The History of Harveys

Introduction

Harveys and Son is a family business that date backs at least seven generations to the year 1790 but much of the firm's origination is clouded in the mists of time.

For accurate facts on the history of Harveys, the firm's heritage links with the origins of brewing and pubs and how the company is interwoven with the history of Lewes region, consult our Timeline. (Harveys' earliest link is dated 1190).

For a detailed history of the company it is necessary to divide the information into three eras:

1. John Harvey steps out of the mists of time. This first chapter includes some speculations about the origins of the founders. The wine trade. And also marshals all the known facts prior to the Victorian period.
2. Harvey and Sons. Chapter Two covers the early prosperity of the firm the construction of the brewery and the transition to a less prosperous era in the third and fourth generations.
3. Recent History Chapter Three chronicles the fifth to eighth generations from the 1920s through to the present day.