Everards founder honoured with blue plaque in Groby

The scheme commemorates notable figures from the past and their links to buildings across the borough where they lived or worked.   

Everards, a household name in Leicestershire, was co-founded by Groby-born farmer William Everard and maltster Thomas Hull in 1849.   

William’s son Thomas moved to Groby and acquired the Stamford Arms, where his father was born and lived, in 1921.   

The plaque was installed after the council was approached by local historian Greg Drozdz.   

Cllr Paul Williams, the Borough Council’s Heritage Champion, said: “We are proud of our blue plaque scheme that recognises people who represented our community well and achieved great things during their lifetimes.   

“I’m delighted that we have installed this latest plaque for William Everard at the Stamford Arms. Everyone in Leicestershire knows the name Everards and I’m pleased we’re able to recognise William here in Hinckley and Bosworth.”   

Historian Greg Drozdz said: "I have been interested in the history of local breweries for some time. On a brewery tour last year at the Everards Brewery, I learnt that William Everard had lived in Groby, one of the villages in the Hinckley and Bosworth area. Combining this knowledge with previous research I approached the council to see if there could be a blue plaque to William Everard."

Mr Drozdz, along with the local branch of CAMRA in 2017, researched three other local brewers, William Bass and William Butler of Hinckley and William Worthington of Orton on the Hill. All have blue plaques to which William Everard has now been added. 

Everards Chairman Julian Everard said: “I am the sixth generation of my family to lead Everards I am so proud to see this plaque for our founder William Everard.  As a local, independent family brewery, we love to share the story of our business and are grateful to Greg Drozdz and the team at Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council for the recognition. It’s brilliant to hear that Greg was inspired by our very own brewery tour to highlight this heritage!”