Robert Cain
Encyclopedia
Robert Cain was the founder of the firm Robert Cain and Sons
, a brewer
in Liverpool
, England
.
, Ireland
on April 29, 1826, the son of James Cain (1797–1871), a private soldier in the 88th Foot, a regiment of the British Army
. There is some dispute over the identity of Cain's mother. Later family records and stories claim that his mother was Mary Deane, the daughter of Alexander Deane, an architect and mayor of Cork. However, in the entry for his brother William in the Liverpool
register of births his mother's maiden name is listed as Mary Kirk (died 1864).
is told in Christopher Routledge's 2008 history of the brewery, Cains: The Story of Liverpool in a Pint, which unpicks many of the mythologies that have developed around the Cain family. Many of these mythologies seem to date back to the 1920s and 1930s, when Cain's sons William Cain
and Charles Nall-Cain were given titles in the British honours system, and centre on the idea that the brewery's founder had a background in the Irish gentry. Such a background would have made his sons more acceptable to the British establishment at the time. However, according to Routledge, Robert Cain was born in poverty in 1826, the son of a private soldier who would soon be forced to leave the army and travel to England to find work. Cain arrived in Liverpool with his parents in late 1827 or early 1828 and grew up in the slums of the Islington area of the city with his older sister Hannah and two younger siblings, Mary and William. When he was in his early teens Cain was indentured to a cooper
on board a ship carrying palm oil from West Africa.
After working out his indenture Cain returned to Liverpool in 1844 where he set himself up first as a cooper and soon after, as a brewer. According to Routledge he met Ann Newall, the daughter of James Newall, a shoemaker, and they were married on 4 April, 1847 in St. Philip's Church, Hardman Street, Liverpool. He began brewing around 1848 on Limekiln Lane in the Scotland Road
area, but soon expanded his operation to a nearby brewery on Wilton Street and finally moved to the existing Mersey Brewery (now known as the Robert Cain Brewery or Cains Brewery
) on Stanhope Street, Liverpool in 1858. At the same time as he was developing his brewing business, Cain also made shrewd property deals and ran a hotel near to the brewery on Stanhope Street; as the company grew it expanded by buying out smaller brewers and taking control of their pubs.
maintain control of Liverpool throughout the late nineteenth century. In fact he was so influential in the area of Toxteth Park, Liverpool where he lived that he became known as "King of the Toxteths". Contemporary reports of his funeral and burial at St. James's Cemetery suggest as many as 3,000 people attended.
The company, Robert Cain and Sons, owned over 200 pubs in Liverpool but is most notable for having built three of the most gloriously extravagant pubs in Britain: The Philharmonic Dining Rooms
, The Vines and The Central. These highly ornate and elaborate pubs, built to celebrate Robert Cain's own success and to demonstrate the skill of Liverpool craftsmen, remain landmark Liverpool buildings in the twenty-first century.
and early twentieth-century Britain
. From the early 1860s the Cains lived in the affluent enclave of Grassendale Park and later owned mansions on Aigburth Road and in Hoylake
on the Wirral
. In all the Cains had 11 children, including five sons and six daughters. Despite their Irish
immigrant background two of his sons joined the British establishment. William Cain
became a became baronet
while Charles Cain, later Charles Nall-Cain, entered the House of Lords
in 1933 as the first Baron Brocket
, joining several other brewers in what became known somewhat disparagingly as The Beerage
. Both sons were noted philanthropists.
Cains Brewery
Cains is a brewery in Liverpool, England, founded in 1858 by Robert Cain. The company, with its 200 pub estate, merged with Peter Walker & Son in 1921, with the brewery operation being taken over by Higsons in 1923. Boddingtons of Manchester took over in 1985, and shut it down in 1990...
, a brewer
Brewer
Brewer may refer to:*Brewer, someone who makes beer by brewing*Brewer , a disambiguation page that lists people with the surname Brewer*Brewer, Maine, a city in southern Penobscot County, Maine, United States, near the city of Bangor...
in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Birth and youth
He was born on Spike Island, County CorkSpike Island, County Cork
Spike Island is an island of 103 Acres in Cork Harbour, Ireland.It was significant in the French intervention following the Glorious Revolution, and was later purchased by the British government in 1779 – becoming the site of Fort Westmoreland...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
on April 29, 1826, the son of James Cain (1797–1871), a private soldier in the 88th Foot, a regiment of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. There is some dispute over the identity of Cain's mother. Later family records and stories claim that his mother was Mary Deane, the daughter of Alexander Deane, an architect and mayor of Cork. However, in the entry for his brother William in the Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
register of births his mother's maiden name is listed as Mary Kirk (died 1864).
Career
The story of the life of Robert Cain and Cains BreweryCains Brewery
Cains is a brewery in Liverpool, England, founded in 1858 by Robert Cain. The company, with its 200 pub estate, merged with Peter Walker & Son in 1921, with the brewery operation being taken over by Higsons in 1923. Boddingtons of Manchester took over in 1985, and shut it down in 1990...
is told in Christopher Routledge's 2008 history of the brewery, Cains: The Story of Liverpool in a Pint, which unpicks many of the mythologies that have developed around the Cain family. Many of these mythologies seem to date back to the 1920s and 1930s, when Cain's sons William Cain
William Cain
Sir William Ernest Cain, 1st Baronet was an English brewer and philanthropist.Cain was the son of Robert Cain, who had founded a large brewing empire, Robert Cain & Sons Ltd...
and Charles Nall-Cain were given titles in the British honours system, and centre on the idea that the brewery's founder had a background in the Irish gentry. Such a background would have made his sons more acceptable to the British establishment at the time. However, according to Routledge, Robert Cain was born in poverty in 1826, the son of a private soldier who would soon be forced to leave the army and travel to England to find work. Cain arrived in Liverpool with his parents in late 1827 or early 1828 and grew up in the slums of the Islington area of the city with his older sister Hannah and two younger siblings, Mary and William. When he was in his early teens Cain was indentured to a cooper
Cooper (profession)
Traditionally, a cooper is someone who makes wooden staved vessels of a conical form, of greater length than breadth, bound together with hoops and possessing flat ends or heads...
on board a ship carrying palm oil from West Africa.
After working out his indenture Cain returned to Liverpool in 1844 where he set himself up first as a cooper and soon after, as a brewer. According to Routledge he met Ann Newall, the daughter of James Newall, a shoemaker, and they were married on 4 April, 1847 in St. Philip's Church, Hardman Street, Liverpool. He began brewing around 1848 on Limekiln Lane in the Scotland Road
Vauxhall, Merseyside
Vauxhall is an inner city district of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is located north of Liverpool city centre, and is bounded by Kirkdale in the north, and Everton in the east, with the docks and River Mersey running along the west side....
area, but soon expanded his operation to a nearby brewery on Wilton Street and finally moved to the existing Mersey Brewery (now known as the Robert Cain Brewery or Cains Brewery
Cains Brewery
Cains is a brewery in Liverpool, England, founded in 1858 by Robert Cain. The company, with its 200 pub estate, merged with Peter Walker & Son in 1921, with the brewery operation being taken over by Higsons in 1923. Boddingtons of Manchester took over in 1985, and shut it down in 1990...
) on Stanhope Street, Liverpool in 1858. At the same time as he was developing his brewing business, Cain also made shrewd property deals and ran a hotel near to the brewery on Stanhope Street; as the company grew it expanded by buying out smaller brewers and taking control of their pubs.
Businessman
Cain became one of Liverpool's most successful businessmen with a passion for using the most modern techniques and equipment. He expanded the brewery several times, most notably in 1887 and in 1900-1902, when the landmark redbrick part of the brewery was constructed. By the time of his death on July 19, 1907 Cain was one of Britain's richest men, leaving a personal estate of £400,000 (around £28 million at 2005 prices). He also had political influence, working behind the scenes to help the Conservative PartyConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
maintain control of Liverpool throughout the late nineteenth century. In fact he was so influential in the area of Toxteth Park, Liverpool where he lived that he became known as "King of the Toxteths". Contemporary reports of his funeral and burial at St. James's Cemetery suggest as many as 3,000 people attended.
The company, Robert Cain and Sons, owned over 200 pubs in Liverpool but is most notable for having built three of the most gloriously extravagant pubs in Britain: The Philharmonic Dining Rooms
The Philharmonic Dining Rooms
The Philharmonic Dining Rooms is the name of a public house at the corner of Hope Street and Hardman Street in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, and stands diagonally opposite the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. It is commonly known as The Phil...
, The Vines and The Central. These highly ornate and elaborate pubs, built to celebrate Robert Cain's own success and to demonstrate the skill of Liverpool craftsmen, remain landmark Liverpool buildings in the twenty-first century.
Example of social mobility
Cain is also notable as an example of social mobility in VictorianVictorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
and early twentieth-century Britain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
. From the early 1860s the Cains lived in the affluent enclave of Grassendale Park and later owned mansions on Aigburth Road and in Hoylake
Hoylake
Hoylake is a seaside town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, on Merseyside, England. It is located at the north western corner of the Wirral Peninsula, near to the town of West Kirby and where the River Dee estuary meets the Irish Sea...
on the Wirral
Wirral Peninsula
Wirral or the Wirral is a peninsula in North West England. It is bounded by three bodies of water: to the west by the River Dee, forming a boundary with Wales, to the east by the River Mersey and to the north by the Irish Sea. Both terms "Wirral" and "the Wirral" are used locally , although the...
. In all the Cains had 11 children, including five sons and six daughters. Despite their Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
immigrant background two of his sons joined the British establishment. William Cain
William Cain
Sir William Ernest Cain, 1st Baronet was an English brewer and philanthropist.Cain was the son of Robert Cain, who had founded a large brewing empire, Robert Cain & Sons Ltd...
became a became baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
while Charles Cain, later Charles Nall-Cain, entered the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
in 1933 as the first Baron Brocket
Baron Brocket
Baron Brocket, of Brocket Hall in the County of Hertford, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1933 for the businessman Sir Charles Nall-Cain, 1st Baronet. He was Chairman of the brewing firm of Robert Cain & Sons , which had been founded by his father Robert Cain...
, joining several other brewers in what became known somewhat disparagingly as The Beerage
Beerage
Beerage is a term mainly used to describe the influence of the brewing industry within the British political system. A portmanteau word combining beer and peerage, it arose through the ennoblement and award of other honours to brewers in the late 19th century, and such individuals were considered...
. Both sons were noted philanthropists.