Forgotten moments show workers in Liverpool's lost Guinness plants
The photos have been hidden away for decades
One of the most famous alcohol brands worldwide, Guinness dates back to 1759 and has seen many from Merseyside contribute to its success.
For decades, Liverpool was home to two Guinness plants, one in Norfolk Street off the Liverpool Dock Road and another in Speke. Employing generations from the city and beyond, the decision was later made to establish a new facility at an 18 acre site at Runcorn, Cheshire, taking over from the Manchester Store at Pomona Dock as the distribution centre for bottle and draught Guinness in the North of England.
At a cost of £2m, the facility went into operation in October 1970, with 83 employees. But these brilliant photos offer a glimpse into Guinness' past in Liverpool.
READ MORE: Past moments of Merseyside's lost factories and those who worked there
READ MORE: Ever-changing Liverpool venue that has attracted celebrities for decades
Courtesy of our archives, Mirrorpix, these photos have been unseen for years and show everything from what the Liverpool sites once looked like to the people who worked there. Taken in the 1970s and 1980s, you may spot a familiar face.
It is not clear in all the photos which Liverpool site the photographs were captured in. But if you used to work there or recognise anything in particular, let us know in the comments section below.
Join the Liverpool ECHO's memories and history WhatsApp community
Do these awaken any memories for you? Let us know in the comments section below.
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
-
Workers with bottles of Guinness on the production line. July 9, 1986
1 of 26
-
A male worker checking one of the huge brewing tanks. These giant tanks release the brew to the filling area. October 12, 1979
2 of 26
-
Billy Gardner on the cluster packing machine. February 14, 1985
3 of 26
-
Tony Wilson doing weight checks to ensure uniformity. Quality and quantity control is a vital link in the production chain. October 12, 1979
4 of 26
-
The automated "four can" packaging section. October 12, 1979
5 of 26
-
Jack Williams checking the bottling crowns. October 12, 1979
6 of 26
-
Guinness Canning and Bottling Plant in Liverpool. Picture shows the bottle storage yard. February 14, 1985
7 of 26
-
Guinness Canning and Bottling Plant picture feature, from Liverpool. Merseyside. Picture shows the the Guinness tanker unloads its cargo of water into the plaza pool. October 12, 1979
8 of 26
-
Ronnie Dally on the input of the massive bottling washing machine. February 14, 1985
9 of 26
-
Mrs Mary Neave and Mrs Carol Fearns in miniature-bottling room, where five people produce 200 dozen miniatures a day. October 12, 1979
10 of 26
-
The fuller cans race along the conveyor, past the stamping machine. October 12, 1979
11 of 26
-
The cans are boxed in manageable units of twenty four, complete with polythene wrapping for easy handling. February 14, 1985
12 of 26
-
The can store at Speke which has to keep pace with the constant demand from the automated production line. October 12, 1979
13 of 26
-
The cans are boxed in manageable units of twenty four, complete with polythene wrapping for easy handling. February 14, 1985
14 of 26
-
Paul Connor (left) and Phil McShane at work in the Quality Control Lab of Guinness Exports. February 14, 1985
15 of 26
-
Frothy cans filled to the brim, move along the conveyor to the capping machine. October 12, 1979
16 of 26
-
Nancy Roberts labelling the bottles. February 14, 1985
17 of 26
-
Cans are boxed in manageable units of twenty four, complete with polythene wrapping for easy handling. February 14, 1985
18 of 26
-
The cans boxed in manageable units of twenty four, complete with polythene wrapping for easy handling, move down the conveyor belt to the dispatch area. October 12, 1979
19 of 26
-
A male worker controlling the line of huge tanks which supply the brew to the canning section. October 12, 1979
20 of 26
-
Eric Hulme checking pressures in the tank room of the Home Trade section at Guinness Exports. February 14, 1985
21 of 26
-
Guinness Canning and Bottling Plant in Liverpool. Picture shows Billy Benson, Maintenance Engineer at Guinness Exports, at work on a protective panel. February 14, 1985
22 of 26
-
Picture shows the home trade department, number 5 plant at Guinness Exports. October 12, 1979
23 of 26
-
The cans are boxed in manageable units of twenty four, complete with polythene wrapping for easy handling. October 12, 1979
24 of 26
-
Sample cans undergo a pressure test in the laboratory. October 12, 1979
25 of 26
-
Danny McCluskey at work on the depalletiser. Removing the empty glass bottles. February 14, 1985
26 of 26