Presentation of Beer Money to Students

On Monday 31 October the Master Brewer, Jonathan Neame, will present “Beer Money” to Year 7 students from Dame Alice Owen’s School.

In a formal ceremony which is conducted annually at Brewers’ Hall, new students hear about the long connection between their school and the Worshipful Company of Brewers and receive a “Beer Money” coin as a symbol of the Company’s commitment to their wellbeing and education. 

The founder of the School, Dame Alice Owen, described the Brewers’ Company as her ‘beloved and trusty friends’, and asked them to be the Governors, Rulers, Patrons and Maintainers of the school, for ever. The Brewers’ Company continue to take their responsibility towards the School very seriously, providing financial support through a number of charitable funds, as well as nominating School Governors from among its Members. 

When the School was established in 1613, one of the responsibilities of the Brewers’ Company was to ensure that pupils were provided with beer to drink – much weaker than it is today and considerably safer to drink than the often dirty and dangerous water available at the time. Over the years things changed and by 1881 when good, clean drinking water was widely available the Company was giving a Beer Money grant to pupils of the school instead of the beer itself. The ceremony in its current form, which sees pupils receive a commemorative crown during a visit to Brewer’s Hall, started over 50 years ago in 1968.