T. W. Beach and Sons
In 1851 Thomas William Beach won prizes for his British Queen Strawberries at Covent Garden, Chiswick Horticultural Society and at the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park.
He was a member of a large nuclear family living around Heston, Isleworth and Hounslow who were planting many acres of orchards and fruit fields at a time when this was more profitable than general farming.
Company established in 1870.
The factory was between Walnut Tree and Cressage Roads facing Ealing Road.
By the 1880s Thomas William Beach had gained a national reputation and was a recognised authority on jam making. The oral history of the Beach family says that Arthur Wilkins of Tiptree, founder of Wilkins of Tiptree, and still manufacturing. came to him for advice and worked at the Brentford factory for experience.
Incorporated as a Limited Company in 1886.
An article in the British Journal of Commerce in 1901 said that the company had, over the years won 17 medals for their excellent product and that one year they had been awarded the only gold medal at the Health Exhibition.
When Thomas William died in 1902 the firm was at the peak of their prosperity. In 1911 they were proud to note that the Daily Mirror had a picture of the ill-fated Captain Scott’s expedition to the South Pole with Beach’s jam on their breakfast table.
Mrs Beach died in 1926 and the Brentford factory was sold in 1929.
Following this until 1935 T. W. Beach and Sons made jam at William Whiteley’s factory in Hanworth.
1941 Allied Suppliers bought the company from the founders. The reason for the purchase was that the factory Allied Suppliers had been using in Rouel Road was bombed in the war. The decision was to find somewhere "safer" to supply products to the many stores. Allied Suppliers owned trading under the fascia of Lipton, Home & Colonial, Meadow & Pearks, Maypole, Frosts, Cochranes, Masseys, Templetons, Duncans, Hadrians, Williams, Broughs, in all some 3613 stores.
In June 1941 Allied bought £81,000 of ordinary shares from the founders.
In 1953-4 part of the Beach's factory was converted to Richmond sausage manufacturer, already owned by Allied Suppliers - bought from the Moore family in 1938. (Few know Richmond also made Ice Cream!)
At some point owned by Cavenham Foods.
By 1971 the name only appeared on 7lb tins of marmalade and at Beach Court in Evesham. There would appear to be no record in Brentford where this renowned company started.
1979 Appointed John Cumberland as MD of T.W. Beach in 1979 from his role as Marketing Director of the Bovril plant.
See Also
Sources of Information
- [1] Brentford High Street