Bennett's of Ballinacurra Descriptive List (Ref. B609)

B609/

remain in place throughout the firm’s existence, providing the basis for all of its activities. The Guinness commission was temporarily withdrawn in 1884, shortly before the death of William H Bennett, owing to a combination of a wet harvest and outmoded malting practices. John H Bennett faced considerable difficulties, both in getting the commission restored, and in establishing his control of the company, his father having died intestate and without making him a partner. Fortunately, Bennett managed to deal with the legal issues, renaming the firm John H Bennett & Co, while building a good relationship with WP Geoghegan, chief barley buyer for Guinness (B609/1/B/4). By the end of the century the company was malting three times what it had been in 1885, and Bennett, with Guinness assistance, had greatly improved and modernised his malting premises and equipment (B609/2/B/5). In the early twentieth century, Bennett became closely involved in efforts to improve the quality of barley and barley breeding in Ireland. In 1901 he attended a meeting with officials of Guinness and the Department of Agriculture at which it was agreed to appoint an expert to superintend experimental plots and to instruct farmers on more scientific methods of production (B609/7/C/1). This led to the creation of an experimental maltings at Guinness and a Departmental Cereal Station at Ballinacurra, on lands rented from Bennett. Bennett became director of the station, working first with HC Sheringham and later with Herbert Hunter, the scientific experts, in arranging and conducting experiments, inspections, and lectures. The Station’s first major success came in 1908, when Hunter crossed two varieties of barley, Spratt and Archer, to produce the Spratt- Archer variety, a version of which was to become the first seed barley to be sown universally in Ireland. This vindicated Guinness’ decision to finance and support the experiments, as in earlier years the superior quality and cheaper price of English barley had sorely tried their ‘liberal policy towards Irish Barley’ (B609/1/B/5). Bennett was to continue as director of the Cereal Station until his death in 1935, supervising its operations and overseeing the distribution of pedigree seed (including oats and wheat as well as barley) to farmers (see, e.g., B609/1/A/13, B609/1/A/32, B609/7/A/22, B609/7/B/6). John H Bennett & Co continued to have strong links with the Station in later years, providing it with land and accommodation, and playing a role in the distribution of seed. Guinness’ ongoing involvement meant that there was much reference to the Cereal Station’s activities in correspondence between the firm and the brewery. The improvements in barley quality led to greater consistency in the malt produced at Ballinacurra. The firm, however, had to contend with unique and difficult conditions on its home market. Unlike Guinness commission houses elsewhere in Ireland, John H Bennett & Co had to compete against two Cork-based breweries, Beamish & Crawford and Jas J Murphy & Co, as well as numerous distillers and millers, including Hallinan’s distillery in nearby Midleton (B609/1/A/17). Bennett often had to plead with Guinness to allow him to offer higher prices to meet those offered by his rivals, and often complained of the ‘opening price’ system, whereby barley buyers agreed an opening price for the season, generally thought by Bennett to be too high and under the control of Beamish &