IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): LMA/4591
Held at: London Metropolitan Archives
Title: CLARNICO LIMITED [CLARKE, NICKOLLS AND COOMBS LIMITED] {CONFECTIONERS}
Date(s): 1818-1983
Level of description: Collection
Extent: 2.01 linear metres
Name of creator(s): Clarnico Ltd | confectioners x Clarke, Nickolls and Coombs Ltd | confectioners
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
The company originated in the City of London and by 1872 was operating a small candied peel factory in Hackney Wick under the name of Clarke Nickolls and Company. A few years later the business moved into confectionery manufacture with the acquisition of Robert Coombs. In 1887, the firm was incorporated as Clarke, Nickolls and Coombs Limited with new headquarters in Wallis Road, Hackney Wick. The company described itself as Wholesale and Export Confectioners and boasted that they were 'one of the largest and most general Confectionery businesses in the United Kingdom...' manufacturing 'Reserved Peel Sugar Confectionery' including fondants, and also marmalade, jams and jellies which were exported to Europe, North and South Africa, America, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and India. The new premises had a frontage on the River Lea Navigation Canal which allowed for the landing and shipping of raw materials and finished products. In 1886 the site consisted of factories, warehouses, a wharf and other premises covering an area of 4.25 acres. Retail shops were opened at 11 Bishopsgate Street Within in the City of London, 120 High Street, Borough in Southwark, and 6 High Street Birmingham.
As the business expanded in the 1900s, the firm became a major employer for both men and women from Hackney and Stratford. The company was concerned for the welfare of its employees and established non-contributory and profit-sharing schemes in 1890 to give staff a share in the firm's wealth. The Pension Fund became the Clarnico Superannuation Fund which first paid out pensions from the money saved and invested in 1916. In addition, the Clarnico Trust was created to donate money to worthy causes which included local churches, the Confectioners Benevolent Fund and Mayor of Poplar's 'Xmas Appeal'. According to a report in the East London Advertiser in 1964 the company had established strong links with the community and was proud of the fact that two Mayors of Hackney were former Clarnico employees.
As it expanded, the firm acquired other companies including Jonathan Edmundson and Company Limited of Liverpool (acquired in 1927; Head Office: 52 Fox Street, Liverpool), J A Buchanan Limited, Charbonnel & Walker Limited and Edmondson's (Canada) Limited. In the inter-war period Clarke, Nickolls and Coombs Limited was considered the largest confectionery manufacturing company in Britain. In 1946, the company was registered and traded globally under the abbreviated name 'Clarnico'.
The factory site suffered war damage in 1940. In the 1950s the company decided to modernise its premises by building a new factory at Waterden Road and renting out properties no longer required to other companies. The buildings were completed in 1955. Manufacturing at the Hackney Wick site ceased in 1970s and the buildings were gradually sub-divided and let out. Latterly, Clarnico became part of Trebor Bassett which was, in turn, acquired by Cadbury Schweppes, and in turn by Kraft.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Private ledgers, accounts, share records, correspondence, price lists, staff and premises photographs, superannuation fund material, property ledgers. Includes subsidiaries: Clarnico Trust, Clarke, Nickolls and Coomb Properties Limited, Jonathan Edmundson and Company Limited, J and A Buchanan Limited, Charbonnel and Walker Limited, C N Toys, Salter and Company, Altbarn Property Limited, Benfleet, Edmondson's (Canada) Limited and Table Mountain Trust.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English.
System of arrangement:
The records are arranged as follows [former references in this catalogue relate to references given in MOLAS report]:
LMA/4591/01 CORPORATE
LMA/4591/02 SHARES
LMA/4591/03 FINANCE
LMA/4591/04 PRODUCTION & SALES
LMA/4591/05 STAFF
LMA/4591/AP ALTBARN PROPERTY LIMITED
LMA/4591/BNF BENFLEET
LMA/4591/CNCP CLARKE, NICKOLLS AND COOMB PROPERTIES LIMITED
LMA/4591/CNT C N TOYS
LMA/4591/CT CLARNICO TRUST
LMA/4591/CW CHARBONNEL AND WALKER LIMITED
LMA/4591/EC EDMONDSON'S (CANADA) LIMITED
LMA/4591/JB01 J A BUCHANAN LIMITED: CORPORATE
LMA/4591/JB02 J A BUCHANAN LIMITED: FINANCE
LMA/4591/JEC01 JONATHAN EDMONDSON AND COMPANY LIMITED: CORPORATE
LMA/4591/JEC02 JONATHAN EDMONDSON AND COMPANY LIMITED: ADMINISTRATION
LMA/4591/JEC03 JONATHAN EDMONDSON AND COMPANY LIMITED: SHARES
LMA/4591/JEC04 JONATHAN EDMONDSON AND COMPANY LIMITED: FINANCE
LMA/4591/JEC05 JONATHAN EDMONDSON AND COMPANY LIMITED: PROPERTY
LMA/4591/SLT SALTER AND COMPANY
LMA/4591/TMT TABLE MOUNTAIN TRUST
Conditions governing access:
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information may be subject to access restrictions.
Conditions governing reproduction:
Copyright is held by the City of London.
Finding aids:
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
The records were discovered in 2007 by contractors at one of Clarnico’s former factory sites at Kings Yard, Carpenter’s Road, Hackney Wick. Until October 2011, when the archives were transferred, they were stored by The Museum of London Archaeology Service and Pre-Construct Archaeology as part of the Archaeology and Heritage Programme of London 2012. Both organisations were commissioned by the Olympic Delivery Authority to analyse and record the six Edwardian Kings Yard factory buildings (including the Lozenge Department constructed by 1902, and the stables and Starch House built 1904-1905) as part of the planning process for the redevelopment of the site. A Standing Building Survey report was published in December 2008. The records were gifted by London Development Agency, the owners of the Kings Yard site.
ALLIED MATERIALS
Related material:
LMA also holds records of R.S. Murray and Company Limited, manufacturers of fudge, caramel and 'Murray Mints', including recipe books which detail product development, specifying appropriate ingredients and methods (ACC/3722; ACC/3085; B/SK), and papers of Smith Kendon Limited, manufacturing chemists and confectioners (LMA/2522).
Newnham Heritage and Archives holds memorial plaques for the opening of the new buildings in 1955 and the war memorial in 1974 donated by the company.
Publication note:
These records were used in the MOLAS Archaeological Survey Report: 'King's Yard, Carpenter's Road, London E15: A standing building Survey report', [MOLAS 2008].
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Date(s) of descriptions: Added to AIM25 August 2012.