Title
Halls Brewery Company T-shirt
Subject
Pubs and Breweries in Oxford
Description
A white medium-size t-shirt with an image of a cartoon hare kicking a cartoon bear wearing a yellow jumper. The T-shirt has the phrase 'Stuff the Bear' written on it in all capitals.
The reverse side of the t-shirt shows the cartoon hare victorious with the phrase 'Follow the Hare!' in all caps with the Halls Brewery logo.
"We found this t-shirt when clearing out my grandmum's house after she sadly passed away in 2019. My grandmum (Shelagh), who lived in Summertown, Oxford for over 70 years, was not an ale drinker - her chosen tipple was a triple gin and soda! We have a suspicion that this t-shirt might have belonged to my grandfather (who died in 1996) but no one remembers him wearing it. I would love to find out more about when this t-shirt was printed and where it was distributed. Although I inherited my grandmum's love of gin I am also a keen ale drinker so it was decided that I should keep the t-shirt."
Katy, Volunteer Engagement Officer for the Museum of Oxford.
The reverse side of the t-shirt shows the cartoon hare victorious with the phrase 'Follow the Hare!' in all caps with the Halls Brewery logo.
"We found this t-shirt when clearing out my grandmum's house after she sadly passed away in 2019. My grandmum (Shelagh), who lived in Summertown, Oxford for over 70 years, was not an ale drinker - her chosen tipple was a triple gin and soda! We have a suspicion that this t-shirt might have belonged to my grandfather (who died in 1996) but no one remembers him wearing it. I would love to find out more about when this t-shirt was printed and where it was distributed. Although I inherited my grandmum's love of gin I am also a keen ale drinker so it was decided that I should keep the t-shirt."
Katy, Volunteer Engagement Officer for the Museum of Oxford.
Date
Unknown - 1980s?
Contributor
Katy Hammond
Publisher
Museum of Oxford
Creator
Halls Brewery Company
Type
Clothing
Alt text
Image 1: front of white t-shirt, cartoon of rabbit kicking a bear, text 'stuff the bear'
Image 2: back of white t-shirt, same cartoon rabbit, text 'follow the hare!'
Image 2: back of white t-shirt, same cartoon rabbit, text 'follow the hare!'
Add your thoughts
Wendy
I worked for Halls Brewery in the tenanted dept from 1987 to 1989. The T shirt was produced during that period. Hofmeister were running a big advertising campaign featuring a bear, so the Stuff the Bear T-Shirt was a cheeky way of promoting the Halls beers using the Halls Hare logo. I remember everyone thinking it was highly amusing!
Simon Somerscales
The Bear refers to Hofmister Larger popular in the 1980s and the tv advert catch phrase was follow the Bear..TheHalls Hare was the idea of Ind Coop and the original Halls Brewery trade Mark was the Swan as in Swans nest Brewery..Halls stoped brewing in Oxford in 1926..
Steve Hanley
The Bear on the T-shirt refers to an ad campaign run by Hoffmeister Lager in the 1980's, featuring a bear, with the catch line "For great lager, follow the bear". https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/nov/21/george-the-bear-hofmeister-lager-facebook-twitter-craft-ale Clearly the T-shirt is an attempt by Hall's to indicate their real ale was superior to the lager!