Near the banks of the Thames, and not far from the north-west of , are the extensive premises of Messrs. Perkins, & Co. The buildings and offices occupy a space of nearly acres, on part of which stood the Globe Theatre. It has risen by degrees to its present magnitude, being now the largest establishment of the kind in the world.

About the year , it was occupied on a small scale by Mr. Halsey. It was enlarged by his nephew, Mr. Ralph Thrale, whose son and successor was Mr. Henry Thrale, much better known by the intimacy that subsisted for many years between him, his wife, and Dr. Johnson. This gentleman considerably enlarged and improved it. Soon after his death, in , it was sold for . to Messrs. Barclay, Perkins, and Co. who have considerably extended the buildings and trade. In , there were only barrels of porter brewed; in they amounted to ; in , to barrels.

The premises comprise shops for all the different trades requisite for the use of the brewery, such as cooperage, carpenter, &c. The stables form a quadrangle, holding horses. The brewhouse is feet in length, and in width. The storehouses are numerous, and are capable of containing barrels. The malt lofts will contain quarters. Here is a steam engine erected by Boulton and Watts, in , of the power of horses.

This porter is sent to all parts of the world, and used to be in great request with the empress Catherine at Petersburgh, till a Mr. Stein, member for Bletchingly, in , established a porter brewery at Petersburgh, and obtained a patent for the vending of it, to the exclusion of any from London.

The number of persons employed in the different departments of this business are about ; of carriages about .

These buildings escaped destruction by lord George Gordon's mob, through the presence of mind of Mr. Perkins, who led away those frantic rioters by a dexterous manoeuvre of lending them a horse to draw some things which they were dragging themselves, and leading them to a public house, where he gave them plenty of porter.

At the end of is the extensive vinegar manufactory of Messrs. Pott. It was employed for this purpose by Mr. Rush, so long agoas , and continued in his family till , when it came into the possession of the present proprietors, whose family had carried on a manufactory of the same kind for years, in Mansel-street, Whitechapel. These gentlemen transferred it to this place, and have enlarged and formed a new apparatus for conducting it, so as to make it the most convenient, as well as the most extensive of the kind in England. The buildings are on part of the bishop of Winchester's park, and are held of that see on leases for lives.

[] Manning and Bray's Surrey.