Tuesday, February 25, 2020

CHAMPAGNE MOMENT AS BRIGG BLOG BRINGS YOU A TASTE OF SPRING'S FACTORY HISTORY


Many people living in Brigg today know that the famous Spring's Delights factory, overlooking the Old River Ancholme, made marmalade, jam and lemon cheese (curd).
However, a price list from 1934 that has somehow survived down the decades and reached our archives shows there were other products, including a few surprises.
Spring's offered an extensive range of calves' feet jelly - seen as a tonic for people of all ages who had been under the weather.






Some varieties included a touch of alcoholic tipple to help speed recovery!
Back in mid-1930s, tall jars of this jelly were made by Spring's in various flavours - plain, lemon, with Port, with Sherry and even with Champagne! Bulk orders were welcome - 36 jars to the case.
Spring's high quality jams included strawberry, raspberry, blackcurrant, apricot, greengage, damson and plum.







The firm said in the 1930s that it's Spring's Delights were sold all over the world "and are particularly famous for their pure and wholesome qualities".
It showcased cherry marmalade - "a novelty in afternoon tea jams; a really high-class preserve; one of our most attractive packs; an instantaneous success when first introduced and still growing in popularity."
Small two-ounce jars - "suitable for cafes, etc" - were available at £2 a gross (144).
Spring's finest quality honey was branded The Vitamin Food and sold in liquid and granulated form.
"After 50 years' experience in the expert blending and packing of pure honey, Spring's honey is acknowledged to be the best value on the market," the management declared.
It was so confident in the quality of products that a £500 guarantee was given "to the effect that no pulp - foreign or otherwise - is used in the manufacture of Spring's quality jams."
Spring's factory ceased production in March 1980 (Josie Webb has kindly supplied the month) but the Spring's Delights emblem from the front of the building lived on, being incorporated into the new Grandways supermarket built on the site. That was a nice touch by the developers.
The emblem is still there today - in premises now occupied by B & M. But you'll need to walk round to the side of the store on to the riverside footpath to take a good look.




No comments: