James Herbert Porter

Lieutenant-Colonel James Herbert Porter, CBE, DSO*,^[1] (died 22 March 1973) was an English brewer and brewing executive.

Life

James Herbert Porter was born in Burton upon Trent, the son of a master brewer. He began working for Newcastle Breweries in 1909,^[2] but his career was interrupted by the First World War, during which time he received the Distinguished Service Order twice for gallantry.^[3]

After the war, Porter returned to Newcastle Breweries.^[2] The company's directors became aware of the rising demand for bottled beer in the early 1920s and they asked their brewers to begin developing a new product. As assistant Brewer, Porter worked alongside the firm's Chief Chemist, Archie Jones, to create a new formula: Newcastle Brown Ale.^[4] First advertised in 1927,^[4] it won all seven major awards at the 1928 Breweries Exhibition.^[2] Porter became Managing Director of Newcastle Breweries in 1931; five years later, he was appointed to the Institute of Brewing's Council and he served as its President between 1939 and 1941. In 1948 he was appointed a vice-chairman of the Institute's Research Fund Committee and served on the Council until 1951. Having been a member of the IOB since 1915, he received life membership in 1965.^[3]

In 1953 Porter was appointed Vice-Chairman of Newcastle Breweries and two years later became its chairman. Following the company's merger with Scottish Breweries in 1960, he became the latter group's Vice-Chairman and subsequently its Vice-President. He died on 22 March 1973, aged 81,^[3] leaving a widow, two daughters and one son, Henry, who became Chairman of Newcastle Breweries and a Director at Newcastle and Scottish Breweries.^[2]

References