Allinsons Flour
of Castleford, Yorkshire
1858 Thomas Allinson, inventor of Allinson's Flour, was born
1879 Allinson graduated from medical school aged 21. From the start he took a keen interest in nutrition and, only a few years into his career, adopted Naturopathy. This form of medicine avoids drugs and encourages the consumption of natural foods. His ideas also became known as ‘hygienic’ or ‘Allinsonian’ medicine.
1885 Dr. Allinson set up a general practice in London, advocating healthy eating, including the benefits of wholewheat flour.
1886 He wrote a book entitled A System of Hygienic Medicine.
1889 Wrote the book, The Advantage of Wholemeal Bread.
1892 Dr. Allinson bought a flour mill in Bethnal Green, London, establishing the Natural Food Co. Opened his first bakery.
1895 Dr. Allinson was struck off the Medical Register due to his radical thinking.
WWI The nutritional value of wholemeal bread was finally accepted by the Government during the First World War, when Allinson was in his 50s. He was offered reinstatement to the General Medical Council, however he turned it down, having found a new outlet for his ideas on nutrition.
1914 Government finally accepts his theories, and demand for wholemeal bread increases.
1918 Dr. Allinson died, and the company was taken over by his oldest son. Further Allinson flour mills were soon opened in Newport, Monmouthshire and Castleford, Yorkshire.
1946 Allinson's youngest son joins the company. The company became Allinson Ltd, and was taken over by Booker McConnell.
By 1999 owned by Allied Bakeries, part of Associated British Foods.
See Also
Sources of Information
- [1] Allinson Flour Official Website
- Trademarked. A History of Well-Known Brands - from Aertex to Wright's Coal Tar by David Newton. Pub: Sutton Publishing 2008 ISBN 978-0-7509-4590-5