JUournal I SEPTEMBER 1959

H O U S E M A G A Z I N E OF J. S A I N S B U K Y LTD

People in

Glasshouses From Britain's largest

concentrat ion of

glasshouses, in the Lea

Valley north-east of London,

come J.S. supplies of

English tomatoes and

cucumbers.

M a n - m a d e Sun

SERIES NO. A63

C o n t e n t s 2

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People in Glasshouses

The P.M. at Harlow

Sunshine Campaign

Ancient City

To Calais

Change at Dulwich

The Man Who Inventec

Obituaries

Staff News

National Service News

Sheep

Our cover picture : Mr. Alan Sainsbury fills a carrier at Drury Lane for Australia's High Commissioner, Sir Eric Harrison (see page 9).

'T 'HE Lea Valley has been the most important centre of •*• glasshouse production since the latter part of the last

century. The area involved is about ten miles by eight miles with its centre a little north of Cheshunt. Two-thirds of the glasshouses there produce tomatoes and about one-fifth cucumbers, whilst the remainder produce flowers, plants and grapes.

Some nurseries prepare very early and expensive crops, but most places concentrate on the main crop. Until recently many nurseries produced two main crops per season, the second planted in July, but more and more a single crop planted in February/March is becoming the rule.

Absolute cleanliness is essential, all woodwork is scrubbed and sprayed before propagation and the soil is sterilised and warmed before planting takes place. The cucumber requires a high temperature and at night it should not drop below 65°F. and a day temperature of 70-75°F., but wide variations of temperature must be avoided. The best cucumbers are packed 12-14 to a tray of 13 lb. but others are packed 16-18-20 to a tray.

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M a n - m a d e A u t u m n The leaves come tumbling down to let in the light.

Thousands of cucumbers revelling in a heat of 75°F. Note the "ponytail" for tying up

to the crosszvires any straying stems.

One of the nurseries from which we obtain tomatoes and cucumbers in the Lea Valley.

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Tomatoes Early Growth

Young tomato plants reaching for the top grow up strings

hanging from the roof. In many houses nutrient solution and water are piped to each plant and

the quantity regulated from a master-switch.

Good, Clean Beds

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Looking rather like an old-fashioned railway engine this is a steam boiler used for soil sterilisation. It makes a clean disease-free bed by forcing steam through the soil in the glasshouses.

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In the tomato jungle the plants grow twice the height of a man. In the steamy glasshouse warmth the trusses of rich plump fruit swell under the green canopy of leaves.

Picked with care the tomatoes are sent off by lorry.

Lea Valley's proximity to London in horse

and cart days gave it a good start. Today its

produce is sold all over England.

TOMATOES are the most important

commercial glasshouse crop in Britain, although a little

over a hundred years ago they were regarded as

decorative curiosities. The individual weekly

sales of some of our branches are higher than would

have satisfied the entire needs of London for a season a hundred years ago. Research has shown

that lighting, temperatures and good soil are of paramount

importance and the close proximity of the Lea Valley to London is now regarded by some

people as of insufficient advantage if fog, smoke, soot, etc., are to be contended with. The tomato is a native

of South America and, like the potato, was introduced into Europe about the time of the Spanish Conquest, but England did not accept it as a food as did other

European countries. Under ideal conditions the plant will grow to about 10J12 feet in height. The demand for

high quality fruit is increasing and shape, size and colour grading is essential. The various grades are indicated

by the colour of the lining papers—PINK (LARGE), WHITE (SMALL), PINK AND WHITE (MEDIUM) are all first

quality fruit, whilst BLUE IS used to describe good quality fruit which is too large or misshapen.

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Bouquets and

Buttonholes

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Young men in love and late-returning husbands are big business to the Lea Valley. The pretty girls taking their lunches spend their working time tending these immense carnation beds. The cuttings, which are laboratory tested for health, are planted in January and the flowers are ready for packing in June. They are kept upright by adding a fresh grid of wire for every few inches of growth.

Carnations take a lot of labour—two men and three girls to half an acre of plants. Roses

are less demanding. One man can tend half an acre of rosebushes. Contrary to expectations a

house full of roses doesn't look very colourful. The buds are picked early and sold

before they open. Rosegrowers who sit up at night brooding about black spot, mildew, rust and

aphids will appreciate hens much work is needed to bring the buds to market. The gardener

in our picture has been growing roses for about 40 years. He's using the hose to throw a jet underneath

the rose leaves where pests are most often found.

Chrysanthemums all the year round

New feature in Britain's flower markets is a chrysanthemum

which blooms as beautifully in April as it does in October. The

sequence of pictures shows the seedlings being planted out, the first

growth of which is controlled by the use of black-out hoods which

can be rolled out to make artificial night. The first flowering

which develops into a tapestry of blooms. The mature and magnificent

blooms are ready for packing.

Wotalotigot ! Mr. Four acres, chairman of Nursery

Trades, Lea Valley, is one of the leading experimenters with all-tke-year-round

chrysanthemums.

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The P.M. at our

Harlow Branch On August 6th the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Harold Macmillan visited the new town of Harlow. In the picture above he is with Sir Richard Costain {left) and our branch manager, Mr. J. P. Soper {right). "He was most impressed with our store" Mr. Soper told us. "Thought it very clean and a most ingenious way of serving the public and doing business." Mr. Macmillan went on to tea with Mr. Harold Weight, our head butcher, whose house had been chosen by the Housing Officer as a typical one of its kind. Mrs. Weight provided the P.M.'s party with a super home-made tea.

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Sunshine Campaign Our cover picture shows

Mr. Alan Sainsbury with Sir Eric Harrison, the

Australian High Commissioner, and here

they are again at Drury Lane on the

opening day of the Sunshine Foods campaign. The Australian fortnight,

one of the firm's biggest campaigns, was supported

by press advertising, television, special promo­

tion on the South Coast and an illuminated sign in

Piccadilly Circus. It turned out to be a great success and sales of Australian

products responded vigorously.

/ . 1 H a l f a century ago Here is Mrs. M. E. Franklin, sitting with two daughters and grand-daughter, holding a butter dish which her husband bought in a special offer at our Ealing Broadway branch over fifty years ago. As a butter dish or a sugar basin it has been in regular use in the family ever since.

Round the Branches

Ancient City When Christian missionaries first came to Winchester in A.D. 634 they found the town ruled by King Cynegils. It was capital of the Kingdom of Wessex and even then was an ancient city whose history reached back far into pre-Roman times. Cynegils and his family adopted the new faith and the missionaries founded the church of Saints Peter and Paul in his capital. It became the parent of the present Cathedral which was consecrated in 1093.

The Cathedral was, by this time, dedicated to St. Swithun as well. He was one of the many energetic bishops who helped to develop at Winchester one of the richest and most powerful of Christian centres of influence. He died a short time before Alfred the Great fought his successful campaigns against the Danes and gave his king­dom what was a comparatively long spell of peace for those times (and not too bad for our own days3 either). It lasted 18 years.

Into the sleepy sunshine come the

members of the Mothers' Union of

the County, who have been attending a

special service at the Cathedral.

Familiar sight in Winchester are the Brothers of the

Hospital of St. Cross. They wear aflat hat and a black gown with a cross potent on

the left breast. Their foundation dates from

1136. From the porter's lodge at the hospital, way­

farers are still given a portion of bread and a

measure of beer.

Just behind our branch is this old coaching inn where the London stage used to pull in for victuals and fresh horses. Today the only horses are the ones the gypsies bring and they aren't popular.

The Normans regarded Winchester as the Saxon capital and after William's invasion in 1066 he was crowned there. He had another coronation in Westminster just to make it doubly clear to the Saxons that he was now in charge. Bishop Walkelin, one of his relatives, laid the foundation stone of the present Cathedral building in 1079. His Norman structure, which was the longest in Europe (556 feet) until St. Peter's in Rome was built four centuries later, is still the basis of the building, though it has been modified by several Bishops since then.

The very beautiful nave was reconstructed in the 14th century. Though the core of the soaring pillars is Norman the facing is Gothic work.

The town's political importance died away as London grew in size and wealth. Edward I was the last King to be crowned there, though the traditions lingered on and Charles I I started to build a palace, designed by Christopher Wren, which was never completed. The city was then in a sadly depleted state after the Civil War and the Great Plague of 1666, both of which events had severely reduced the population.

But Winchester recovered to become one of the most attractive of our Cathedral cities. On a warm spring day one can feel in touch with the slow easy rhythm of England's provincial life as one strolls through streets which all seem to lead towards the Cathedral close.

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In College Street is the house where Jane Austen spent her last years.

She is buried in the Cathedral which the house faces. The College, behind the house, is one of England's oldest

public schools, founded in 1382 by Bishop Wykeham. Its charter was given from

Southwark. The College opened in 1393.

Along the banks of the River Itchen runs this shady path. Winchester is in the heart of wonderful fishing country and in the Cathedral lies the body of Izaak Walton dreaming, perhaps, of the salmon and trout that swim in Hampshire rivers.

Through Westgate one looks down into the sun-drenched city. Five gates once opened on to the old Roman roads leading to Portchester, Old Sarum, Marlborough, Southampton and Silchester.

St . N i c h o l a s a n d t h e Pork B u t c h e r The handsome Norman font in the Cathedral is decorated with the miracles of St. Nicholas. He is seen here raising from the dead three young boys who had been done to death by a wicked pork butcher short of sausage meat. On the extreme left he is restoring to life a lad who had fallen into the sea with a golden cup. St. Nicholas {who is the ancestor of our Santa Claus) was held in high regard by the Normans as patron saint and protector of sailors and children.

Winchester is rich in pubs—as market towns

should be. This one, which seems to combine sanctity

and refreshment, was once upon a time

called "Goodbegot."

The High Street

Winchester's J.S. branch is the tall building on the right

of the picture. It was opened in 1922 and stands on the

course of a stream now running underground. Across the

street is Marks and Spencer on the site of an old inn.

Manager at Winchester is Mr. R. Keen who joined J.S. in 1929. He first became manager in 1949, at Farnham, and has been at Winchester since 1953. With him is First Clerk, Mrs. M. A. Alborough.

Above: Mr. R. W. Byres,

Assistant Manager.

Left: Mr. W. E. Overington, Head Butcher and Chairman of the S.S.A. Section.

Mr. E.J. Lawrence, who edits the

Winchester Branch Magazine, which appears quarterly and prints social

and sports news of the branch as well

as items of local interest.

Mr. R. W. Bevan, S.S.A. Secretary at Winchester.

Mr. W. Godding, senior leading salesman, has seen 25 years' service at the branch.

In the meat department: I. to r. Mr. J. Summers, Mr. W. E. Overington, Head Butcher, Mr. W. Porter, Assistant

Head Butcher and Mr. J. Veazey.

Mrs. E. Millard, Winchester's housekeeper.

At the counter: I. to r. Miss S.J. Clark, Miss P. A. Rigby, Mr. E.J. Lawrence, Miss B. G. Read, Miss M. P. Hodson and Miss M. A. Store.

In the picture below, nearest the camera are Mrs. D. M. Hatt and Miss B. A. Hatch.

Just 401 years after the French drove us all out of Calais, the S.S.A.

landed in the town from the Royal Daffodil and the Queen of the Channel. Except

for the traders in the High Street, the local burghers had mostly taken

to the hills, leaving an open field to the invaders who mopped up parfum,

bon-bons, cognac and some of the craziest souvenirs. The

Association party retired to their ships in good order leaving a trail of

remarkably light small change, S.S.A. badges and five stragglers. If a good

time was not had by all on the crossings, at least, as you'll see

from our pictures, it was had by most. 15

The "Royal Daffodil" sailed from Gravesend, called in at Southend to pick up more

passengers and headed down the estuary in blustery sunshine.

Mr. and Mrs. Derek Salisbury and Mr. Simon Sainsbury on deck.

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Everything from relaxation to concentration. A quiz (all the answers were A!), a tug-of-war (Sydenham won it), a knitting competition (Mrs. T. Rowland of Hayward's Heath won that).

Other Half at S e a

The "Queen of the Channel" sailed from Southend and was soon out in the boisterous

weather, heading for the Continent.

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Some of the "Queen's" passengers enjoying breakfast, fresh air and sunshine and the hardships of a sailor's life. Up on the bridge the young idea finds out about seafaring, and, below right, the tug-of-war which was won by the Garage. Mr. Pagden presented the prizes.

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Abroad

The town of Calais, which has suffered at the hands of many marauders, is being rebuilt in handsome style in the port area. Our parties approached the town under the quizzical eyes of the senior inhabitants. Though our stay was short we established a very friendly relationship in no time at all.

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Other days other ways From the Chronicles of Sir John Froissart

"When the King of England* was come before Calais he laid his siege... . When the captain of Calais saw the manner and the order of the Englishmen then he constrained all poor and mean people to issue out of the town. And on a Wednesday they issued out of men, women and children more than seventeen hundred; and as they passed throughout the host, they were demanded why they departed. And they answered and said because they had nothing to live on.

"Then the king did them that grace that he suffered them to pass through his host without danger and gave them meat and drink to dinner and every person twopence sterling in alms; for the which dinners many of them prayed for the king's prosperity."

•Edward I I I , in A.D. 1346.

Calais scrapbook,

and so back to London's evening calm.

Change at Dulwich

Reconstruction at the Griffin Athletic Club is

now complete. As you can see from the two

pictures below the pavilion has been remodelled

and if we could print in colour you'd see that the

new version is in a pale "oyster pink" finish.

The photograph below was taken on July 26th

when the Club entertained Mr. and Mrs. Alan

Sainsbury and Mr. Simon Sainsbury to lunch

and took the opportunity to say thank you for the

firm's generous help in modernising the buildings.

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The halftimbering has gone and so has the "shiplap" boarding and the bay

windows. Visitors in the clubroom can now sit at their tables and see what's

happening through large sheets of glass. The sills have been lowered and the end windows glazed with armoured glass to

stand up to anticipated boundary hits by our cricketers.

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The bar is furnished with an aluminium and glass display stand, easy access to the beer store, hot plate and loudspeaker system for playing music or rounding up competitors. There is a public telephone box off the clubroom.

The clubroom now reaches from one end of the pavilion to the other. Lots more room and a new bar, too, to serve beer for the thirsty, and hot or cold meals from a newly equipped kitchen. The new clubroom floor is in maple strip, the ventilation is by fans and heating is by electric radiant heaters, which won't melt ice-cream but will keep you warm in the winter.

The car park has comfortable room for 32 cars.

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Mr. Alan Sainsbury talking with Mr. and Mrs. Marsden on July 26th.

Watching cricket on July 26th. In the

foreground are Mrs. Alan Sainsbury and

Mr. Simon Sainsbury.

Another view of the pavilion. The oak trellis is new. The first floor of the

building has been converted into the ladies' changing room with showers and lockers.

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The man who Invented Sheep Robert Bakewell is the subject of the second article in our series about the men

who revolutionised Britain's agriculture. He initiated methods which in the end gave our stockbreeders a long lead over the rest of the world.

"Are you," asked the Duchess of Exeter of a Mr. Bakewell, "related to the Mr. Bakewell who invented sheep ?" The question shrewdly summed up farmer BakewelPs work. What he did to sheep was to redesign them as radically as an industrial designer dealing with a product that no longer meets the market's demands. Bakewell worked out how to do this by experiment and patient systematic planning. His methods were frowned on at first. His results were indisputable, however, and his genius for seeing the whole of the picture made him the outstanding pioneer in pedigree livestock breeding.

Unlike Jethro Tull, Bakewell was a cheerful sort of man. A tall, solidly built, intelligent, practical farmer born in a farmhouse called Dishley Grange, near Loughborough in Leicester­shire. He was still working the same farm when he died 70 years later. He lived through years when our industrial population was growing fast. More food was needed and there was money to be earned

in its production. Events were moving in his direction and faster than had been the case with Tull, whose techniques of tillage were in dispute for a century.

The enclosures, which were increasing in number and scope*, were a big help to Bakewell and his followers since they made it possible to segregate herds and prevent indiscriminate breed--ing which had debased the stock. The fencing-in of stock gave its owners control over parentage and made it worth while to pay the fees Bakewell asked for the services of his rams and bulls.

Dishley Grange When Bakewell took over the family farm at Dishley Grange he was about 35 years old. His father, at 75 years old, was getting past the hard daily round though he lived on to the age of

* Between 1717 and 1727 there were 15 Enclosure Acts passed through the Houses of Parliament. From 1728 to 1760 there were 226 and from 1761 to 1796 (the year after Bakewell's death) there were 1,482. The rate increased to 1,727 Acts in the period 1797-1820. In all, these Acts affected between 5 and 6 million acres of land.

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88. The farm, of which they were tenants, first came into the family's hands about the end of the 17th century when grandfather Bakewell took it. Robert's father, who was known as "one of the most ingenious and able farmers of his neighbour­hood," had begun to improve the land with irrigation schemes which seem to have been in advance of their time, and which his son continued to develop, using the waters of the River Soar.

The improvement in his grasslands resulting from the irrigation ditches and canals he cut through the farm was remarkable. I t was said that he was able to mow his grass four times a year and use it both for winter forage and as additional summer feed on unimproved land. Visitors to the farm commented on the lush green of its fields. They also noticed that his fields were smaller than was usual, an arrangement which he found made control of the pasture easier and ensured more even grazing. He also ploughed up his rough grassland and after careful cultivation put it down in new grass or clover. This concern for quality brought him exceptionally fine growths, but it also brought him the enmity of his neigh­bours who ignorantly feared that this disturbance of pasture land would "poison" their neglected fields, and started legal action to have it stopped.

Since he saw farming as a whole, Bakewell planned his improvements to cover everything on the farm—cattle, sheep, horses, pigs. The irrigation schemes were meant to provide more, cheaper and better fodder. The breeding experiments were intended to turn the fodder more rapidly and efficiently into meat or, in the case of the horses, useful power.

He wasn't alone in his experiments. He had a few rivals and some forerunners but the general run of livestock in England was poor. In 1710 the average weights of sheep and cattle sold at Smith-field were 28 lb. and 370 lb. respectively. By 1795, the year Bakewell died, the average weights had increased to 80 lb. and 800 lb. The gain was entirely due to the spread of a scientific attitude towards farming, a new development in which Robert Bakewell was a leader.

England's cattle were a mixed lot, whose differ­ences were to a great extent of ancient origin. In Wales and Ireland the small black cattle were much the same as those the Celts raised 2,000 years ago. In East Anglia there were polled cattle, a strain brought by the Norsemen. The southern counties' cattle were red and Saxon in origin. And since the restoration of Charles II the Holstein or Dutch breed was imported to become, eventually, the prevailing stock in East Anglia.

When Bakewell began his experiments in breeding, cattle were commonly used as draught animals and only in the second place considered

for meat production. They were therefore bred for great strength in work with long, heavy-boned muscular legs and narrow bodies. A joint from one of them must have been a gourmet's nightmare.

T h e R i se a n d Fal l o f t h e L o n g h o r n s The breed which Bakewell chose to develop was the long-horned Lancashire, then regarded as the "best of the ox-kind." He found, after searching about, two heifers at Canley, near Coventry, where a Mr. Webster was raising cattle of the breed. For a bull he went to Westmorland where the best type was thought to exist. With these he began his experiments of in-and-in breeding, a new policy in mating, looked on with suspicion and, it appears, some moral disapproval as well. In mating closely related animals there are dangers of loss of size and constitution but Bakewell was probably

A contemporary engraving of a "long-horned or Lancashire breed" bull. They were common in Lancashire, Westmor­land and Cumberland says The History of Quadrupeds. "Some of the bulls are extremely large. Their horns are not long but beautifully turned; their hair short and smooth; their crests rise extremely high; their chests are let down to their knees; their bodies are long and in the form of a perfect cylinder." This was the parent stock of Bakewell's Longhorn cattle which achieved fame and popularity but

were superseded by the Shorthorn breed.

aware of this. Good fortune and good judgment gave him excellent results as it happened. He mated "Old Comely," one of the heifers from Canley, with his Westmorland bull. The calf was a bull which a neighbour remarked wasn't worth twopence. Bakewell, with typical humour, christ­ened the animal "Twopenny" and it grew up to become the most famous of his herd, appearing in the most distinguished Longhorn pedigrees.

Within a few years the New Leicester Long­horn, as the Dishley cattle were called, was "un­rivalled for the soundness of its form, the smallness of its bone and its aptitude to acquire external fat." But in spite of this, after BakewelPs death

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Bakewell had much difficulty in persuading farmers to take up his Black Horses. He believed that size in horses did not always mean strength or endurance in proportion, so he bred for performance. Speaking of Bakewell and his followers The History of Quadrupeds says: ". . . the long fore-end, long-back and long thick hairy legs have been gradually contracted into a short thick carcase, a short but upright fore-end, and shorter and cleaner legs; ex­perience having at length proved that strength and activity rather than height and weight, are the more essential

properties of farm horses."

the breed lost ground and today is uncommon. The reasons lie in his choice of original stock. The long horns were a disadvantage and the breed were never good milkers. Cattle bred by two brothers called Collings, who, after a long visit to Dishley in 1783, decided to apply Bakewell's methods to Shorthorns, displaced them. They bred Shorthorns much superior to Longhorns in milking and fattening qualities.

Created by Art When Bakewell set about the creation of a new kind of beast he fixed in his mind's eye a picture of what he thought was wanted. "You can't eat bone," he used to say, and "You can get beasts to weigh where you want them to weigh—that is in roasting places not boiling places." His long ex­perience on the family farm had made him a fine judge of stock so when he came to redesign sheep he not only knew what he wanted it to look like but, as well, knew what beasts to choose to start the improved breed.

The sheep of the Midlands, raised for its longj strong wool, was an ungainly, powerful animal slow to grow and fattening late in life. It was no table delicacy. It is thought that Bakewell used this breed as the foundation of his stock but he was a little secretive about the origins of the Dishley or New Leicester breed. Several varieties have been suggested as possible crosses but, whatever they were, the result after careful

selection, in-and-in breeding and culling those with undesirable characteristics, was a sheep that had "two pounds of mutton where there used to be only one," and which was ready for butchering at two years instead of the usual four.

The new breed paid for their excellent qualities in meat production by being a little deficient in wool and in milk and at first were difficult to rear. But with good management they improved until they were recognised as the finest sheep in the world. They were exported in large numbers to the Continent and to America and many of today's breeds of sheep owe a great deal to the Dishley stock. They all owe a great debt to Bakewell's techniques of breeding and stock management, which created a systematic basis for what had been until then an intuitive skill.

Sires for Hire To Dishley in the end came farmers, landlords, journalists, stockbreeders and others merely in­quisitive. They found a big, shrewd-eyed practical man with unfamiliar ideas about animals. The sheep "were kept as clean as racehorses and some­times put in body clothes." Even the bulls were remarkable for obedience and docility. Bakewell was an innovator who seemed to know just the right thing to do in the revolution he was helping to create. He hired out his sires, a system that was not new but unusual at the time, and which overcame the limitations of working on a farm of 450 acres.

By letting out sires he could study their per­formance under quite different conditions in other flocks or herds. At first he had some difficulty in

This is a Dishley ewe drawn from the life by Thomas Bewick and dated 1788 when Bakewell was at the peak of his career as a breeder. "The superior qualities of the Leicestershire breed are that they will feed quickly, fat at almost any age even on indifferent pastures and carry the greatest quantity of mutton upon the smallest bone." These attractive qualities are what made it possible for Bakewell to ask and get four hundred guineas a season for the hire of

a single ram.

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persuading farmers to hire. His first ram let out in 1760 for a season brought him 16 shillings. In 1780 ten guineas was the usual rate and in 1784 they were fetching 100. One of them, which was christened "Two Pounder" (historians say it was because its shape resembled a two-pound cannon barrel, but this weapon was in fact the quick-firing artillery of the 18th century), brought him 1,200 guineas in a season. One can't help but admire Bakewell's publicity sense in his choice of names.

T h e D i s h l e y S o c i e t y To promote the interests of the breed and to protect its purity, Bakewell founded the Dishley Society. Writing to a friend he said "Our company you see by the Names I sent you is composed of

didn't keep to them were fined or as a severe pen­alty cut off from the services of the Dishley sires.

Bakewell and his friends were attacked for making what was virtually a monopoly. The attacks were in proportion to the rise in the hiring fees. But as he said in another context, "the only way to improve the breed is to keep up the price; for if the price is low people send any kind of cows and if the produce fails, the bull is blamed; but if the price is high they are particular, send none but the very best which is the only method to improve the breed."

More important, perhaps, the Society, by bringing breeders together, made it possible to keep track of the progeny of the Dishley rams and enlarged the field over which breeders could

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THE TEES-WATER UNIMPROVED BREED

Before the stock-farmers and graziers of Tees-water applied Bakeviell's methods to their flocks their rams looked like this one, which was chosen specially to demonstrate the

qualities they wished to eliminate.

THE TEES-WATER IMPROVED BREED

Acknowledging their debt to Bakewell the Tees-water breeders claimed that this improved version possessed the thriving and fattening qualities of the Dishley breed and

was fit for the butcher at as early an age.

Ram Breeders only and it's the intention of the Members not to have anything but that branch of business connected with their Resolutions." The Society had a strict code of rules and members who

exercise control. I t was a pattern for the formation of other societies in a time when agriculturists were getting together for the purpose of "doing well by doing good" as a modern ballad puts it.

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O b i t u a r y

Mr. F. W. Salisbury writes

J A M E S F R E D E R I C K L A M B was born in March 1906 and after a disappointing start to his career in another trade commenced as a "learner" with the firm in May 1923.

A native of London, he had accompanied his parents to Brighton and spent his first year or so on the J.S. payroll at 3 London Road, Brighton, under the late Mr. H. A. Tolhurst. His manager for the next three years was Mr. G. F. Toe (now a pensioner) at St. James's Street.

Soon after the opening of Cambridge branch, then by far the biggest on the firm, he was trans­ferred there in the capacity of First Hand, whilst still under 21 years of age. Mr. A. E. Snow, who has since retired as Area Superintendent, was the first manager of Cambridge and was supported by a staff numbering over 80. The appointment was a great test for young Lamb and provided him with valuable experience. Within 15 months he was carrying out relief managements and in October 1928 was given the opportunity of managing Blackheath branch.

In January 1933 he took another step up the ladder when he was given charge of Reigate branch which he left in 1941 to join the R.A.F. By the time of his demobilisation in 1945 he had risen to the rank of Squadron Leader and had seen service in Malta, where he remained throughout the siege and later during the landings on Sicily and the mainland of Italy.

August 1946 saw his appointment as District Supervisor on Mr. Pagden's area and as a result of

Mr. J. F. Lamb took an active part in the social life of his area. He is seen here presenting a prize at one of the 'K', ' Y' and 'R' dances.

the retirement of Mr. Shipsides in 1952, he was promoted to be Area Superintendent.

Mr. Lamb was admitted to hospital in March of this year and he recovered sufficiently to return home on May 20th, by which time he was in excellent spirits. Only nine days later, however, he was re-admitted to hospital and within ten days had passed away. The news of his passing was un­expected and came as a great shock to the many in J.S. who had known and admired him, whether as business colleague or superior.

Clearly, such a career as that of "J.F.L." could only be the experience of one possessed of high ability, character and personality and these attributes had been bestowed upon him in full measure. His fair-mindedness and even tempera­ment facilitated his dealings with all those with whom he came in contact and with whom are left vivid memories and most happy recollections. As the General Managers have said, his loss to the firm must, inevitably, be felt for a long while, but his example will provide encouragement, as well as a challenge, to all who follow him.

30

Marylebone branch was in Mr. Lamb's area. He is seen here with the late Mr. J. B. Sainsbury (centre) and Mr. K. Hill, the manager, shortly after the branch reopened as a self-service shop in 1955.

A PERSONAL TRIBUTE by F. A. Pagden

When I was asked to write a few words in appreciation of Mr. Lamb I readily accepted, having known him both as a friend and business colleague for many years.

Although I had met him socially at staff functions on many occasions, it was not until he was appointed as one of my District Supervisors on the south coast that I came to know him intimately and could thus appreciate his very fine

qualities. This move coincided with the retirement of Mr. H. F. Jones in the capacity of Superinten­dent and I was impressed from our very first meeting with my good fortune in having working with me someone so loyal and businesslike and, above all, a man with such a highly developed sense of fairness.

From talks I have had at different times with officials of the firm, branch managers and staff down to junior trainees, I know that all respected him and whilst not always perhaps agreeing with him, gave him their fullest support because they recognised his honesty and sincerity. I know from experience that his enthusiasm and encourage­ment meant much to both managers and staff and I well remember the frequent invitations extended to my wife and myself to join theatre parties a few years ago when these were awarded to sale's competition winners, Mr. Lamb's branches figuring prominently in the lists.

When he was promoted to Area Superintendent and left the district our meetings from the business angle naturally were less frequent and I saw him only occasionally at head office, but from the social point of view I think we became even greater friends; his keen sense of humour and appreciation of a joke made him delightful company.

In concluding this small tribute I am sure that all "Jimmy" Lamb's colleagues would agree that the day we heard of his death we realised that the firm had lost a very capable and loyal servant and we a good friend.

What more can one say ?

C. F. J O H N S O N died on May 17th at the age of 83 after a long illness. Although severely handicapped in the last months he remained the cheerful and perky "Johnny" that those who remember him knew so well.

He joined the firm in 1907 when the entrance to the Factory was at 11 Stamford Street, and the Factory itself was housed in the area which is now partially covered by Tress House Offices and the new warehouse building known as Wakefield House. In 1914 he became Manager of the Factory and shortly afterwards moved into a flat over 11 Stamford Street. With the 1914-18 war and the call of the men to the Services the first girls joined the factory staff, which was something quite new in those days. As a result, Mrs. Johnson joined him to help with the supervision and she remained with the firm until she retired in 1938. With the opening of the new Factory in 1935 he was able to be of the most valuable assistance to Mr. James in the planning and operation of the new Factory, and many of the older staff are indebted to him for their present skill and knowledge.

Mr. C. F. Johnson

The second world war caused complications in "Johnny's" life and complete with his now legendary straw hat he delayed his retirement until 1946. He retired then when he was 70 and for some years enjoyed the rest which he had so well earned in his home at West Wickham where he had lived for the past 25 years.

31

Obituary

At Mr. Hall's retirement party in January 1954. L. to r. Mr. James Sainsbury, Mr. Ralph Hall and Mr. F. W. Salisbury.

R A L P H H A L L joined J.S. as Chief Engineer in November 1930; he was already possessed of wide experience and had served his full seven years at the bench. In those days the firm's engineering activities, although on a considerable scale, were mainly confined to branch refrigeration, lighting and motor transport. His arrival coincided with a quickening of expansion within the firm and an ever increasing degree of diversification and spe­cialisation in the engineering field. The standard of branch lighting was almost immediately raised to something well ahead of current practice and, in fact, the majority of our branches, even in these days of the widespread use of fluorescent lighting, still use the fittings then adopted. A team of first-class craftsmen was steadily built up and the general standard of electrical work raised consider­ably, embodying better workmanship and a higher degree of safety. Branch refrigerators were greatly improved, both as to standards of hygiene and of performance.

Mr. Hall had been closely preceded in his arrival at Blackfriars by Mr. Parker, today in charge of the Building and Engineering Division. The two, in their respective capacities, were in close daily contact and soon struck up a very firm friendship, which was to be of great value having regard to the need for close co-operation between them. It was the more remarkable in that they were in their tastes and in their approach to any particular problem nearly always diametrically opposed, at times it seemed on principle! Argument succeeded argument but there was never a quarrel, a classic example of differences of opinion being preferable to misunderstandings.

With the increasing complexity of the firm's operations, the transport engineering side was in time handed over to Mr. Jeyes and the factory to Mr. Kerr, whilst the maintenance side of general engineering was taken over by Mr. Rickman, Mr. Hall thus being freed, in 1952, to concentrate on the newly formed Development Engineering Department. In this capacity he was responsible for evolving a number of projects including the "push-up," now well known at so many branches, a small lift without overhead gears and generally without enclosures.

In 1949, when the trade in frozen foods was in its early days and these were still being sold from closed cabinets, he successfully developed an open-topped cabinet, years in advance of anything produced even on the other side of the Atlantic, a noteworthy achievement in view of the fact that at that time suitable materials were extremely short and he had to confine himself to using just what was available. Mechanical handling and lighting problems also engaged his attention.

From 1954, having reached the age of 60, he had acted in a part-time consultative capacity, confining his attention to problems arising from the mechanised side of farming, particularly in view of the firm's intention to build a new large-scale set of farm buildings at Inverquhomery, in Aberdeenshire. He was, in fact, due to travel up to Scotland on Tuesday, May 12th, but died with great suddenness whilst in the course of a telephone conversation on the night of Sunday, May 10th.

Mr . Hall was possessed of a charming per­sonality, a lively sense of humour and a notable fund of general knowledge. He was keenly interested in music, mainly classical, and was secretary of the City Glee Club. A keen church­man, he had left his mark in village circles at Bletchingley where he went to live on his retire­ment five years ago.

Mr. Hall and Mr. Parker— differences but not misunderstandings.

Staff News Transfers and Promotions M a n a g e r s

A. E. BUDDIN

F . L I N F I E L D

from Spare to Morden

w. A . R I D E R

W . T . S E L L E Y

F. WANT

from Morden to Stockwell

from Stockwell to Lambeth

from Lambeth to 609 Lea Bridge Road

from 609 Lea Bridge Road to 13/15 B'friars

A . E . T A R R A N T from 13/15 Blackfriars to Wembley

F . L . S T E V E N S from Wembley to Spare for S/S training

F . C . FREEMAN from 160 Cricklewood to Westbourne Grove

F . J . R Y D E R from Westb'rne Grove to 160 Cricklewood

C . W I L L I S from Spare to Ballards Lane

J . CHARLES

E. R. WEEKS

from Ballards Lane to Swiss Cottage

from Spare to Crawley

w . G . BE A VAN from Crawley to Richmond

L. A. LEWIS from Spare to Paddington

A s s i s t a n t M a n a g e r s R. H . B A L D W I N fromP.A.toMr.Knight

to 250 Kentish Town H . CLARK from Rye Lane

to 9/11 Croydon j . H . G O U L B O U R N E from Drury Lane

to Richmond

from 1/4 Ealing to Richmond

from Crouch End to Whetstone

P . J . T A P P E R from 16 Enfield

to P.A. to Mr. Knight

H e a d B u t c h e r s E . H . W E L L S from Spare

G . N . HILL

F. PHILPOTT

to North Finchley

j . E . F O R S D I K E

A. w . C O L E

J. HALES

from North Finchley to Muswell Hill

from Muswell Hill to Berkhamsted

from Weybridge to Richmond

We are pleased to record the following promotions:

A s s i s t a n t M a n a g e r s D . E . BAKER 9/11 Croydon

G . F O O T Southbourne

J . S . H O L L I N G S W O R T H 6Norwich

G. P I P E R Tonbridge

C . J . P O T T E R Seven Kings

s . c . T H O R P E Crouch End

L . F . W R I G H T Romford

H e a d B u t c h e r G . V I N C E N T Weybridge

The Institute of Certificated Grocers have published the following examination successes:

Prizes R. F . GOOD A L L , Sales Office, shared with one other the "Costa" prize of £10-0-0 cash and silver medal for fancy groceries. T . J . P I K E , Lewisham, has shared with one other the "Peter Keevil" prize of £10-10-0 for Practical Commodity Tests open to residents in the Southern Counties of England and Wales.

A d v a n c e E x a m i n a t i o n ( P a s s )

101 Golders Green The Grove Earls Court

A, P . ARMSTRONG

R. A. BUNN

K . A . E G L I N T O N R. F . GOODALL

T . J . PIKE

R. H. SHONE

Sales Office Lewisham Wembley

I n t e r m e d i a t e E x a m i n a t i o n ( P a s s )

98 Kentish Town Romford The Grove

P .HAUGHTON

R. MAWER

J .PENDERGAST Paddington Wembley Winchmore Hill Lee Green Lee Green Esher St. Helier 147 Balham

E . P . T H O M P S O N 609 Lea Bridge

J . H . S H A R P

R. A. SLEE

G. E. VILTON

E. C. BARBER

L. KEYS

*C. C. CUTHILL

C. A. ALLISON

M . J . CARR

33

P . M . S M I T H 48 Ipswich

P.G.WOODGATE 51 Ipswich * Distinction in Groceries.

P r e l i m i n a r y E x a m i n a t i o n ( P a s s )

158 Catford Romford Brentwood New Maiden Cheam 24 Brighton

F . H . BIRD

D . J . PETERS

P . J . URCH

P . A. DOWNS

C. WALTERS

J . D.LEADBITTER

The following J.S. employees have passed Institute of Meat examinations:— M e a t T r a d e s ' D i p l o m a

P . J . B A R N E S Wood Green

D . H . M O R G A N Drury Lane

H . D . J O R D A N Southampton

C r a f t s m a n ' s C e r t i f i c a t e

I . D . B A R T L E T T

J . E. FUDGE

P . R. ANSELL

B. H . E L T O N

P . J . BARNES

A. FITTON

T . E . HARDY

W . H E R O N

M. J . LETT

Westbourne Southbourne Broadwater Chingford Wood Green Stanmore Dagenham Stanmore 222 Watford

R . L . G . P A T T E R S O N Hemel Hempstead

R . T . S L O A N Rye Lane

w . j . W I C K S 7 Palmers Green

j . F . W I L B O R E Brent Street D . W . K E A T I N G Mil l Hil l L . J . W A L K E R Marylebone

M a r r i a g e (BETWEEN MEMBERS OF J . S . STAFF)

We send our best wishes to : Mr. J. Wood and Miss R. Davey, both of 1-4 Ealing, who were married on May 30th, 1959.

Retirements We send our best wishes to thefollotoing colleagues who have retired: W. E. V. A d e s who joined the firm in 1923 at 9/11 Croydon. He transferred later to Bexhill, and after working there and at Hastings he was placed in charge of the Meat Department during the war. In 1947 he was transferred back to Hastings and continued to work in the Fresh Meat Depart­ment until his retirement, which took place this year after he had completed 36 years' service with the firm.

E. L. E. B u r r y who was engaged in 1926 in the Engineers' Department and was concerned initially with the maintenance of branch cycles. He con­tinued as a fitter until he was transferred because of health reasons to Union Street where he Was timekeeper and cleaner-watchman, and later to Stamford House where he acted as a messenger in the post department. J . C r o w l e y who joined us as a warehouseman in 1940. In 1948 he was transferred to the Works Department as an upholsterer and he fulfilled these duties until his retirement from full-time this year. M r s . M. A. D a d y who retired from Kenning-hall where she has been working since 1950 as a checker and tester. M r s . R. E. D a n i e l joined the staff of the Factory on a part-time basis in 1945. She trans­ferred to full-time duties in 1950 and remained so employed until her retirement on July 1st.

• '

Mr. W. E. V. Ades Mr. E. L. E. Burry Mrs R. E. Daniel

H. D e n n e t t who leaves the firm after almost 39 years' service. He was engaged as a driver in 1920 and during the war worked from the depot at Woolmer Green. In 1956 he transferred from the Depot fleet to driver of the Factory van. M i s s M. E a g l e s who leaves after completing 32 years as a clerk at Oxford. M r s . V. M. G a y l o n who joined the firm in 1946 as a daily maid at 147 Balham. Five years later she was regraded to daily housekeeper at the branch, and it was from this position that she retired in July. A. H a r m a n who was engaged in 1946 as a ware­houseman in the Empties Department. Since 1951 his duties have been those of a porter in the Canteen. E. H o d g e who joined the firm in 1912 as a boy at 14 Ilford. He later transferred to Gravel Lane where he became cold store foreman and bank foreman. In 1943 he went to the Factory where he held the grade of charge hand, which position he filled at the time of his retirement. M r s . I. E. L. Lygo who joined the firm in 1927 at 147 Balham as a saleswoman on despatch. She subsequently worked in the Balham and Stockwell area, and in 1936 went to 147 Balham where she became a leading saleswoman, finally retiring on July 1st.

34

r* -f * A ** .

Miss M. Eagles Mr. A. Harman Mr. E. Hodge

J. R. M c F a r l a n e who joined the firm in 1914 at Gloucester Road. He worked there and at Paddington before moving to Victoria in 1946 to take charge of the despatch section. When the catering trade was transferred to 13/15 Stamford Street, he came with it and it was from this branch that he retired. A. H. M i t c h e l l who originally joined the staff of the Factory in 1916. He was later employed at Gravel Lane, the Garage, and at Saffron Walden, finally transferring to the Warehouse in 1942 as a warehouseman. Three years later he became a checker, and finally was promoted despatch clerk. He retires after completing almost 43 years' service. J. N i x o n who was engaged in January 1920 at 130 Ealing as a porter. In 1927 he was transferred to Hanwell, where he later became a porter-poulterer, and it was with this grade that he retired in July.

<r.rf~r.

ill H i <:JH. JM HH I B H f l k 9HHH

Mrs. I. E. L. Lygo Mr. J. R. McFarlane Mr. J. Nixon

L. F. P a l m e r was a manager with Coppen Bros, when the firm took over their business in Novem­ber 1954. Since this date he has managed our branch at East Sheen and he retired on July 1st of this year although he has assisted at the opening of our new self-service store at Richmond. H. F. R a n s o m who was engaged at Marylebone in 1921. In 1941 he became a roundsman based at Marble Arch, transferring later to Victoria and finally to 13/15 Stamford Street, from which branch he retired. Mrs. M.G. R o b b i n g s who retired after com­pleting 16 years as a part-time saleswoman at 99 Gloucester Road. She had been employed at an earlier period during the First World War at the same branch, leaving in 1919 to get married. Miss F. M. Ross who joined the firm in 1915 as a clerk at Gloucester Road. She worked mainly

J

in branches in the West End of London, and was finally promoted to first clerk. Her last branch was Chelsea. Unfortunately ill health had com­pelled her absence since 1943.

Mr. L. F. Palmer Mr. H. F. Ransom Mrs. M. G. Robbings

Mrs. H. S t a m m e r s who has been engaged on a part-time basis on preparation work at 21 Watford since 1949. H. T a l l e m a c h joined the firm in November 1914 at Brondesbury branch. He saw service during the Great War and later came to Blackfriars as a ticket writer. Latterly he had been working for Mr. Woods in the Merchandising Department and was responsible for producing the many price tickets and notices sent to the branches. E. W e b b who joined the firm in 1923 as a time­keeper at Gravel Lane. He subsequently moved to the Bacon Yard, where he became a top-man and crane operator, but health reasons compelled his reversion to time-keeper in 1950 and it was with this grade that he retired in July. S. F. W i n c h e s t e r who was engaged originally at 10 Eastbourne in 1914. He worked later mainly in the Folkestone area, where in 1926 he became a roundsman. He transferred to the Fresh Meat Department and reached the grade of head butcher in 1944, later reverting to shop-man, and in 1947 to roundsman which position he held at the time of his retirement from Folkestone in July of this year.

:':

rifli % • [ Mrs. H. Stammers Mr. H. Tallemach Mr. E. Webb

'''''!'"'?Ri..

-<«

*

4iM Mr. S. F. Winchester

35

Obituary We regret to record the deaths of the following colleagues and send our sympathy to all relatives: W. G. A n s e l l who commenced in 1946 in what was then Staff Department as a porter. He later became the receptionist and messenger in the Personnel Department, retiring from this position in April 1958. He died on June 24th, 1959. Mrs. A. E. M a r k h a m who started with the firm in 1929 as a resident housekeeper at Watney Street. She retired in 1945 and died on July 1st, 1959. T. W. S p i c e r who started with the firm in 1951 as a porter at 140 Finchley Road. He later became relief roundsman, transferring to Woodford in 1958. He died on June 9th, 1959. W. R. P i l c h e r who joined the Transport Department as a driver in 1925 and who died on July 8th of this year after a long illness.

News from our Nat iona l Servicemen The following notes are based on letters we have received

from our men on National Service: P. M. Drew, Derby. Australia (R.A.F.). Had an interesting flight from the United Kingdom by Bristol Britannia, stopping at Bahrain, Ceylon, Singapore and Darwin. He recently spent three days in Adelaide and is hoping soon to spend some time in Melbourne and Sydney. D. F l a h e y , Guildford. Germany (Army). Has just taken part in a scheme with the Dutch Army, and seems to have spent most of his time capturing the "enemy" and then releasing them so that they could re-capture them later. He had the opportunity of visiting Amster­dam and found that 90 per cent, of the people spoke English. M. J. H o r t o n , Ruislip. Cyprus (Army). Was, until recently, employed as a driver, but has been able to obtain a transfer to the job of barman in the Officer's Mess. He much prefers it as his living conditions are

Congratulations to Mr. M. Frost and Miss S. Brayne of Haywards Heath who were married on June 20th.

better and he does not now have to sleep in the cab of a truck. Recently had some excitement when sharks were sighted close in-shore during a swimming period. C. N o b l e , H.O. Cyprus (Army). Has become inter­ested in photography and says he has achieved some good results. Is looking forward to his leave in September. H. P e n n e l l i , 128 Kilburn. Compton Basset (R.A.F.). He is now on a course for teleprinter operator and so far has not found it too difficult. He originally hoped to obtain a job in the catering trade, but could not do so unless he signed to serve for a longer period. D. A. R e e d , 14 Hove. Aldershot (Army). Has now completed his initial training and has just started a cookery course. He is one of the very few in his group who have been selected to take a higher grade course.

Welcome back to: M. Over , who, after two years in the Army in Cyprus, returned to Camberley on May 25th. S. R a i n e , returned to Kingsbury on June 8th, after two years in the Army in Germany. J. C h a m b e r l i n , resumed at Edgware on June 15th. He has spent three years in the Royal Military Police at Chatham. N. J o n e s returned to Kingsbury on June 15th, from China where he has served in the Army. G. L i m e r i c k resumed on June 29th, at Rye Lane. He, also, spent two years in the Army in China. M. A u s t i n resumed at 189 Kensington on June 29th. His period in the Army was spent at Devizes, Wilts. G. S m i t h , after serving in the Army in Norfolk, returned on July 20th, at 6 Norwich. K. W e t h e r i l l resumed on July 20th, at Portslade, after two years in the Navy at Portsmouth. G. B a l n a v e s , returned to High Barnet on July 20th, having spent two years in the R.A.F. at Stafford. B. J o n e s returned to 16-20 Holloway on July 27th, after serving with the Coldstream Guards at Wellington Barracks. G. P e a r c e resumed on July 27th, at Wood Green. His period in the Parachute Regiment was spent between Cyprus and Aldershot. A. Gavin returned to Putney on August 11th, after two years in Tripoli in the Army.

Mr. Leslie Brown and Miss June Snowball both of the Factory who were married on July 4th. Congratulations.

K.J.L., Hopton Street, S.E.I