Old sweet factories in Leeds

sillysally · Post by **sillysally** » Fri 14 Sep, 2012 3:10 pm

Hi all, I believe the Yorkshire branch of my grand father's family owned a sweet factory in or around Leeds probably in the 1800s. I think my great great grandmother was called Sarah Wainright and part of the family may have moved to America. My great aunt Dolly whose married name became Egglestone (Ecclestone?) lived with Sarah and her husband until her marriage. Does anyone have any information about this? many thanks Sal

ArmleyLass47 · Post by **ArmleyLass47** » Fri 14 Sep, 2012 4:41 pm

Hi there and welcome to Secret Leeds.There are quite a few factories making sweets around the Yorkshirearea. Dobsons of Elland are still making boiled sweets which include sweetslike Yorkshire Mixture.Cadburys had factories in Pontefract, Cleckheaton, and York.Thorntons opened shop on Boar Lane, Leeds which was one of the first places outside of Sheffield. Cant tell you what a great time I had today researching sweets and chocolate laugh. It was really interesting.Especially Thorntons Chocolates started in Sheffield. They were the first company in the World to have a edible billboard. They put on it 380 kg of chocolate, like choc rabbitssquares of chocolate, easter eggs. It was eaten by passersbyin 3 hours. That made me laugh.If you knew what sweets they made we probably could give youyour answer straight away. We are well known in Yorkshire asbeing big sweet eaters and Britain are the biggest chocolateeaters in the whole World, so that tells you something laugh.

Leeds Hippo · Post by **Leeds Hippo** » Fri 14 Sep, 2012 6:40 pm

Some info herehttp://www.secretleeds.com/forum/Messages.aspx ... ighLight=1

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Fri 14 Sep, 2012 7:25 pm

Hi sillysally.To some of us (well some old codgers like me) they are called 'spice' not 'sweets'. Not though to be confused with the narcotic drug known as spice!

Kimura · Post by **Kimura** » Thu 04 Oct, 2012 10:06 am

Hi Sillysally, My mother used to work at a sweet factory in Holbeck, think the name was Waterhouses. Mark

ArmleyLass47 · Post by **ArmleyLass47** » Wed 17 Oct, 2012 5:14 pm

Used to love Waterhouses Toffee Drops. We always had those in our house.

Derculees · Post by **Derculees** » Wed 17 Oct, 2012 8:36 pm

Can't help much with Leeds sweet makers but I used to look forward to my auntie calling with mis-shaped pomfret cakes and black and white mints. I didn't know one could overdose on liquorice, see;-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontefract_cakeWe used to make spanish wine with the cakes and water in a milk bottle, not stirred but vigorously shaken.

Derculees · Post by **Derculees** » Fri 19 Oct, 2012 11:26 am

I've just remembered painting the 'spice' factory sign at Cleckheaton.Going back 40 yrs. http://www.thediscdirectory.co.uk/nw/bd ... 33865.html

scarey · Post by **scarey** » Thu 17 Jan, 2013 4:20 pm

Think you might be part of our family, sillysally.I am searching for information about the Ridge family and know that Sally Wainwright married Walter Ridge who was a confectioner and, I think, made toffees.Does anyone else remember those toffees?

Post by **chameleon** » Thu 17 Jan, 2013 7:06 pm

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