Leeds Sweet Manufacturers

Omegaman · Post by **Omegaman** » Wed 19 Jan, 2011 11:41 pm

drapesy wrote: Omegaman wrote: liits wrote: Two places I can recall were, one, on Manston Lane, Where Wharfdale Speakers is now, where they did some of the packaging for Mars. My mate’s mother worked there and, like Omegaman’s mother, always seemed to have a supply of misshaped Topic Bars. The second was somewhere around Cross Green Approach. On occasions, it was possible to smell toffee over the smell of burning green casting sand from Cattons. What had a Hazelnut in every bite? Serious answer - 'Topic!'Joke answer at school 'Squirrel sh**!'Pardon my astericks - but its necessary for the joke!!! Drapesy,You win the car!

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Thu 20 Jan, 2011 12:22 am

I had a vague recollection that Thorntons Chocolates were once a sweet maker in Leeds. I've just looked up Thorntons in Wikipedia and I was nearly right! In the article it states "The Thornton family lived in Leeds for many years having various occupations from shopkeeper to innkeeper until eventually Joseph Thornton, born 1832, moved south to become a railway shopkeeper in Sheffield. He married in 1868 and two years later Joseph William Thornton was born. Young Joseph grew up to become a commercial traveller with the Don Confectionery Company and opened his first Thorntons Chocolate Kabin shop in October 1911 on the corner of Norfolk Street and Howard Street in Sheffield. At that time the family was living in rented property in the nearby Derbyshire village of Hathersage".

Uno Hoo · Post by **Uno Hoo** » Fri 21 Jan, 2011 12:25 am

DOBBO wrote: This made me think whatever happened to Rileys Toffee Rolls- they were/are my all time favourites http://www.sweets2.co.uk/wherenow.php

pashy2 · Post by **pashy2** » Sat 22 Jan, 2011 1:58 am

Do they still make Pomfret Cakes in Pontefract ?The best spanish ever.Is Terrys of York still going ?"Terrys Old Gold" was the best dark chocolate ever.So there.

raveydavey · Post by **raveydavey** » Sat 22 Jan, 2011 8:43 am

pashy2 wrote: Do they still make Pomfret Cakes in Pontefract ?The best spanish ever.Is Terrys of York still going ?"Terrys Old Gold" was the best dark chocolate ever.So there. Terrys was bought out a good few years ago - can't remember by whom at the minute though. In true takeover style the factory was shut and production moved to Eastern Europe with a year or two.There were plans to convert the former factory, overlooking York Racecourse, into apartments and offices as is the style nowadays but I think it got stalled and never happened.

Chrism · Post by **Chrism** » Sat 22 Jan, 2011 1:58 pm

pashy2 wrote: Do they still make Pomfret Cakes in Pontefract ?The best spanish ever.Is Terrys of York still going ?"Terrys Old Gold" was the best dark chocolate ever.So there. £1.99 for a quarter of of a Kilogram. (250g) (8.8 oz)http://www.sweetgreetingsshildon.co.uk/ ... d_146.html

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Sat 22 Jan, 2011 4:24 pm

raveydavey wrote: pashy2 wrote: Do they still make Pomfret Cakes in Pontefract ?The best spanish ever.Is Terrys of York still going ?"Terrys Old Gold" was the best dark chocolate ever.So there. Terrys was bought out a good few years ago - can't remember by whom at the minute though. In true takeover style the factory was shut and production moved to Eastern Europe with a year or two.There were plans to convert the former factory, overlooking York Racecourse, into apartments and offices as is the style nowadays but I think it got stalled and never happened. Terrys (like Cadbury) were bought out by Kraft. And production was moved to Eastern Europe - either Czech Republic or Slovakia I think. Kraft have done the same with Cadbury's Bristol factory despite assurances last year that the factory was safe. No local industry is safe once the multi-nationals get their hands on it - look at Tetleys.Nestle gave undertakings that they wouldn't do this when they took over Rowntrees, but the Cas site (where After Eights are made) is to close and production to be move abroad.

chemimike · Post by **chemimike** » Sat 22 Jan, 2011 5:52 pm

It is bad that firms close the local factories, but, in addition to this, they also often degrade the product. (I speak as a retired Cadbury person who hopes (??!!) the same won't happen to them. Before Terry's were taken over (Originally this by another firm (United biscuits?) not Kraft) they took great pride in the blending of the beans to get an excellent tasting chocolate . They were the last of the big chocolate makers to do this. Within days of of the takeover, the expert whose job was blending was told he could go home , as he wasn't needed. I think he was still paid, but they were not interested in a quality product. As a result Terry's dark chocolate became bog standard, and the milk chocolate very inferior, so inferior that they concentrated on orange flavoured chocolate , where the orange covers all the imperfections of inferior cocoa beans.

Trojan · Post by **Trojan** » Sat 22 Jan, 2011 6:01 pm

chemimike wrote: It is bad that firms close the local factories, but, in addition to this, they also often degrade the product. (I speak as a retired Cadbury person who hopes (??!!) the same won't happen to them. Before Terry's were taken over (Originally this by another firm (United biscuits?) not Kraft) they took great pride in the blending of the beans to get an excellent tasting chocolate . They were the last of the big chocolate makers to do this. Within days of of the takeover, the expert whose job was blending was told he could go home , as he wasn't needed. I think he was still paid, but they were not interested in a quality product. As a result Terry's dark chocolate became bog standard, and the milk chocolate very inferior, so inferior that they concentrated on orange flavoured chocolate , where the orange covers all the imperfections of inferior cocoa beans. Terrys used to belong to Sir James Goldsmith's food group, I think it was called Cavenham Foods.TBH I'm not keen on much UK chocolate. If I'm pressed I'd say I prefer Rowntrees (Nestle) to any of the others. I've never liked Cadbury's milk chocolate. I find it a bit claggy and sickly.My favourite chocolate bars are Ritter Sport, not readily available in the UK. I bought some 80% plain chocolate bars in Lidl before Christmas and they really are the business.

ArmleyLass47 · Post by **ArmleyLass47** » Sat 15 Sep, 2012 10:20 pm

Just wondering how we managed to get two pages of postson here because of the tin of toffees as the original only hasthree replies on it laugh. The person who started it wanted to findher families sweet factory and has never been back since???