I just wondered if anyone on here uses snuff on a regular basis?
As far as i know the snuff mill is still going strong after all these years.You don't see snuff knocking around at all nowadays.

http://www.sharrowmills.com/

I just wondered if anyone on here uses snuff on a regular basis?
As far as i know the snuff mill is still going strong after all these years.You don't see snuff knocking around at all nowadays.

It would be interesting to know how many people use ' Snuff '.

I have not seen anyone use it for years but as Sharrow Mill is still running someone must.

they sell snuff in some pubs , like the washington and ive seen it in other places to, i think its becoming more popular since the smoking ban.

My grandad used to use it years back,but you don't see it around nowadays.

There was an article about the Snuff Mill in the Sheffield Telegraph a week or two ago. Apparently they are still going strong as a business so people must be using it! I can imagine it will increase too, due to the smoking ban in pubs.

You might find this inetersting about the Swedish habit of taking 'Snus' : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snus This is a form of snuff which does not have to be inhaled, and the common way of 'smoking' in Scandinavia, where lung cancer rates are very low.

When I was an apprentice electrician I spent 6 months re-wiring the Top Mill, at the top of Sharrow lane. The tobacco leaf would be delivered in huge bales, about 4 ft in every direction. then tipped straight into the grinders. Upstairs there were huge barrels of all the different flavoured snuff, including menthol, and one for the ladies called Otto of Rose. It was only after about 3 months of being there and having a ciggie every break time, that someone told us that it was a top level explosion risk building , because of the inflammable dust in the air. KABOOM

This sort of thing really gets up my nose.

You can get a good blend of White Snuff from many sources.

I absolutely love the snuff mill for its sheer incongruity. It's like a couple of acres of urban Sheffield has been preserved in aspic throughout the entire twentieth century, and the rest of the city sort of forgot about it. Many people don't even realise it's there. How many of the shoppers in Tesco on Berkeley Precinct are aware of what's round the back? And the view that reveals itself as you walk down Sharrow Vale Road is quite enchanting. It's so close to normal everyday life but the company is so reserved and keep-it-in-the-family that it seems a world away.

There was an article about the Snuff Mill in the Sheffield Telegraph a week or two ago. Apparently they are still going strong as a business so people must be using it! I can imagine it will increase too, due to the smoking ban in pubs.

You might find this inetersting about the Swedish habit of taking 'Snus' : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snus This is a form of snuff which does not have to be inhaled, and the common way of 'smoking' in Scandinavia, where lung cancer rates are very low.

Snus looks pretty much identical to the "Skoal Bandit" brand bags of tobacco,from about 20/25 yrs ago, I was sure that they were banned from sale in Britain, because of the huge risks of developing oral cancers where the bag rests against the mucous membrane on the mouth.

Yeah, I remember those PT.

True they don't give you lung cancer, but you are right about why they were banned here.

I've seen Wilson's snuff behind the bar in a pub in Whitby.

I didn't have any, but my dad did - he'll try anything with nicotine in... :D

OMG this brings back memories!

My first job after leaving school was in the office at J & H Wilsons who were Wilson & Co (Sharrow Mills) rivals. In 1833 the family had a fall out and Joseph & Henry set up Top Mill in direct competition. In 1989 we were bought out and production moved to Liverpool where it's still made today I believe. I was one of the last 5 employees to work there it was very sad as some people had been there for over 30 years. The beautiful listed building is still at sharrowhead and is let into units now. By the way the mill is haunted and I wouldn't like to work there alone after dark!

Home sales dwindled but our main sales were to Nigeria and also coal miners liked it as they could take it down the pits. White snuff doesn't really exist in the true sense of the word as it's not made from tobacco leaves (not sure if it's made from boaracic?). Part of my job was to order those bales of leaf someone mentioned above, each recipe was made from flours that were made from different recipes of leaves from around the world.
One of my last jobs there was making out the recipe cards (top secret) each day for the snuffs, no one hardly ever had a cold in there and if you did you could just go into the flavour room and breathe in the eucalyptus aroma and it'd soon clear your head. I can bore people about snuff and all the types as I was there for 12 years!

It holds very very special memories for me and an ex employee and I'd still be there today if it wasn't for Lord Hanson selling us off.

That's so interesting Twitcher. It must have been interesting for you to be in the thick of such an unusual and historic trade/company/building. Especially as they (at least the ones who are left) are so quiet in the district, they keep themselves to themselves and I've never heard anyone talking about them except to say that they're very quiet and keep themselves to themselves!

OMG this brings back memories!

My first job after leaving school was in the office at J & H Wilsons who were Wilson & Co (Sharrow Mills) rivals. In 1833 the family had a fall out and Joseph & Henry set up Top Mill in direct competition. In 1989 we were bought out and production moved to Liverpool where it's still made today I believe. I was one of the last 5 employees to work there it was very sad as some people had been there for over 30 years. The beautiful listed building is still at sharrowhead and is let into units now. By the way the mill is haunted and I wouldn't like to work there alone after dark!

Home sales dwindled but our main sales were to Nigeria and also coal miners liked it as they could take it down the pits. White snuff doesn't really exist in the true sense of the word as it's not made from tobacco leaves (not sure if it's made from boaracic?). Part of my job was to order those bales of leaf someone mentioned above, each recipe was made from flours that were made from different recipes of leaves from around the world.
One of my last jobs there was making out the recipe cards (top secret) each day for the snuffs, no one hardly ever had a cold in there and if you did you could just go into the flavour room and breathe in the eucalyptus aroma and it'd soon clear your head. I can bore people about snuff and all the types as I was there for 12 years!

It holds very very special memories for me and an ex employee and I'd still be there today if it wasn't for Lord Hanson selling us off.

I found the above very interesting to read.

But the question I ask is:- Do you use Snuff?

I found the above very interesting to read.

But the question I ask is:- Do you use Snuff?

Well working there as I was in and out of the mill a few times a day you kind of took it unknowlingly! I don't think Health and Safety would allow that now.

We had an 'indoctrination' in the office where newcomers (very rare we had such a very low turnover of staff!) were asked to take a pinch, so yes I did partake in a pinch or two but it wasn't a regular habit, I did like all the flavours in the mixing room though and buying all the special oils the most expensive of which ws rose oil made from pure rose petal leaves so it was only used very sparingly.

In fact most women who did take snuff (and we had our regulars) would like their packages sent out in brown plain wrapping so as to disguise their habit, Jockey Club was a ladies farourite and also Finest Menthol, Wallflower and Aniseed.

We also used to supply the house of commons FREE with snuff every two weeks!

Re cancer the guideline we were always told to inform people should they phone to ask us was that a report in the medical journal 'The Lancet' found it to be safe to take as unlike cigarettes the tobacco wasn't ignited and therefore didn't form any 'tar' as such, how true this stands today I'm unsure.

A few customers would come in and buy 1lb jar at a time, most of it was down their fronts and round their necks, yeuch!

Sorry I should have just said No I don't take it but I got on a roll!

That's so interesting Twitcher. It must have been interesting for you to be in the thick of such an unusual and historic trade/company/building. Especially as they (at least the ones who are left) are so quiet in the district, they keep themselves to themselves and I've never heard anyone talking about them except to say that they're very quiet and keep themselves to themselves!

They do keep quiet, when we closed a couple of members of our staff went to work for them though, it's so specialised a trade and at the time I don't think I really appreciated the historical trade though I always loved the buildings as they were full of so much history. I can remember taking a couple of old dears round the mill as they used to work there, they showed me where they had etched their names in one of the glass panes in the doors when they worked there many years ago as girls, I felt so saddened when the building was sold off as so many little quirky things like that would have disappeared forever.

I really don't see the attraction of ramming powdered tobacco up ones hooter. Why bother buying the proper stuff when theres all those ash trays laying around. Go on I dare you!

i used to have 2-3 tins of 'mac's' snuff a week when i worked down the pit ...but havnt had any for about 10 years

Do you mean McCrystals from Leicester? Small round silver tins?

Let you into a secret....J & H Wilson used to supply them with the base 'flour'.....

A few customers would come in and buy 1lb jar at a time, most of it was down their fronts and round their necks, yeuch!


Back when I was nursing, one of my patients had a serious snuff habit. She used to wear one of those pink "smock-y" nylon checked pinafore coat things, and she always had this awful brown 'tache :gag: and a six inch wide brown stain down the front of the apron. She looked reallt grubby.

Her constand taking of it, and the colour of her clothes always used to make me feel really queasy.

Do you mean McCrystals from Leicester? Small round silver tins?

Let you into a secret....J & H Wilson used to supply them with the base 'flour'.....

yeah mccrystals....

Reading these posts I've not yet quite figured out whether they still make snuff at Sharrow Mills or not, or is it just admin offices for the company, as the website does display Sharrow Mills in Sheffield as their address???

Reading these posts I've not yet quite figured out whether they still make snuff at Sharrow Mills or not, or is it just admin offices for the company, as the website does display Sharrow Mills in Sheffield as their address???

The buildings behind Tesco are still very much in production. the company Twitcher referred to was a rival company that spilt off from the original company in the 19th century. Their premises were at Sharrow Head, at the top of the hill (the others are at the bottom at river level). The latter, rival company moved production to Liverpool. One family, two mills, one and a half centuries of war until one company was snuffed out! :)

Thanks purdyamos - I knew I must have overlooked something! It is bedtime though...

Snuff mill is actually one of only a handful of snuff companies left. It also has one of the only working water wheels in the country.
A lot of the original equipment etc is still there although they use more modern production methods these days.
It is still owned by the Wilson family too. So it may be one of the oldest family businesses still run by the same family left in the city.
Most of the snuff is exported now. Switzerland is one of the major markets.

My ex girlfriend from years ago,(proper fit as well),as far as i am aware,still works in the offices there.She will have been there around 20 odd years now and her dad worked there for years as well.

i used to have 2-3 tins of 'mac's' snuff a week when i worked down the pit ...but havnt had any for about 10 years

That actually is the only place where I've seen Snuff used.

Snuff mill is actually one of only a handful of snuff companies left. It also has one of the only working water wheels in the country.
A lot of the original equipment etc is still there although they use more modern production methods these days.
It is still owned by the Wilson family too. So it may be one of the oldest family businesses still run by the same family left in the city.
Most of the snuff is exported now. Switzerland is one of the major markets.

I think their nephew Mr Chafor runs the business now, or did a few years ago.

Yes the Swiss, Nigerians and Germans like their snuff :hihi:

Back when I was nursing, one of my patients had a serious snuff habit. She used to wear one of those pink "smock-y" nylon checked pinafore coat things, and she always had this awful brown 'tache :gag: and a six inch wide brown stain down the front of the apron. She looked reallt grubby.

Her constand taking of it, and the colour of her clothes always used to make me feel really queasy.

One particular customer wore a string vest which was decorated in snuff bless him!

If you walked up sharrow Lane you could always tell if they were doing an aniseed or wallflower run as the aroma met you at Sharrowhead, if I ever worked in there all day checking returned goods and counting stock then my hair would have the lovely lingering smell of medicated 99.....ah those were the days!

The buildings behind Tesco are still very much in production. the company Twitcher referred to was a rival company that spilt off from the original company in the 19th century. Their premises were at Sharrow Head, at the top of the hill (the others are at the bottom at river level). The latter, rival company moved production to Liverpool. One family, two mills, one and a half centuries of war until one company was snuffed out! :)

That sums it up nicely Pudryamos - forgiving the pun!

Even though we didn't have anything to do with the other Wilsons and were not part of the feud we always booed when someone called asking for their number!

My uncle worked at Wilson's for 40 years, his name was Frank Lindley if anyone can remember him.

My uncle worked at Wilson's for 40 years, his name was Frank Lindley if anyone can remember him.

Which Wilsons, Wilsons & Co (Sharrow Mills) or J & H Wilson (Top Mill)?

Which Wilsons, Wilsons & Co (Sharrow Mills) or J & H Wilson (Top Mill)?

Lol, I can't help thinking of the People's Front of Judea and the Judean People's Front from Life of Brian. :hihi:

That sums it up nicely Pudryamos - forgiving the pun!

Even though we didn't have anything to do with the other Wilsons and were not part of the feud we always booed when someone called asking for their number!

Keep it up ' Twicher '.

These little very interesting matters are things that in fifty odd years time, someone will be glad that you put them on the Forum, instead of being never known about.

God I sound like I'm about 85 not 45!

I'd better stop now!

The buildings behind Tesco are still very much in production. the company Twitcher referred to was a rival company that spilt off from the original company in the 19th century. Their premises were at Sharrow Head, at the top of the hill (the others are at the bottom at river level). The latter, rival company moved production to Liverpool. One family, two mills, one and a half centuries of war until one company was snuffed out! :)

That's now Westbrook Court, the industrial estate opposite the back of the Salvation Army building. I used to work there for a few years and we used to have a couple of old decorative tins lying around from its former incarnation.

God I sound like I'm about 85 not 45!

I'd better stop now!

Please don't, It is very interesting.

That's now Westbrook Court, the industrial estate opposite the back of the Salvation Army building. I used to work there for a few years and we used to have a couple of old decorative tins lying around from its former incarnation.

The cottage at the top of the yard was demolished, a shame as it had a nice little garden, the stables opposite the mill (where the leaf was stored and there were huge rats in there!) were converted to offices and most of the mill into units, the office where I was was always a seperate building in the yard and was renovated with thick carpet and chandeliers not at all like when I was there but the original oak doors remain although I think our brass plaque with the registered office address were removed (which Olga used to polish each Wednesday without fail!)

My dad who was a decorater worked in the mill when they refurbed it and the new occupants said it was erie as vases etc seemed to be moved the following day and they always felt uncomfortable solitary working after dark - That'd be Eric the ghost!

The cottage at the top of the yard was demolished, a shame as it had a nice little garden, the stables opposite the mill (where the leaf was stored and there were huge rats in there!) were converted to offices and most of the mill into units, the office where I was was always a seperate building in the yard and was renovated with thick carpet and chandeliers not at all like when I was there but the original oak doors remain although I think our brass plaque with the registered office address were removed (which Olga used to polish each Wednesday without fail!)

My dad who was a decorater worked in the mill when they refurbed it and the new occupants said it was erie as vases etc seemed to be moved the following day and they always felt uncomfortable solitary working after dark - That'd be Eric the ghost!

Very interesting. I quite often used to work there late at night by myself, so glad I've only found that out now. The windows banging used to freak me out sometimes. The only ghost I ever found though was a homeless guy sleeping in the basement!

When I was an apprentice electrician I spent 6 months re-wiring the Top Mill, at the top of Sharrow lane. The tobacco leaf would be delivered in huge bales, about 4 ft in every direction. then tipped straight into the grinders. Upstairs there were huge barrels of all the different flavoured snuff, including menthol, and one for the ladies called Otto of Rose. It was only after about 3 months of being there and having a ciggie every break time, that someone told us that it was a top level explosion risk building , because of the inflammable dust in the air. KABOOM

Just remembered another part of my day at J.H. Wilsons (Top Mill )

We had a wire mesh waste basket where we threw all the rubbish and chip papers etc. My job first thing every morning was to hit this basket with a big hammer to get all the mice and rats to run out. (when I say all, there was only ever 2 or 3 a day). So the smell of Medicated 99 never put them off. A lot of the old guys in my local Working Men's Club wer my best mates while I was working at Wilsons.

Which Wilsons, Wilsons & Co (Sharrow Mills) or J & H Wilson (Top Mill)?

Not sure which one but he did live at sharrow

Hi all, I hope you don't mind me bumping up this old, but very interesting thread.

I've been taking snuff for as long as I can remember. I have some old tins of J&H Wilsons Finest Menthol, discontinued long ago.

I googled and it came up with this site, and thread. So I signed up, I'm in Hull.

Here snuff never did die, in fact in my local bar there are three boxes, two in the bar, and one in the room. Plenty take snuff in this pub and a few snuff takers meet up every Wednesday evening to swap pinches of different snuff, drink real ale and to take notes.

Oh! The pub is:- St Johns, Queens Road, Hull, HU5 2PY so if your ever in this location, on a Wed. evening then make a call

My partner and his mate regularly use snuff in pubs, sometimes even snorted off the table, I believe! His friend is an ex-smoker, but snuff-use must be associated with alcohol consumption in the case of my OH, as he has never smoked and is otherwise 'clean-living'. His bogies the morning after are unreal :gag:
It is more widely available than you might think, with the Devonshire Cat and the Washington, only a few yards from each other, both selling it.
I'd be interested to learn of the current opinion on the health implications...

my father John (Jack) Sanderson used to work at sharrow mills i can remember goin into the rooms where they made and packed the snuff the smell was brilliant.I also used to go on deliveries with him to mccrystals with stuff in big blue barrels.He finished work there around 82-83n

John, I'm Pieter from Snuffhouse. Thank you for directing me to this forum.

I use snuff and snus on a daily base and just love it. Being 66 years old, I love to read about things and places from years gone by. Don't know how active this forum is but I hope to stir up some conversations.

I go up to the Snuff Mills around once a month to get OH his snuff. The smell is absolutely delicious. The place is so old and interesting, the doors are about six feet wide and grooves in the floor where it has been opened for years.
The girls who work in the office are great as well.

@ Mandem, wish I could visit a snuff mill, never even been near one.

I go up to the Snuff Mills around once a month to get OH his snuff. The smell is absolutely delicious. The place is so old and interesting, the doors are about six feet wide and grooves in the floor where it has been opened for years.
The girls who work in the office are great as well.

You can just go there? I've always really wanted to look around the Wilson's Snuff Mill because, due to her being related to the Wilsons, the mill would have been part of my great grandmother's inheritence, had she not married someone her parents disapproved of (therefore being disinherited).

I'd love to go and see it, just for curiosity's sake.

You can just go there? I've always really wanted to look around the Wilson's Snuff Mill because, due to her being related to the Wilsons, the mill would have been part of my great grandmother's inheritence, had she not married someone her parents disapproved of (therefore being disinherited).

I'd love to go and see it, just for curiosity's sake.

I believe they have occasional visits/ tours. maybe it'd be worth contacting them to see when/ if they still do them?

Probably nothing to do with the thread but does anyone remember old Norman the pianist in The Millhouses giving out snuff at the weekends?

I'd be interested to learn of the current opinion on the health implications...

I used to work at the rival snuff mill (the better one!!) Joseph & Henry Wilson's and the belief there which we were told to quote to people enquiring about the health implications was that there was a report in 'The Lancet' medical journal which found snuff taking to be safe as unlike smoking the nicotine isn't ignited so doesn't form tar like cigarettes do, chewing tobacco like skoal bandits were bad as they could cause mouth cancer.

I don't think anyone in t'mill had many colds in there though I suspect that these days they wouldn't have got away with the amount of dust we had in the milling/ mixing and grinding processes we used in the 80's. The workers were supposed to wear masks during some processes in the manufacturing but some chose not to, I haven't heard that any of them have had health problems so who knows......

I love the subject of snuff and feel very nostalgic as I was part of such a historical company, it was like going back in time working there!

They sell snuff in premier shops.

@ Twitcher I'm a mod on a snuff forum and I posted a link to this thread. A member is interested in your posting about working at the mill. He asks if you would contact him to help with a project. bigbluedog914&yahoo.com

John have PM'd you