Apprenticed to a leading London brewer in 1736 about age sixteen, Samuel Whitbread became sole owner of the largest porter brewery in England. About 1786 at his mass-production brewery in Chiswell Street, Whitbread installed the second Bolton & Watt steam engine in London. In 1787, the King and Queen, along with James Watt, visited his brewery. In 1796, when Whitbread died, his brewery produced about 30 million quarts of porter. This was more beer than any other producer in Britain.^ Whitbread’s 1796 production amounted to about 5 quarts of beer per year for every person age 10 and older in England. Today, Whitbread PLC describes itself as “the UK’s leading hospitality company, managing the number one brands in hotels, restaurants and racquets, health and fitness clubs.”

Investing profits from his brewery, Whitbread accumulated extensive land-holdings in Bedfordshire and won a seat in the House of Commons. Whitbread left his father’s dissenting church in Bedfordshire and conformed to the Church of England. This move allowed him to move comfortably into elite society and political office. Whitbread had enough local political support to win a seat in the House of Commons in 1768, initially in opposition to the Duke of Bedford’s interests. Whitbread held that seat until 1790. In 1790, Whitbread’s son, Samuel Whitbread II, took over his seat. When Samuel Whitbread I died in 1796, his land-holdings in Bedfordshire were second only to those of the Duke of Bedford.^

Samuel Whitbread and John Howard were close friends. Howard personally did not drink intoxicants. Howard also strongly opposed the sale of beer, wine, and spirits in prison (keepers running taps) and condemned drunkenness among prisoners.^