Leeds Sweet Manufacturers

[Wiljoy]

I served my joinery apprenticeship at Willian Nicholsons between 1943 & 1950 on Sheaf street just off Hunslet Road and Harlows Mintoes had a factory at the end of Sheaf Street and we apprentices used to chat up the girls who worked there so we could get free Mintoes.

[volvojack]

About that time I lived in Beeston and the Harlow family must have lived there too as one of their daughters Betty used to be in the Beeston Picture House on Town Street and she always had pockets full of their mintoes so always got plenty of attention.

[volvojack]

"Hand Broken Invalid Toffee"You couldn't make it up.

When i was lad all sweets were sold from jars, all in rows on the shelf, most were rapped but quite a few were not and the finest of all was Waterhouses Invalid toffee. this was in large square / oblong pieces and the shopkeeper put a couple of pieces on grease proof paper and broke them with a small hammer. you had to have the nearest to the weight as he could get and sometimes only had maybe three lumps in the bag, these were usually odd shaped and be would be a real mouthful but the taste was fantastic.
If i was going to the Rex cinema in Beeston though they had a shop selling sweets i would get my toffee at Bradley's sweet shop on the Parade opposite Tommy Wass Pub because their daughter worked in the shop
That toffee i can still remember the buttery taste over 60 years on.

Sadly the Rex Cinema and Bradley's daughter are long gone. Ah well.......

[spinas]

I am related to the Thorne's and I'm trying to gather as much information as possible. I have already managed to get some past family history but there's a lot more to be discovered. highly appreciate if you can help with any kind of information.

[Wiljoy]

Was there ever a Sharpes Toffee factory somewhere in the Headrow area in Leeds? I have a vague recollection of my mother saying she worked there in the early 1930s.

[warringtonrhino]

The Lynn & Jones Shopfitters workshop on Kenneth Street in Holbeck was a toffee factory.
It is the building with the tall silver flue which can be seen from the A643
It was used by Waterhouses to manufacture invalid toffee.