26 September 1980 West End Brewery

The last beer to be delivered from the West End Brewery left the Hindley Street premises on 26 September 1980. The brewery was built in 1859 by W.H. Clark who became bankrupt the following year. William Knox Simms who had been involved in breweries in Pirie Street and Halifax Street took over the business in 1960. In 1888 Simms and Sir Edwin Smith of the Kent Town Brewery joined forces and formed the South Australian Brewing, Malting & Wine & Spirit Company which included Rounsevell and Simms’ Wine & Spirit business. In 1893t the company had disposed of the wine and spirit component and became The South Australian Brewing Company Limited. At the time of the amalgamation it was decided that brewing would be done at the newer Kent Town brewery, but this was changed and brewing continued at West End while Kent Town became the maltings. In 1938 SABCo took over the Walkerville Co-operative Brewing Company at Southwark.

The move to have all SABCo’s operations at Southwark brought about the closure of West End brewery in 1980. It was the last of the city breweries.

M.H. Ward, Some Brief Records of Brewing in South Australia, Pioneers Association of SA, Series 1950-51, No.5