Once Charles had gained the land that he needed, a period of rebuilding started. In 1887, new wells were bored for the company by Messrs. Isler & Co., Artesian Well Engineers.(20) Isler's were no strangers to Grays as three years before, they had completed a 7¼ inch internal diameter Artesian-bored tube well 140 feet deep from which a supply of 9000 gallons of water per hour was obtained. (21)

In 1888, James Seabrooke died aged 79, (22) leaving his three sons at the helm. They began importing wines and spirits and considering all their other activities, Seabrookes were running a very large concern.(23) The time had come to form a Limited Liability Company. In April, 1891, Seabrooke & Sons Limited issued a share capital of £90,000 in shares of £10 each, with the object of acquiring the business of Seabrooke & Sons, brewers, maltsters, wine and spirit merchants, hotel proprietors, coal, coke and salt merchants. The first five directors were Messrs. Charles Seabrooke, the Managing Director, Jonathan Seabrooke, Thomas W. Seabrooke, H.Wallis and E.F. Wood.(24) In the five financial years from 30th September 1891 to 1896, Seabrookes had an average annual profit of nearly £7,600 (25) and expansion was going ahead full steam. A Debenture stock of £10,000 was issued in August, 1896 for the purpose of paying off and consolidating existing advances and devoting the balance to the extension of the business.(26)

By the turn of the century, Thomas William was no longer on the Board of Directors,(27) and Charles had involved his three sons, Charles Herbert, Herbert Cecil and William Roger and his nephew, Frank Seabrooke, who was Jonathon's son (28), in the running of the business. However William did not get on with his brothers (29) so his father purchased a small brewery, Frederick Miller's Marine Brewery in Brightlingsea, Essex and set him up in business. The new firm, C. & W.R. Seabrooke, was a one man concern which had six public houses including one in Brightlingsea, one in St. Osyth and one on Mersea Island. There were also two off-licenses in Clacton-on-Sea. William brewed twice a week, he spent one day bottling, one day calling on his customers and a day looking after his books. He died in 1935, a wealthy man, aged 64. He was known as something of a character; he did not marry until he was 60 and he left behind a daughter. The business was bought out in the early 1930s by Daniell & Sons Breweries Ltd. of West Bergholt and Colchester. (30)

Seabrookes were great benefactors to the town. In 1898, Grays Parish Council bought the site of the former brickfields. This site was to become Grays Park which was opened to the public by Major Carne Rasch M.P. in July 1899. (31) About 30 years later, a fine red brick single storey building with glass doors was built in a quiet corner of the Park. A tablet inside is inscribed "Erected in 1930 by the wife and sons of Jonathon Seabrooke as a place of rest for the old men of Grays with whom he spent many happy hours." Charles Seabrooke and his partner Mr.H. Astley, presented the land on which the former Carnegie Public Library in Orsett Road was built. The building, complete with turret clock, was opened by the Countess of Warwick on the 11th November, 1903.(32)

The early years of the 20th century were ones of consolidation for Seabrookes. Bottled beers were introduced to complement their range of draught beers.(33) Dinner Ale cost 2 shillings for a dozen bottles and a dozen bottles of Stout cost 4 shillings. This was as well as a firkin (9 gallons) of Dinner Ale costing 9 shillings, Extra Strong Ale was 7 shillings a pin (4½ gallons) and pins of Stout and Bitter Ale were 6s 3d and 4s 9d respectively. (34)

In 1913, tragedy was to strike Seabrooke a double blow. In March, a member of the brewing staff was involved in a terrible accident at the brewery. Mr. John Norton, who had been employed as a brewing engineer for 12 years, was assisting Mr. Herbert Cecil Seabrooke, the head brewer, in emptying a liquor tank. This necessitated closing wheel-valves situated near vats of hot worts. Norton turned off one valve, but for some reason tried to clamber along inter-connecting pipes to the next valve. In doing so, he fell into one of the vats of hot worts. Although he was quickly rescued from the vat, Mr. Norton died shortly afterwards in hospital due to shock and exhaustion.(35)

In November, Charles Seabrooke J.P. died aged 71. Although he had been in failing health for the past three years, his death came as a great shock to the town of Grays. There was a huge turn out of mourners at his funeral including all his family and countless friends. At least eighty employees from the brewery were present including the whole of the brewing, malting, bottling, engineering, forwarding, building and coal departments. In addition, the streets were lined with people mourning the loss of a great friend.(36) Charles had been well respected in the brewing business. He was formerly the Chairman of the Essex Brewers Association, as well as their delegate to the committee of the Brewers Society during the years 1905 to 1909.(37) He had also acted as a juror to the International Brewer's Exhibition.(38)

At Seabrookes' A.G.M. held in December 1913, Jonathan Seabrooke referred to the death of Charles, who had left estate of the gross value of £31,720, (39) and the death of Mr. Harry Wallis, who had been a director since 1891. The two vacancies were filled by the election of Mr. Frank G. Seabrooke as Managing Director, and Mr. Herbert C. Seabrooke as a director. (40)

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