By the time these labels were printed the bottling plant had come
a long way from its humble beginnings catering
for those visiting the Matlock Bath caverns. The business was
started by John Wheatcroft[1],
a cavern guide, and began around 1870, probably
in Upper Wood[2].
He began
by selling ginger beer to thirsty visitors, and then added soda
water as another beverage. By 1877 he was seeking additional
staff, advertising for a bottler to work in the business[3].
John Wheatcroft was the father of Mrs.
Mary Whittaker. When things
took a turn for the worse it was Mary who took over; she must have
been a very dynamic and hard working woman as it is said she was
determined to make it a success. The bottling plant was subsequently
moved to the larger, purpose
built premises on Dale Road.
Two labels for Guinness, a brand bottled for Whittaker's (Matlock
Bath) Limited at the plant on Dale Road.
Guinness' Extra Stout was produced under the company's Harp trade
mark. By about 1910 Whittaker's were also bottling Bass's and Worthington's
Pale Ale, Allsopp's Lager Beer and even Champagne Cider that could
be bought in a bottle or syphon[4].
Their "High Tor" brand of soda water was short lived
as there was already a company using that name. So they changed
their brand to "Tordale".
The two brands below were bottled by Tordale Soft Drinks Ltd.
1. "Vimto", a blend of blackcurrant, cherry and raspberry.
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Other Tordale products were a sparkling Dandelion and
Burdock, a Lime Juice and Soda as well as a Pineappleade[4].
Whittaker's drays, and later their lorries, would deliver crates
of these bottled drinks to local shops. If you returned the
empty bottle to the shop you were refunded something like a
penny. Maybe a little more. But at least it meant the glass
bottles were reused. |
2. Kitty Kola was also bottled under licence.
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The cheeky kitten licking his/her lips was very appealing.
It is said that there were legal threats by what is today
a very well known brand, hence the "kitty" part
of the brand name[4]. |
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