, which now bears her name. In tribute, the brewery created "Elma's Pound," a commemorative beer released during their bicentennial celebration in 2007.
Family
Elma was born at Addison Lodge near Holland Park, London, to Daniel Thwaites and Eliza Amelia (née Gregory). Her father assumed leadership of the family brewery in 1858 following the death of his own father and his brothers’ withdrawal from the business.
On 8 August 1888, she wed Robert Yerburgh (1853–1916), who had been elected MP for Chester in 1886. Their introduction occurred earlier that year at Winfield House, residence of Sir Harry Hornby, MP for Blackburn. The wedding was postponed due to her father’s declining health; he passed away shortly after at the family estate in Barwhillanty, Kirkcudbrightshire.
The couple had two sons:
- Robert Daniel Thwaites Yerburgh (1889–1955), who served as MP for South Dorset and was elevated to Baron Alvingham in 1929.
- Richard "Guy" Cecil Yerburgh (1892–1926), a distinguished Major in the Irish Guards, awarded the Croix de Guerre, Croce di Guerra, and OBE.
Thwaites Brewery
Following her father’s demise, Elma and her husband inherited control of the family brewery. Although the will stipulated its sale, Elma opted to maintain ownership, entrusting day-to-day management to William Ward, her cousin and executor. Initially prioritizing family matters, Elma allowed Ward to oversee operations. The couple resided alternately at Princes Gate in South Kensington and Billinge Scar near Blackburn before ultimately settling at Woodfold Hall.
Plans to convert the enterprise into a limited company had been postponed by Daniel Thwaites’ death but were completed in March 1897 after Ward’s departure. Elma transferred ownership into Daniel Thwaites & Co. Limited at a valuation of £850,000, which included £250,000 allocated to a family trust. This transaction was financed through a combination of ordinary shares, preference shares, debenture stock, and cash. The public subscribed £134,000 via new preference shares. After incorporation, the brewery pursued expansion through modernization efforts, facility improvements, and acquisition of licensed properties.
At the onset of World War I in 1914, Robert Yerburgh was unwell and briefly detained in Germany before being permitted to return to England via Switzerland. His condition worsened over time, culminating in his death in December 1916.
During the period between the wars, Thwaites focused on growth by acquiring other businesses and increasing its share capital to £1 million by 1922. In August 1923, it purchased Henry Shaw & Co., proprietors of the New Brewery in Salford with significant operations in Darwen. Sir John Rutherford, former MP for Darwen and chairman of Shaw’s, joined Thwaites as director and vice-chairman in 1924. Concurrently, Thwaites expanded its portfolio by acquiring James Pickup Wines & Spirits Company. In May 1927, it added Fountain Free Brewery in Rishton along with its eleven tied houses to its holdings.
Personality
Yerburgh was noted for her meticulous attention to detail, diligence in duty execution, and firmness in commercial decisions. She was characterized as "honourable, upright, just and selfless," maintaining a humble and reserved demeanor throughout her lifetime. Although occasionally seen as "abrupt and overly direct," this contrasted with her inherently shy and reserved disposition. Despite her reputation as a generous patron and employer, she consistently shunned the spotlight.
Generosity as an employer
Yerburgh took a personal interest in the well-being of her staff, frequently providing treats at her own expense. Employees who were ill or had sick relatives received additional financial support and food provisions. When made aware that some individuals took advantage of her kindness, she remarked: "As long as I do not fail to assist someone truly in need, I can tolerate being exploited."
In December 1897, she began the custom of presenting each worker with 10 pounds of prime English beef at Christmas, while office employees were given a turkey or goose. In 1926, despite management efforts to discontinue this tradition, she substituted the beef gift with a £1 cash bonus per worker—an offering known as "Elma's Pound" that endures to this day.
Throughout World War I, Yerburgh ensured that employees enlisted in the armed forces continued to receive their wages and that their families were cared for. Their positions were held open until their return, at which point they were paid back wages. The brewery also arranged excursions to Blackpool for veterans and their families, awarding £25 for each year of military service.
Homes
At the time of her passing, Yerburgh possessed several estates including Woodfold Park near Blackburn, Caythorpe Court in Lincolnshire, and Barwhillanty in Scotland. She also kept residences in London (Addison Road, Princess Gate, Kensington Gore), Freeby in Leicestershire, and Bryn Eithin and Cae Eithin in Colwyn Bay, North Wales. Yerburgh Avenue in Colwyn Bay commemorates her name.
Billinge Scar
Elma and her husband first resided at Billinge Scar, located west of Blackburn and purchased by her father in 1876. This twelve-bedroom home featured a schoolroom and an elaborately designed Elizabethan-style façade complete with battlements. Subsequent owner William Birtwistle, an industrialist, later demolished the house during the 1940s, leaving only the coach-house intact.
Woodfold Hall
The couple later relocated to the ancestral estate at Woodfold Hall, near Mellor, northwest of Blackburn. Originally constructed in 1799 for cotton merchant Henry Sudell, ownership passed to John Fowden Hindle, High Sheriff of Lancashire, before being acquired by the Thwaites family in the late 1850s. The hall contained over twenty rooms on the ground floor arranged around a courtyard within a 400-acre property that included a dairy and brewery.
During World War II, Mrs. Yerburgh moved to Scotland while Woodfold Hall served as accommodation for elderly evacuees from Merseyside. After her death in 1946, the estate was inherited by her son, Lord Alvingham, who soon relinquished it. In 1949, the house’s contents were auctioned off and its roof removed to avoid property taxation, which led to its deterioration.
Following plans for golf course development in 2000, Woodfold Hall underwent restoration and was transformed into high-end apartments. The estate’s orangery is recognized as a Grade II listed structure.
Caythorpe Court
In September 1907, Mrs. Yerburgh purchased the estate and residence at Caythorpe Court in Lincolnshire following the passing of its original owner, Edgar Lubbock, known for his roles as a brewer and banker. Among her holdings, Caythorpe Court was the smallest and affectionately called "The Cottage" by her. The gardens were redesigned during her tenure by the landscape architect Percy Cane.
During World War I, at Robert Yerburgh's request, the property was converted into an Auxiliary Military Hospital accommodating 20 officers. In the course of World War II, it served as the headquarters for the 1st Airborne Division Signals unit. Upon Mrs. Yerburgh’s death in December 1946, her will stipulated that the estate be sold to establish an Agricultural Education facility, with a directive to maintain the main buildings as close to their original state as possible.
The estate was subsequently acquired by Lincolnshire County Council, which operated it initially as the Kesteven Farm Institute. This institution later became Kesteven Agricultural College before its integration into De Montfort University. Today, the site is managed by PGL, functioning as an adventure holiday centre catering to both children and adults.
The Empire Theatre
In February 1910, Mrs. Yerburgh leased a plot of 970 square yards at the intersection of Aqueduct Road and Bolton Road in Blackburn to Ferdinand Caton and Christopher Hope, who established the Empire Electric Theatre. Over time, this theatre experienced several rebrandings before closing in the 1970s. It was eventually purchased by a charitable trust and reopened under the name Thwaites Empire Theatre in October 2002.
Blackburn Royal Infirmary
The Blackburn and East Lancashire Royal Infirmary was founded in 1864 at Hollin Bank. Following Daniel Thwaites’ death in 1888, Mrs. Yerburgh donated £10,000 in his honor. After Robert Yerburgh passed away in 1916, his widow contributed an additional £3,500.
After World War I, the Blackburn Memorial Committee aimed to construct a War Memorial Wing to honor local soldiers who had fallen, setting a fundraising goal of £100,000. When £38,000 remained unfunded, Mrs. Yerburgh generously donated £36,000, confident that the community would raise the balance. Construction began in 1923; she laid the foundation stone in May 1924 and officially opened the wing in June 1928. A ward within the infirmary was later named to recognize her contributions.
With the opening of the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital in 2006, the infirmary closed and was sold to Barratt Homes. Most of its buildings were demolished except for the War Memorial Wing, which was preserved for redevelopment into 53 apartments as a tribute to East Lancashire’s war heroes. By 2018, however, this wing had been demolished and replaced; elements such as commemorative stained glass windows were incorporated into the new hospital’s corridor design.
Death
Throughout World War II, Mrs. Yerburgh primarily resided at her Scottish estate "Barwhillanty," near Parton in Kirkcudbrightshire. In her eighties and with reduced mobility, she entrusted brewery operations to her fellow directors. To ensure continuity of family ownership, she bequeathed her estates to her son Robert (Baron Alvingham) and transferred company shares to her grandsons John and Oscar (sons of Guy).
Mrs. Yerburgh became seriously ill in November 1946 and passed away at Barwhillanty on 6 December at age 82; she was interred at Parton kirkyard. Her gravestone bears the inscription: "In loving memory of Elma Amy Yerburgh, born 30th July 1864, died 6th December 1946. 'And the spirit shall return unto God who gave it'."
Her will included donations to various charities, reflecting her enduring philanthropic spirit. Following her death, she was remembered locally as Blackburn’s "Lady Bountiful."
Tributes and memorials
On 5 September 1935, Mrs. Yerburgh was bestowed the title of Honorary Freeman of the County Borough of Blackburn, becoming the first and sole woman to receive this distinction. Alderman Taylor commended her for her "outstanding contributions" and "genuine compassion" towards those in need.
In 1960, a new public house called the "Elma Yerburgh" was opened on King Street in Blackburn, taking the place of the former Commercial Hotel which had been demolished. Today, this location serves as a tool hire facility.
To celebrate the bicentennial of Thwaites Brewery in 2007, a commemorative selection of beers was introduced, featuring Elma's Pound, a Christmas brew with an alcohol content of 4.9% ABV that honored Elma Yerburgh’s generosity. This beer was characterized as a "rich, amber-hued ale offering bittersweet notes with a spicy aromatic finish."
In the same year, Jehanne Wake authored a history of the brewery in which John Yerburgh dedicated the work to his grandmother:
She steered the brewery through challenging times including two world wars, as well as periods of growth and post-war rebuilding. A remarkable businesswoman, her expertise and vision ensured that Daniel Thwaites remained a family enterprise. She recognized that a company’s true strength is its people; their excellence today guarantees that the high standards she established for quality and innovation at Thwaites will endure for another two centuries.