Joseph & Henry Wilson Snuff Mills

Hi Zenazee & Twitcher,

I think we must know each other. Obviously my name is Pat. Btw I think Diane's name was Ramsden. I have lost touch with everyone from back then, sorry to say. (Do you remember Carl's sport's car?) He loved that car, didn't he. He gave me a lift to the bottom of Cemetery Road once and that car was a beggar to get out of when you were wearing high heeled shoes and a pencil skirt. I think it caused a lot of laughter amongst the customers in the Co-op cafe.

Grannypat

hi grannypat yes that is the Diane i remember she wasn't married whilst i was there but was courting her husband to be can't remember his first name but he was an old neighbour of mine.was Carl the mill manager because my manager was Mr Bewsey in the office bit vague about it was 40 odd years ago I recently retired but did work as home help and last year visited a lady that lives in the flats at the side of the office block her window overlooked the gardens at the back of the mill we used to sit out there sometimes weather permitting i had forgotten about them

Carl was the office manager when I was there, From 1978 - closure in 1989, Carl left before I did though and Ron took over then, I think this was after the time you were there Pat and Diane. Carl had a VW beetle and also a citroen before that, we once tied balloons and cans to Carls VW for some reason I can't remember now! Mr Bewsey was before Carl.

Alan Bamber was the mill manager and Reg Harrison the director.Sadly both of these are no longer with us

Hi Zanazee & Twitcher,

I do remember Mr Bewsey. He was a very nice man.I have been trying to remember when I was there and it must have been early 1968 to 1970 (ish) Seemed a lot longer when I look back but it can't have been. Do either of you know anything about Diane. I would love to be able to get in touch with her. I remember she had a little house down the little lane which goes behind the Porter Cottage pub and her mum lived a couple of doors away. I can't remember the name of her husband. It's like platting fog trying to remember details from so long ago, isn't it?

Thank you both for your replies.

Grannypat

Hi Zanazee & Twitcher,

 

I do remember Mr Bewsey. He was a very nice man.I have been trying to remember when I was there and it must have been early 1968 to 1970 (ish) Seemed a lot longer when I look back but it can't have been. Do either of you know anything about Diane. I would love to be able to get in touch with her. I remember she had a little house down the little lane which goes behind the Porter Cottage pub and her mum lived a couple of doors away. I can't remember the name of her husband. It's like platting fog trying to remember details from so long ago, isn't it?

Thank you both for your replies.

 

Grannypat

Hi Pat

Sorry I was there after you, so I don't know Diane...

hi Pat got a link in earlier thread from "BrianComms"he is Mr Bewsey's son says his dad is now living in Derbyshire aged 89 made me feel old.Don't know wherabouts of any of staff being newly wed and a new baby didn't have much time then you realise how much time has gone by and it seems too late to go back.I do remember that Diane's husband was called Kieth Ramsden he lived on Lawson St off bottom of Ecclesall Rd we lived near by but i was only 14 when we moved out they built Exeter flats there then.Good memories though

Hi Zenazee,

Thanks for that. Perhaps I can find her with that little bit more knowledge. So pleased to hear about Mr. Bewsey. I hope he lives a long and happy life as all nice people should.

Grannypat

Interesting stuff, my former step dad used to work at the snuff mill, cant remember which one, except it was the one behind tesco on eccy rd, used to love the smell when you walked thru the door, if i remember, as i was only a nipper then, it was a big wooden arch type door on the right as you went thru the gates (just after the loading bay to tescos), i remember the big grinders upstairs and the noise, wow!! cant remember how long he worked there for or when he left, but it was sometime in the early eighties, I remember the yellow ford transit van they used to have, my (former) step dad used to borrow it on Sundays (officially or un-officially, I wouldn't know!) and take us all swimming to Herringthorpe Baths, riding in the back with the smell of snuff, I can even remember its reg number- WWG 12T!!

Interesting stuff, my former step dad used to work at the snuff mill, cant remember which one, except it was the one behind tesco on eccy rd, used to love the smell when you walked thru the door, if i remember, as i was only a nipper then, it was a big wooden arch type door on the right as you went thru the gates (just after the loading bay to tescos), i remember the big grinders upstairs and the noise, wow!! cant remember how long he worked there for or when he left, but it was sometime in the early eighties, I remember the yellow ford transit van they used to have, my (former) step dad used to borrow it on Sundays (officially or un-officially, I wouldn't know!) and take us all swimming to Herringthorpe Baths, riding in the back with the smell of snuff, I can even remember its reg number- WWG 12T!!

This is the 'rival' mill Wilsons & Co - Joseph & Henry set up in 1833 after a family feud........

hi i dont know anything about J & H Wilson i only found this forum on account of i have been throwing loose change into a barrel with Wilsons SP snuff wrote on the front and decided to look it up and i cant find anything on these little barrels and i didnt know if maybe anyone on here knew anything about them?

I well recall visiting J & H Wilson during the mid-1970's at a time when I worked in the design and sales offices of ARENCO-ALITE Ltd who supplied much of the small tin filling machines to the snuff industry. ALITE were producing a new marketing brochure and we were loaned the Rams head jar and several other artifacts to photograph for inclusion. Ah, happy days. Sadly ALITE, who had been part of the Swedish Match Group were sold to a US machinery group, amalgamated with two other UK packaging Companies, given an impossible budget to achieve and finally liquidated in the mid-80's.

Hi.

I worked in the office at Wilson & Co (Sharrow) from 1975 to 1987. They were behind Tesco on Ecclesall Road. The owners at that time were Mr Jeremy Archdale and Mr Mark Chaytor. The Office Manager was Mr Len Jones. There were three of us in the office myself Kathleen and Mrs Irene Martin. I remember Kitty and Archie from the packing room. Hilda, Ida, Susan and Grace put the snuff into its tins. John was the foreman in the mill. There was Tony Derek and a few other lads (whose names escape me). Mrs and Mrs Glover were the caretakers (they had a daughter called Susan). Mr Hogg was a rep. There was also Mr Arkell, Mr Scott, Mr Brookes and Mr Johnson. Mr Crowther the ex manager used to call in once a week. There was Ernest the odd job man. Mr Archdale used to go into the attic and add the secret ingredient and all the lovely flavours to the snuff. Many of the above have now sadly passed away. Great times. Great memories.