Our Heritage

Steeped in history, We’ve been malting since the late 1600s.
See how French & Jupps evolved alongside key global events over the past 300 years

Artefacts from our past

At the Maltings, we have a stunning collection of artefacts and antiques from our past.

The Story of

French & Jupps

by 1689

 

The Jupp family were farmers and maltsters on the South Downs in West Sussex.

ROYAL ~ The Glorious Revolution sees King James II deposed. William III and Mary Stuart are crowned joint rulers. Short of money, William introduces the window tax, robbing the English of their daylight, giving rise to the phrase ‘Daylight Robbery’
by 1689

1750

Construction work started on the current Maltings premises.

FACT ~ Two years later, in 1752, the Gregorian calendar is adopted.
1750

1774

David Jupp, one of the few privately owned maltsters in the south of England, was producing malt at Kingston-upon-Thames and Spitalfields in London.

1774

1780

William Jupp was occupying a single malthouse in High St, Old Brentford, Middlesex.

There was a trading relationship with William Whitbread’s brewing, distilling and rectifying business in Old Brentford.

ON THE THRONE George III
1780

1812-1815

IN THE  USA ~ Following extensive damage during the 1812 War, President James Madison commences a three year re-build of The White House to restore it to the magnificent building we know today.

1814

The White Horse Inn, South Street Chichester

1817

INVENTION ~ A British inventor, Daniel Wheeler invented a device for roasting malt and kilning. This new and improved method introduced a rotating drum, which replaced the perforated floor kiln, preventing the malt from being exposed to the kiln’s fire. Thus maltsters could now control the flavour and colour of malts with more precision.

1826-7 & 1839

At Kew Bridge House, the Jupp family were operating a malthouse on the site in 1826–7 and 1839. They were the leading 19th-century maltsters of Brentford.

1826-7 & 1839

1842

In the UK, roasting was first permitted as a result of the ‘Roasted Malt Act’ of 1842, which stated that : “malt is not to be roasted for sale, or sold, except by persons duly licensed”. The special licence, or patent, led to the products being referred to as ‘patent malts’. ‘Speciality malts’ was another epithet applied to them, and the manufacture of such products has always required intensive energy usage, capital investment, technology, highly skilled and experienced supervision and quality control.

1842

1847

The Jupp family leased a malt house at the Strand on the Green, by the Thames at Kew Bridge. They also operated Jupps Wharf at the end of the Grand Union canal.

1848

William Jupp was a partner with Edward Wilks and Matthew Henry Cowell as brewers in St Georges Road, Southwark.

IN THIS YEAR
James Marshall finds flakes of gold in a streambed in Colombo California, sparking the goldrush that reinvigorated the American economy.
1848

Mid 1800s

Malt was being supplied by the Jupps business to Samuel Whitbread and Benjamin Truman. This was taken up to Tower Bridge by sailing barge. The then carrier was a local farmer called Margaret French.

Mid 1800s

1864

William Jupp bought the freehold malting on either side of the River Lea in Stanstead Abbotts, Hertfordshire.

One was River Mead Maltings on the Stanstead St Margarets side of the river, just behind the Jolly Fisherman pub and the other was the Rose and Crown maltings on the opposite side of the river, which is still in use today.

The Maltings was auctioned in 1864 at the Saracen’s Head Inn on Ware High Street (a neighbouring town)

1867

The business relationship between the Jupp family and Margaret French was so successful that she was taken into partnership. In the same year, the firm opened a roasting plant in Bell Lane, close by Liverpool Street station, due to the increased demand for dark malts (mainly for London Porter).

1867

1881

George Harman Jupp takes over the running of the business in 1881. French and Jupps now employs 66 men.

IN THE USA ~ The first edition of the Los Angeles Times is produced 
1881

1887

GOLDEN JUBILEE ~ Queen Victoria celebrates 50 years on the throne of the United Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland, only the 2nd British monarch to have reached this milestone at this point.
1887

1889

David Jupp purchased the maltings of H.A.& D Taylor in Stanstead Abbotts. Parts of the site dated back to before 1750. H.A & D Taylor continued in business elsewhere in Bishops Stortford and Sawbridgeworth.

1889

1896

Other sites were subsequently purchased in Stanstead Abbotts and the whole enterprise moved there in this year. Cottages were built to house the employees who relocated from London. Barley was malted at one end of the village (on the present site), and the lightly kilned malt was placed in bags and taken by horse and cart to a maltings at the other end of the village, by St Margaret’s Station, where it was roasted.

1896

1903

PIONEERS ~ Near Kittyhawk, North Carolina, Orville and Wilbur Wright make the first successful flight.
1903

1914

With the war raging in Europe an order was given that women could now do work previously only done by men in agriculture and factories. Women took over the work of the men working the floor malting.

KEY DEVELOPMENT IN SHIPPING ~ After a decade of construction the Panama Canal finally connects the Atlantic to the Pacific.
1914

1926

Claude Jupp becomes Chairman. In the early 1900’s Claude was the ‘fastest man’ in England over the new distance of 220 yards, winning the 1906 National Championships in a time of 22.6 seconds

INVENTION
~ John Logie Baird gives his first demonstration of Television.

1939

Due to the outbreak of the second world war, women return to the maltings to keep it in operation.

1939

1963

MAJOR EVENTS
~ On a hot summers day in August, Martin Luther King spontaneously delivers a speech that will enter the history books – ‘I have a dream’; quietly watching in the White House President Kennedy remarks ‘He’s damned good’.
1963

1964

French & Jupps introduces modern drum roasting technology fired by gas (still in operation today).

MUSIC
~ The Beatles touchdown at New York’s Kennedy Airport in February. Two days later 73 million tune in to the Ed Sullivan show to see John, Paul, George and Ringo open with ‘All My Loving’.
1964

1966

SPORT
~ A dramatic World Cup with England seizing the cup, winning 4-2
1966

1968

 

Photo: Left – Claude Jupp , Right – Ronnie Jupp

Mr Ronnie Jupp became chairman after taking over from his father, Claude. 

1968

1980

Production trebles with the advancement in technology and automation.

1980

1987

The three Barth roasting drums were installed, two for Crystal malt production one for patent malts.

ADVENTURE
~ Richard Branson was the first person to cross the Atlantic in a hot air balloon.
1987

1990

Saw the arrival of no 4 germination drum which was so large it had to be brought with a police escort.

1990

1994

ENGINEERING
~ Channel tunnel opens.
1994

2000

French & Jupps sponsored the erection of the Maltmaker statue acknowledging the importance of the local area being a premier spot for Maltings since the 18th Century. French & Jupps is the sole surviving maltings now left in Hertfordshire.  

2000

2006-2007

A roasting drum was bought from Guinness Park Royal Brewery in London, originally for spare parts but was soon put into commission roasting patent malts as the business grew.

2006-2007

2010

Always ready to roll up his sleeves throughout his 60 dedicated years of employment, Guy Horlock retires as Chairman after transforming the business to ensure its long-lasting legacy

2010

2019

With porters and distinctive fine ales growing in popularity, French & Jupps proudly launches its “Light Chocolate” Malt.

2019

2020

Photo: Left – Paul King (MD) , Right – David Jupp (Chairman)

David Jupp retires as Managing Director and continues over 330 year of family involvement by becoming the new Chairman of French & Jupps.

2020
French & Jupps

COVID-19

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Crystal Malt - Process

Crystal Malting Process Drawing

To learn about the journey from field to glass and more detailed explanation of the malting process click below.

Our Vision

Proudly delivering outstanding quality and services for centuries to come.

OUr Mission

We pride ourselves in:
Producing the finest quality speciality malts
Providing an inspiring environment for businesses to develop and grow
Supporting the community and local youth programmes

Our Values

Family owned and driven by core family values. 

We are: One team, supportive, honest, respectful and care greatly about our community, local talented youth and the environment.

Contact Us

EMAIL

Address

French & Jupps Ltd, Roydon Road, Stanstead Abbotts, Herts, SG12 8HG​

Proudly Creating Perfecting Malting Since 1689