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Crawfords Original bakery in Leith |
The firm of William Crawford and Sons started in 1813 as a
family bakery business in the Scottish seaport of Leith, now incorporated
within the city of Edinburgh. A small
premises was the place where Crawford’s began to manufacture their many specialities. From this small beginning in Leith the
company went on to be a household name in the UK and in many other parts of the
world. One very important milestone in the progress of Crawford was the opening
their Liverpool works.
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Fairfield Biscuit Works, Liverpool, 1928 photograph © Britain from Above |
The Fairfield
Biscuit Works in Liverpool in 1897, the factory offered a large modern food
production plant affording pleasant working conditions with the most up to date
equipment available. Alexander (Alec) Crawford was the architect of the
Fairfield Works in Binns Road, Liverpool and in 1927, he purchased Sandown Hall
in Wavertree, which he presented to the firm in 1930 when it became the base
for Crawford’s thriving sports and social club.
The company
produced a booklet to demonstrate the benefits of employment at Crawford’s,
this was particularly aimed at school leavers who were offered a career with
the company. Crawford’s had a lot to offer for youngsters leaving school at the
time and was way ahead of their competitors in terms of staff relations. They
offered in house health care, a staff dining room as well as staff training.
Many of its employers did indeed decide to make Crawford’s their lifelong
career remaining with the company throughout their working life. As well as the
excellent working condition the employees also enjoyed their relaxation time
courtesy of Crawford’s Sports and Social Club.
Whilst
researching information for this article I was fortunate enough to come into
contact with a gentleman whose father was employed by Crawford’s. His son takes
up the story and tells me...
My Dad Jack
Shacklady left school in 1921, aged 14, and started working at William
Crawford’s, the biscuit manufacturers the following year. He worked in the bake house doing various
jobs on various machines, working for half an hour on a job, then moving on to
another. Working from 7.45am to 5.30pm
with one hour off for dinner.
He was allowed 1
week’s holiday per year. He occasionally
worked on delivery vehicles when they were short staffed, using a candle to
read the order numbers on the side of the tins when it was dark. When he was about 18, he began working in the
icing room which included working with boiling jam. He also looked after the icing machines.
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Photo from, Liverpool Online, the Crawfords Management Journal 1990 |

He returned to
Crawford’s after the war where production was very slow to recover. Substitutes for flour and sugar were being
used. Machinery was modernised and he
was made foreman in the icing room in 1967.
By now Crawford’s had amalgamated with other companies to form United
Biscuits, and plant managers and shifts were introduced. The company wanted Dad to become a shift
manager, but as a 62-63 year old he refused as this would mean working nights
and being away from his family and so he remained a foreman.
From the 1950’s
onwards, Dad was always very involved with bowls. At various times he was secretary and captain
of the Crawford’s bowling club which played at Sandown Park, and was part of
the winning team of the Bruno Cup in 1967, and the Searle Cup. I spent many happy Sunday afternoons at
Sandown Hall, either watching the cricket or bowls, or even occasionally
playing it. I would usually be on my
bike so there were many opportunities to play.
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Dad can be seen measuring an end,
with Albert Cross
watching with hands in pockets from the side.
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I can remember
at Christmas, there would be a party held in the factory for the children of
the workers. We were formed into a long
line and led around the factory, over and under conveyor belts. There was a show with a magician, then we all
got a present, and there was a dance, which I hated. This would have been about 1963.
Crawford’s
rewarded long service and in 1972, 50 years after starting work, he and Mum
shared with others an evening of celebrations at the Exchange Hotel in
Liverpool, hosted by Sir Douglas Crawford.
Dad gave a speech thanking Sir Douglas for the evening’s celebrations.
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Dad (left) shaking hands with Sir Douglas Crawford during the celebration for workers with 30, 40 and 50 years service with the company, held at the Exchange Hotel, Liverpool. |
Dad retired in
1977 when he was 65 years old, he was still cycling to work on his trusty Raleigh
bike. His retirement present was a
valuable clock, in recognition of 55 years service to the company.
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Retired Crawfords Pensioners |
After his
retirement, he still visited Crawford’s on a regular basis as a member of the
pensioners club where he could catch up with old friends, go on organised
trips, summer garden parties at Sir Douglas Crawford’s house, Fernlea in
Mossley Hill, but most importantly, bring home boxes of biscuits to eat, all
slightly imperfect, like the solid chocolate bars that should have had wafers
in (yum yum)”.
Liverpool
Picturebook wish to thank Roger Shacklady for providing photographs and
information relating to Crawfords, without which this article would not have
been possible.
By Robert F Edwards