John Perkins

(b. 1730, Durham, County Durham, England – d. Oct. 31, 1812, Brighton, Sussex, England )

Gender: M

John Perkins, née Perkin, was born around 1730 to John Perkin (1697-1740) and Hannah Perkin, née Fisher ( b.1704), in Durham. He moved to London in the 1750s where he took work as a tobacconist the merchant and future MP, Nathaniel Polhill (1732-1782) in Southwark, before moving on to a position as clerk (1763-1770) and then Superintendent (1770-1781) at Thrale's Brewery under Henry Thrale (1724-1781). He married (1766) a Miss Polihull, cousin of Nathaniel Polihull, but the marriage was short lived, with her passing away in 1769. He remarried (1774) Amelia Moseley Bevan (1747-1830), and the pair had 6 children. Henry Thrale's management skills generally recognised as having been non-existent, Perkins essentially co-managed the brewery with Hester Thrale (1741-1821), distinguishing himself by paying competitive wages and maintaining enthusiasm and loyalty among the brewery employees. The highlight of his career came when, during the Gordon riots of June 1780, he saved the Anchor Brewery from destruction by an angry mob by plying the rioters with free drink. He followed this by proposing a business partnership with Hester later that year, anticipating the death of the sickly Henry. His proposal was rejected, and when Henry died in 1781, Hester sold the brewery to David (1729-1809) and Robert Barclay, founders of Barclays Bank. The Barclays took on John Perkins as partner in the management of the brewery, re-named the Anchor, and they together became Barclay Perkins & Company. After a successful career as co-proprietor of the Anchor Brewery, Perkins moved to Camberwell in 1800, and died in an unfortunate accident on 31 October 1812, when he was kicked in the head with a horse, whilst attending the Brighton horse races.

Also known as:

John Perkins

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Electronic Enlightenment DOI

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