Nicholson's was a small, British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 brewery

Brewery

A brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made at home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....

 operating from 1840 to 1960 in Maidenhead

Maidenhead

Maidenhead is a town and unparished area within the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, in Berkshire, England. It lies on the River Thames and is situated west of Charing Cross in London.-History:...

, 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...

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History

The brewery was founded in 1840 by William Nicholson (1820–1916), son of successful businessman Robert Nicholson. The brewery was based in the centre of town with an extensive frontage on the High Street

High Street

High Street, or the High Street, is a metonym for the generic name of the primary business street of towns or cities, especially in the United Kingdom. It is usually a focal point for shops and retailers in city centres, and is most often used in reference to retailing...

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At their peak in the 1900s, Nicholson's possessed 150 tied pubs

Tied house

In the UK a tied house is a public house that is required to buy at least some of its beer from a particular brewery. This is in contrast to a free house, which is able to choose the beers it stocks freely.- Definition of "tied" :...

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Courage purchase

Nicholson's was bought out first by Simonds Brewery and then by the Reading-based Courage brewery, and closed in 1960. The Nicholson's Centre shopping complex now stands on the site, covering the 400 ft deep artesian well that provided the brewery with its water.