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Cadbury's Bournville Factory

its amazing how one firm can arouse so many personal connexions.
Living by Dominic!! thats posh!
A TIP.If you go to Cadbury World dont miss the exhibition round the back of the main building. It's called the Cadbury Collection and is all about the village and the lives of the workers.You dont have to pay to go round this part and you can go into the cafe and the chocolate shop afterwards.
For anyone wanting to make a day out go across the road to Selly Manor and then on to the Barber Institute art gallery about a mile away.Both have a web site
 
Cadbury's 2

Ken, when I visited Cadbury World, I was more impressed with the Cadbury Collection than the "themed" part. The way that they looked after their workers as far back as 1900 was amazing, with a doctor's surgery, dentist, keep fit classes for the workers etc., it would put manyif not all of today's companies to shame. They really cared for the health and well being of their staff long before the days of Health & Safety at Work campaigns. I believe it was the Quaker ethic because other Quaker chocolate firms such as Rowntrees and Frys worked to the same principles.
 
After the shop was opened in Bull Street the first Cadbury's factory of any scale was opened in a rented premisses at the bottom of Crooked Lane. This lane seemed to be an extension southwards of Cherry street and came to an end at the junction of Bull Street and Dale End. It mostly dissappeared when Martineau Street was put in. I don't think Crooked Lane went any further down than Dale End but I am not sure. Anyway I have come across this picture of the junction of Bull Street and Crooked Lane and the first factory must have been pretty close to here. Click on the link below. Date 1865.

https://www.sandersofoxford.com
 
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What was Cadbury's factory like to work in? What about all those freeby chocolates?

I worked at Cadburys for 25yrs I retired about 7yrs ago, It was great in the early days it was it was so much fun we always had a laugh and we could eat has much chocolate has we liked if it was in the room you were working in, and it all tasted lovely because it was freshley made,
 
Fresh Made Chocolates

I'm sure it was fun to work there. Just the smell of the chocolate would certainly entice me!

I had a trip to Cadbury World and I was a little disappointed, as the viewing of the making of the chocolates was quite restricted. I remember going along to meet someone who worked there when I was about 12 years old, and I was taken in to watch all the chocolates going along the conveying system and being decorated and packed and boxed up. Also the huge vats of chocolate. There didn't seem to be any restrictions as to what you were allowed to see in those days. It was fascinating. It's all to do with public health and all that nowadays.
 
I'm sure it was fun to work there. Just the smell of the chocolate would certainly entice me!

I had a trip to Cadbury World and I was a little disappointed, as the viewing of the making of the chocolates was quite restricted. I remember going along to meet someone who worked there when I was about 12 years old, and I was taken in to watch all the chocolates going along the conveying system and being decorated and packed and boxed up. Also the huge vats of chocolate. There didn't seem to be any restrictions as to what you were allowed to see in those days. It was fascinating. It's all to do with public health and all that nowadays.


Yes you are right its all to do with public health nowdays, some summer day's it was to hot for the chocolate so we were sent home and still got paid . but then the air conditioning came in and some times it was quite cold we had to wear body warmer to keep warm even in the summertime.
I have been to Cadbury World a few times it does improve each year.
 
Extra PAID Time Off!

Pat, I will have to visit again soon. It's so good to read all the replies
I'm glad the exhibition is getting better. Can you see more of the chocolate making?
Did you pray for all those hot days when you were sent home. Go home to sunbathe? and regret the day when the air conditioning came into force? BLOW! (excuse the pun)
Anne
 
Commemorative Book

Hello John,
All this info. is very interesting. I would imagine the book is extremely unique?
Thanks a lot. Is there a tale as to how it came into your possession. Were you or your family connected in any way?
I've just had a quick glance at your website and I shall set myself time to have a good read through
Anne
 
My sister in law Margaret worked at Cadburys and she sais that after a while you got so sick of being able to eat the chocolate that you didn't bother.

The staff could also buy misshapes at a really low price so my kids loved Auntie Margaret.
 
Cadbury

When we were at school (Upper TH. St.) we used to love doing the topic about cocoa. You could send off for a free 'pack' of information. When it came it had a cocoa pod, which had lots of beans inside. But best of all, the teacher gave everyone a free box of miniature bars of chocolate. I used to love to melt mine slowly, savouring that scrummy flavour! Chocolate doesn't seem to taste the same anymore.
 
Your right chocolate dosen't taste the same, even flakes don't flake anymore, I used to love saving all the bits in the bottom of the packet and then tapping all the bits into my mouth at the end of it.
 
cadbury

While i was at school in early 50s we were taken around Cadburys to see if we would like to work there when we left school. The visit was the highlight of our day, and a chance to skive off school work. We were allowed to eat some choccies on the walk round and we were given a bag of mishapes at the end of the visit. Cadbury was a good employer at that time, with its own medical centre and sports area.
 
Yes, I also went round Cadburys on a school visit in the early 50's. They had a small cinema where we went first to see a film about where the cocoa beans grow, etc. Then we went into the factory to see the chocolates being made. The strong smell of the cocoa beans put me off chocolate for about two years!! My best friend's dad used to work there and I remember whenever I went round to her house there were drawers full of misshapes. I soon recovered from my dislike for chocolate, and I think that Cadburys is the best chocolate in the world.
 
Sick of Chocolate

I suppose too much of a good thing isn't appreciated!!!! but how do you all react to chocolate these days?
 
How do I react to chocolates these days Anne - My husband buys me a box of chocolates about every two weeks - But then I only pick out the hard ones and leave him to eat the soft centres - just to sweet for me!
 
Cadbury's

It is nice looking at all these posts? but does anyone notice that Cadbury's is the last of all the world famous firms that we have left in Brum.B.S.A. gone!,Lucas's,gone!,Austin,gone!,H.P.,gone!,G.E.C.,gone!,and all the rest.Where is it going to end.If all the manufacturing goes,where will we all get the money to spend on all the new service industries.Chad Valley,gone.Canning's,gone,Ansell's,gone!,I.C.I.,I.M.I.,.In my time as a driver I used to go to all these places to take goods to the docks for export but now it is the other way round.Every time you pick something up in the shops it says made in China or any other country in the world.Take your pick! I have an affinity for Birmingham City Transport and tried to find out from Ian Allen's shop in town when they were going to get a model of the ultimate bus which is called the Birmingham City Standard,which to me is and was the best looking bus of all time and I was told that the people who make them were going to China to sort it out.WHAT???We can't even make those here now!!! !.
 
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