1900 - Tons Of Spice And Spanish

In Castleford and the surrounding district sweets and candies are called Spice and liquorice is known as Spanish. Why this should be the case is lost in time but it has led to a number of strange stories, none of them thought to be true.

At the turn of the century large amounts of liquorice was being grown around Castleford and Pontefract so when Mr. Bellamy was looking to move his liquorice factory from Leeds it was to the Castleford area he turned. In March 1900 he moved into a premises in Queens Street, which had previously been Mountains Nail Works, and it became a liquorice refinery and confectionary factory.

It was run in turn by the Bellamy family; old Mr. Arthur, young Mr. Arthur and Mr. Paul until it was taken over by John Mackintosh Ltd. in early 1964. Six years later a new factory next to the original site opened and shortly afterwards the old Nail Works was finally demolished. It is presently a member of the Nestlé group.

In 1937 a four-pound box of Chocolate covered Liquorice Allsorts cost three shillings and four pence (about 17p) and plain ones cost two shillings and ten pence. The Chocolate ones were to retail at four pence per four ounce and the plain ones at three pence.

Bellamy's Advertisement - 1971

From Mr. & Mrs. Dale.

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