The Sidmouth brewery was founded in 1832. By 1884 George Vallance snr was the sole owner. His son, also George, ran the company which was then known as George Vallance & Co, until his death in 1935. His brother, John Vallance then took over until 1944 when he died. The executors then kept the business going for two further years before it was sold to Woodhead’s Brewery Ltd of London. The name was changed to Vallance’s Brewery Ltd. Then in 1957 it was sold again, this time to John Devenish of Weymouth. Closure followed in 1959. I believe the ‘Wessex’ trademark was used only after the acquisition by Woodhead’s.
