can opener inscribed 'Bodkan'

can opener inscribed 'Bodkan'

Y2006.4.22

Can opener inscribed 'Bodkan'

What is it?

A Boddingtons Bodkan can opener, probably from the 1970s.

Background History

Boddingtons originated from Strangeways Brewery, which was believed to have been founded by grain merchants Thomas Caister and Thomas Frain in 1778. Henry Boddington arrived at the brewery in 1832 to work as a travelling salesman for the company, but in 1850s borrowed the money to become the sole proprietor. It was a wise investment. Manchester was growing into the world’s leading industrial city, with thousands of thirsty workers living in often unsanitary conditions. The alcohol content of beer killed germs in the liquid, which meant it was often safer than drinking water in the past. By 1877, Boddingtons had grown to become the biggest brewery in Manchester. At this time, they were producing more than 100,000 barrels of beer a year.

The brewery was bombed during World War Two, but after the war Boddingtons undertook a major construction programme to modernise the Brewery. Members of the Boddington family continued to run the brewery until 1989, when the business was purchased by the Whitbread Beer Company. Boddingtons were producing 600,000 barrels a year by 1994, by which time the beer was as ‘the Cream of Manchester’ because of its creaminess. However, Whitbread were sold in 2000 to Interbrew who decided to close Strangeways in 2005 after 227 years of brewing. Today you can still buy Boddingtons, but it isn’t made in Manchester.

This can opener is a little piece of beer history, because beer wasn’t always sold in cans like the ones we have today. Canned beer has only been sold since the 1930s. The ring pull to open drinks cans was only invented in 1959 and it took a number of years for them to catch on. If you wanted to open a can of beer you would often have needed a can opener like this one. This can opener is embossed with ‘Bodkan’ which was a type of beer Boddingtons sold in the 1970s. At the time there was a trend for “Party Cans” that you could take along to a party and share with your friend. Each “Bodkan” contained four pints of beer, which would have cost you £1.24 in 1978 – that’s the equivalent of about £5.50 in 2022 money.

How does it work?

In you look closely, the instructions are embossed on the underside. You use the pointy end to punch a couple of holes in the can, you needed two holes so air could enter the can as the liquid was poured out, allowing you to pour a smooth pint.