Samuel Whitbread the Elder
(1720-1796), Brewer and politicianSitter in 6 portraits
Samuel Whitbread was born in Bedfordshire. He left for London at the age of fourteen and became an apprentice to a London brewer, John Witman. In 1742, he went into partnership with Thomas Shewell, who owned a small brewery. By 1760, it had become the second largest brewery in London and five years later Whitbread bought out Shewell's share of the business. By the end of the century, Whitbread's brewery was London's biggest producer of beer, producing 202,000 barrels in 1796. Whitbread was an MP from 1768 until his death. His son was the politician, Samuel Whitbread.
!['The v[ictualling] committee framing a report', by James Gillray - NPG D12312](https://collectionimages.npg.org.uk/std/mw61096/The-victualling-committee-framing-a-report.jpg)
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