 After Henry Boddington 's death , his son , William Slater Boddington became company chairman , and the company went public in 1888 when it was estimated to have assets of £ 320 @,@ 465 . It was now known as Boddingtons Breweries Ltd . The company owned 212 public houses by 1892 , making it the twelfth largest tied estate in the United Kingdom . Its major local competitors were Groves and Whitnall , Threlfalls and the Manchester Brewing Company . After W. Slater Boddington 's death in 1908 , the family retained an interest in the company and continued to take a practical hand in its running . Henry 's youngest son , Robert Slater Boddington ( 1862 – 1930 ) had a fifty @-@ year association with the company and oversaw the installation of a bottling hall in the 1920s . Robert 's third and fourth sons Philip ( 1893 – 1952 ) and Charles ( 1897 – 1982 ) served as joint chairman after their father 's death , and Charles took sole responsibility after Philip died . 
