Genealogy Chat

!n 1861 a great granduncle was working for Price's Candle factory, and you can still buy Price's candles in the shops. I'm wondering if any other brand names have lasted that long?

Yes, its interesting Roger, quite a few I should think. What about Cadburys Bournville for a start? Then theres Horrocks sheets (my mum always said they are the best!). A lot of the beers and alcohol would be around then I should think? Pears Soap?

Yes Heather, thanks for those. I think Fry's chocolate is still around too. A lot of the brewers have been taken over and merged, but the names might still be around. Does Reckitts blue still exist?

Pearce and Duffs Custard Powder - thats still going isnt it? Peake Freanes biscuits? One of mine was a rep - commercial traveller - for them. A lot of the cough mixtures and stuff? Bovril? Actually Rog, I just remembered hubby bought a book many years ago for the boys called something like 'How they started' and it listed all the big brands and gave their history. Its probably packed away somewhere now but I think I remember Clarks shoes in there?

Many brewerys are really old, I think! My rellie John Horniman set up Horniman's Tea in 1846. It was still around in the 1960's but his family had sold out to JJ Lyon around the first world war time. Merry

Huntley and Palmer? My rellie fixed their engines in the biscuit factory at Reading! Merry

Just thought re your sheets, Heather.....What about Witney blankets! Merry

Right, I've cheated now and googled: John Brooke & Sons Woolens/Huddersfield, United Kingdom Founded: 1541 15th generation The company, founded by John Brooke, has provided fabrics for British troops (Battle of Trafalgar, World War II), French troops and Russian military personnel. In the 19th century it had 220 looms and 900 employees, down to 280 by 1969. Today it’s headed by Mark Brooke and his brother Massimo Brooke. Mark has changed the company’s focus within the past decade, abandoning manufacturing and instead creating an entrepreneurial development park in the firm’s old mill buildings. This is the oldest on the list I checked, for the United Kingdom. Merry

Thanks everybody. I think Witney might be the place rather than the family?

You were right! Early’s of Witney Blankets/Witney, United Kingdom Founded: 1669 Richard Early established a blanket factory in Witney in 1669, mostly contracting to spinners who worked in their homes. Family’s first weaver was his son Thomas. Brian Crawfford of the eighth generation (his mother was an Early) was with the firm from 1949 to 1986. Merry

I remember when I was a kiddie and we went to see my grandparents (my dad was youngest of 14) Grandad, who was a lovely man - and he must have had dozens of grandchildren but still treated us as though we were special - would say, 'look in the drawer and choose something'. Dear old soul, must have been poor as church mice but in the cabinet one of my uncles had made, he would have penny bars of Cadburys chocolate or Frys Five Boys. Do you remember The Five Boys Bars? It had a row of boys on the wrapping and on the choc all with different expressions, which were named. Can you remember what the expressons were. I know it started off with a kid crying and the end one had a big smile.

Had to have a google and blimey - the power of google never fails to amaze me - here we go: Five Boys Chocolate The famous 'Fry's 5 Boys' advertisement was first used in 1885. The photographs ('Desperation/Pacification/Expectation/Acclamation/ Realisation.... it's Fry') were taken by Messrs Poulton & Son. The model was the photographer's son Lindsay and a rag soaked in ammonia was used to achieve the 'desperation face'

Just been to the local supermarket and did a bit of research into their bottled beers. (Purely visual, alas). Worthingtons seem to be the front runners at 1744, with Guiness at 1759. Loads of later ones though.

The BASS red triangle was the very first registered trademark. Apparently, a member of staff camped outside the offices where they were being issued to ensure Bass had the No1. (By courtesy of numerous local history books I possess.) Margaret

hiya'll what about singer, the sewing machine people, my gt uncle worked as a rep for them, they're still around, Sadly though, another Brand of prams has recently gone, Silver Cross, used to make coach built prams, mum had one for us when we were little, julie

my grandad always had a big jar of fox's glacier mints for us, I still buy them occasionally just for the memory and birds custard in a tin coz it's yummy.

Homepride Flour (prepacked flour first produced for the household market) Started in the late 1800's in South Wales,by Spillers and Nephews.The parent company always had links to the Spillers family and name despite changes in ownership,production stopped in WW2 for a while,then restarted shortly after. Fred the Flourgrader appeared in the 60's,most of the current own brand flour is milled by Spillers at Gainsborough,and packaged on the same lines as the Homepride equivalent. Glen (who has delivered thousands of tons of the stuff)

What about OXO - I remember seeing a huge sign above a warehouse on the Thames with that?

Singer Sewing Machines My cousin was married to Adrian Singer-Carter. He was then the Marquis of Ledisloe.

OXO The Oxo tower is still there and incorporates small businesses galleries and very upmarket restaurants.