IN DEPTH
Memories, pictures and stories of the history of Goldhanger Fruit Farms from the 1940s when it was started by Jack Cohen, founder of Tesco. Between 1960 and 1969 it was owned and run by Express Dairy, then went through many different hands until its eventual closure in the 1980s. View or download as a pdf here.
1919 Goldhanger Friendly Brothers outside the Chequers public house, Goldhanger. (Courtesy Karen Tuke, Tolleshunt Major in Words and Pictures old Photos on Facebook)
1932 Fruit pickers at Bounds Farm, Goldhanger. L-R front row: ff Appleton?, Cottie Smith (girl in pigtails), Alice Appleton, ?, Florence Chaplin (in foreground). Back row: Eric Southgate (near shed), ?, ?, ?, ?, William Appleton (top right of photo). (Courtesy Karen Tuke, Tolleshunt Major in Words and Pictures old Photos on Facebook)
1940s? Hill Farm, Beckingham Street, being used by Goldhanger Fruit Farms Ltd as their office. This stood where Grovemere Estate building stands today. (Courtesy Karen Tuke, Tolleshunt Major in Words and Pictures old Photos on Facebook)
1940's Little London Farm, Goldhanger where Jack Cohen purchased and started Goldhanger Fruit Farms in nearby Tolleshunt Major. (Courtesy http://www.churchside1.plus.com/Goldhanger-past/Cohen.htm)
1940s? Peter Seaborn with one of the first vans Jack Cohen had for the business, which was first called Snowkist. (Courtesy Karen Tuke, Tolleshunt Major in Words and Pictures old Photos on Facebook)
1950s Jack Cohen and friends... one of the social events organised for his workers. (Courtesy Karen Tuke, Tolleshunt Major in Words and Pictures old Photos on Facebook)
1950's Goldhanger Fruit Farms summer outing (Courtesy Susan Martin, from http://www.churchside1.plus.com/Goldhanger-past/Cohen.htm)
1950's? 'Goldhanger Fruit Farms float' (Courtesy David Newman, from http://www.churchside1.plus.com/Goldhanger-past/Cohen.htm)
1950's 'A "Kingsmere" special goods train at Maldon East Station. (Courtesy David Newman, from http://www.churchside1.plus.com/Goldhanger-past/Cohen.htm)
1958 Maldon East goods yard, used for the trans-shipping of canned vegetables and fruit. (Courtesy Stuart Axe, Flickr)
1950s Albion truck of the type likely used by British Road Services and Goldhanger to distribute their products throughout England and Wales. (Courtesy Trucking History, still from YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uafyZl-eZe8)
1958? Tesco staff visit to Goldhanger (From Sir John Cohen's biography 'Pile It High Sell It Cheap' by Maurice Corina)
1959 Goldhanger Fruit Farm employees and staff. Front row L-R: - Trixie Stowe, Violet? Paes, Mrs Scrivenon, Kath Eldore, ?, Ivy, Eva Atkinson, Derek Lingwood, Robin. Second row, far right: Joyce Lingwood. Third row, third lady in from left: Mrs Ruggles. Back row L-R: Jim Ponder, ?, ?, ?, ?, David Page, Jim Seaborn, ?, ?, Len Dodd, Les Thorne. (Courtesy Karen Tuke, Tolleshunt Major in Words and Pictures old Photos on Facebook)
1959 Goldhanger Fruit Farm employees and staff. Front row L-R: Len Carter, Reg Clarke, Mr Tom Lanson, Ken Harredence, ?, Connie, Tony Harrow, Margaret Quy, Lindsey Todd, ?, ?. Second row far left: Joyce Lingwood, Third row, fifth lady from left Betsy Page, ?, Nora Hume, ?, ?, ?, Rose Walker, ?, ?, Marigold Lewis, Back row L-R ?, ?, Freddie Ruffle, Ernie Baxter, ?, ?, P Seaborn, Don Moorse, ?, Richard Seabrook, ?, Derek Blyth, Brian Radcliff, Sid Norris, ?, ?, ?. (Courtesy Karen Tuke, Tolleshunt Major in Words and Pictures old Photos on Facebook)
1959 Goldhanger Fruit Farm employees and staff. Front row L-R:?, ?, Olive, ?, ?, ?, Jack? Clarke, Amelia Kempen, ?, ?, ?, Doreen Cottee. Third row fifth from left: Maggie Seaborn. Back row L-R: Audrey Bridges, ?, ?, ?, ?, Brian Lawrence. (Courtesy Karen Tuke, Tolleshunt Major in Words and Pictures old Photos on Facebook)
1959 Goldhanger Fruit Farm employees and staff, composite image. (By Express Dairy Tales, originals courtesy Karen Tuke, Tolleshunt Major in Words and Pictures old Photos on Facebook).
1960 Walter Nell reviews progress, with the acquisition of Allied Dairies in Manchester, the Surrey Sterilised Milk Company at Nine Elms, Hornby and Clarke in Richmond, Towers Holdings (Mitcham Foods), and Goldhanger Fruit Farms in Essex. (Express News Summer)
1960 OS Map, showing the location of the canning factory (Courtesy David Newman)
1960's Goldhanger Fruit Farms, Maldon, Essex with canteen, welfare and laboratory block. (From Express Story 1864 - 1964)
1962 Goldhanger Fruit Farm staff visit South Morden. (Express News Spring)
1962 Goldhanger Fruit Farms, Maldon, employed 250 staff. (Express News Christmas)
1962 Minsterley canned cream and evaporated milk with Goldhanger Fruit Farms canned vegetables and fruit
1963 Goldhanger Fruit Farm's new canteen block, with (L-R) Mrs Maureen Lewis, Mrs Irene Harrow, Mrs Sylvia Morris, Miss Yvonne Rice, Miss Rosa Cuomo and Miss Pansy Page (Express News Autumn, Front Cover)
2025 Cropped as 1963 image. David Newman comments "A photo that I took today of Goldhanger Fruit Farms' canteen block, to match the 1963 photo. It seems unused and pretty derelict, but surrounded by modern well-used industrial buildings and is a busy place". (Courtesy David Newman)
1963 Goldhanger Fruit Farm, Essex. (Express News Autumn)
1963 Goldhanger Fruit Farm, Essex. (Express News Autumn)
1963 Goldhanger Fruit Farm, Essex. Clockwise from the head of the table: James Keyte-General Manager, Donald Moorse-Works Engineer, Derek Lingwood-Warehouse Superintendant, Lindsay Todd, Peter Goose-Quality Control, Edward Haynes-Accounting and Office Admin, Tom Ianson-Sales. (Express News Autumn)
1963 Goldhanger Fruit Farm, Essex-decrating empty cans, up to 2.7m a week at peak times. (Express News Autumn)
1963 Goldhanger Fruit Farm, Essex. (Express News Autumn)
1963 Goldhanger Fruit Farm, Essex. (Express News Autumn)
1963 Goldhanger Fruit Farm Senior Management. (Express News Autumn)
1963 Goldhanger Fruit Farm, Essex. (Express News Autumn)
1963 Goldhanger Fruit Farm, Essex. Brian Pavitt comments "Don't know if was later, but peas also came from Lord Rayleigh's farms in Hatfield Peverel, Peter Philpot-Billericay, and Rankin Farms in Rochford. Remember also small tanks of peas from Romney Marsh Viners. I used to sit above the tanks at Rivenhall with ton blocks of ice, chipping away with a hammer and chisel putting ice in the tanks to keep the peas chilled. Aged 14." (Express News Autumn)
1963 Goldhanger Fruit Farm, Essex. Brian Pavitt comments "Don't know if was later, but peas also came from Lord Rayleigh's farms in Hatfield Peverel, Peter Philpot-Billericay, and Rankin Farms in Rochford. Remember also small tanks of peas from Romney Marsh Viners. I used to sit above the tanks at Rivenhall with ton blocks of ice, chipping away with a hammer and chisel putting ice in the tanks to keep the peas chilled. Aged 14." (Express News Autumn)
1963 Goldhanger Fruit Farm, Essex. Brian Pavitt comments "Don't know if was later, but peas also came from Lord Rayleigh's farms in Hatfield Peverel, Peter Philpot-Billericay, and Rankin Farms in Rochford. Remember also small tanks of peas from Romney Marsh Viners. I used to sit above the tanks at Rivenhall with ton blocks of ice, chipping away with a hammer and chisel putting ice in the tanks to keep the peas chilled. Aged 14." (Express News Autumn)
1963 Goldhanger Fruit Farm, Essex. Pea sorting after blanching. (Express News Autumn)
1963 Goldhanger Fruit Farm, Essex. Sorting peas after blanching. (Express News Autumn)
1963 Goldhanger Fruit Farm, Essex, feature article. (Express News Autumn)
1963 Goldhanger Fruit Farm, Essex. Mrs Violet Whipps, in charge of the overall stores, talks to Mrs Stuart, Personnel and Welfare Officer. (Express News Autumn)
1963 Goldhanger Fruit Farm, Essex. Chief Boiler Operator 'Bert' Jeffrey talks to Maintenance Foreman Ted Dennis. (Express News Autumn)
1963 Goldhanger Fruit Farm, Essex. Graduates Alan Johnson, Fred Yeo and Tom Holmes finish their night shift. (Express News Autumn)
1963 Goldhanger Fruit Farm, Essex. Chemist Stanley Elms with Jill Peddie performing swab tests. (Express News Autumn)
1963 Goldhanger Fruit Farm, Essex. Mrs Gillian Hull operating the labelling machine. (Express News Autumn)
1963 Goldhanger Fruit Farm-Mr Ted Duncombe, Gate Security Officer, who served for 30 years with the Essex County Constabulary (Express News Autumn, Back Cover)
1964c George Turner at Goldhanger. Gina comments "My dad George Turner helping out at Goldhanger Fruit Farm". (Courtesy Gina Jackson)
1964c George Turner at Goldhanger. Gina comments "My dad George Turner helping out at Goldhanger Fruit Farm". (Courtesy Gina Jackson)
1965 Packing whole carrots at Goldhanger Fruit Farms
1969 from the Goldhanger Fruit Farms company magazine. (Courtesy Goldhanger Past website)
1969 Goldhanger Fruit Farms. From the house magazine of Cadbury Schweppes who had just acquired Goldhanger Fruit Farms. (Courtesy Lee Morrison)
1969 Front Cover of 'The Marble Archer', house magazine of Cadbury Schweppes who had just acquired Goldhanger Fruit Farms. "Blossom time in the Vale of Evesham. Later in the year, selected crop from this famous fruit growing area of Worcestershire will go to Goldhanger for processing and canning" (From 'The Marble Archer' house magazine, Spring 1969)
1969 Frontispiece of 'The Marble Archer', house magazine of Cadbury Schweppes who had just acquired Goldhanger Fruit Farms. "The main feature in this issue deals with a recent Group acquisition, one of the largest fruit and vegetable canning factories in the United Kingdom. The name itself, retained from former times, is misleading. Activities nowadays are concerned solely with processing and packing the produce brought in from other specialist growing areas." (From 'The Marble Archer' house magazine, Spring 1969)
1969 Article from 'The Marble Archer', house magazine of Cadbury Schweppes who had just acquired the Company. (From 'The Marble Archer' house magazine, Spring 1969)
1969 Goldhanger Fruit Farms. From the house magazine of Cadbury Schweppes who had just acquired Goldhanger Fruit Farms. "Time for lunch. Goldhanger has a spacious well designed canteen, tastefully decorated in quiet colour and having a stage at one end and a table tennis table". (Courtesy Lee Morrison)
1969 Goldhanger Fruit Farms. From the house magazine of Cadbury Schweppes who had just acquired Goldhanger Fruit Farms. "Canteen, with manager Ken Wood-Ward and unknown female canteen assistant. The employee paying for his food is Gerry Monaghan, who was in charge of the costings office." (Courtesy Lee Morrison)
1969 Goldhanger Fruit Farms. From the house magazine of Cadbury Schweppes who had just acquired Goldhanger Fruit Farms. Tony Grainger and John Hyder from the wages office. (Courtesy Lee Morrison)
1969 From the house magazine of Cadbury Schweppes who had just acquired Goldhanger Fruit Farms. "Telephonist Helen Ponder (bottom), the voice of Goldhanger Fruit Farms, with her assistant, Carole Wright." Rita Frost comments "I did this job for a while, about 1961. It was very busy... Tolleshunt D'Arcy 331." (Courtesy Lee Morrison)
1969 Goldhanger Fruit Farms. From the house magazine of Cadbury Schweppes who had just acquired Goldhanger Fruit Farms. "Guarding the gate is Len Carter who has been with the firm for thirteen years. He shares this security job with Herbery Quy.Len's hobby is gardening. In the background is the 'Canning Town' seat". (Courtesy Lee Morrison)
1969 Goldhanger Fruit Farms. From the house magazine of Cadbury Schweppes who had just acquired Goldhanger Fruit Farms. On the right is Cyril Ponder, Raw Materials foreman, in charge of hundreds of tons of raw materials each week. (Courtesy Lee Morrison)
1969 Goldhanger Fruit Farms. "In charge of the millions of labels we use every week is Charles Layzell who copes urbanely with a sizeable stock control job. A country class bowls player who has represented Essex 17 times, he will be a member of the team which Schweppes are sending to Belgium later this year". (Courtesy Lee Morrison)
1969 Lee Morrison comments "This seat was outside the Goldhanger Fruit Farms' canning plant. At peak periods, the factory despatched 4 million cans a week, The canning plant had 88,000 square feet of space, enough to hold a million packing cases of canned food. They also had space for 4,600 pallets at Tiptree. 70,000 to 80,000 cases were despatched all over UK each day. 89,000 tons of tin plate was used to make each year's cans. Rita Butterfield and Lee Morrison identify the man in suit as Dennis Lee, the other man is Eric Warrener. The sales director, Harry Mendoza, got hold of this original Canning Town bench." (Courtesy Lee Morrison)
1969 From the house magazine of Cadbury Schweppes who had just acquired Goldhanger Fruit Farms. "The Blyth brothers at Goldhanger Fruit Farms. Derek (left) was maintenance foreman and Tony was a chargehand engineer. Tony married Maria who came from Italy to work at Goldhanger." (Courtesy Lee Morrison)
1969 From the house magazine of Cadbury Schweppes who had just acquired Goldhanger Fruit Farms. "Jim Ponder at the control panel of the Hydron Automatic Steriliser. The Hydron sterilised 500 cans a minute." Barbara Patey comments "That's my uncle Jim, my mum's brother-Jim and Fred both worked at Goldhanger 😁" (Courtesy Lee Morrison)
1969 From the house magazine of Cadbury Schweppes who had just acquired Goldhanger Fruit Farms. "Three ladies whose combined service totals 41 years-Mrs Nellie Smith, Elsie Ruffle and Olive Brice operating a machine which fills cans, each with the correct weight of product, at speeds up to 220 a minute." (Courtesy Lee Morrison)
1969 Goldhanger Fruit Farms' relabelling unit, with Sue Hollick facing the camera.(Courtesy Lee Morrison)
1969 Goldhanger Fruit Farms. "Margeret Quy, forewoman and training officer (centre) has been at Goldhanger since 1948 and can really claim to know all its personal problems. She devotes much of her spare time to social work for retired pensioners locally. With her in the picture are Margeret Seaborn (left) and Vivienne Mansfield. (Courtesy Lee Morrison)
1969 Goldhanger Fruit Farms. "Chargehand Arthur Sayer Dorothy Bloomfield, Winnie Sowden and Nellie Jopson, inspecting marrowfat peas". (Courtesy Lee Morrison)
1969 Mr L.D. Wooden, Branch Manager of Goldhanger Fruit Farms, from 'The Marble Archer', house magazine of Cadbury Schweppes who had just acquired the Company (From 'The Marble Archer' house magazine, Spring 1969)
1970s? Range of vegetables sold with the Express label. (Courtesy Dave Fane)
1970s? Goldhanger drivers and warehouse staff: Peter White, Fred Bowring, ?, Vic, Keith Ford, Terry Horsfell, Reg Clarke, Middle row: Lenny Dodds, ?, Herbie Quy, Freddie Ruffle, Doreen Cottee, Mr Whitney, Peter Frostick, Dougie Rayner, Alan Rosemund, Front row: Joe Kempen, Peter Seaborn. (Courtesy Karen Tuke, Tolleshunt Major in Words and Pictures old Photos on Facebook)
1971 'Pile it high and sell it cheap' front cover, authorised biography of Sir John Cohen by Maurice Corina. ISBN: 0297004581
1979/ 80 Goldhanger Fruit Farms float. Gill Burton comments "I worked in the packing department and office from about 1978 until it closed, great company to work for. The social events were very good and they even participated in local carnivals". (Courtesy Gill Burton)
1980's Examples of canned vegetables from Goldhanger, Tesco, Kingsmere and Goldhanger labels. (Courtesy Goldhanger virtual museum)
1980's Examples of canned vegetables from Goldhanger, Tesco and Goldhanger labels. (Courtesy Goldhanger virtual museum)
2002 Grovemere House, Beckingham Business Park. This is where Hill Farm once stood that Jack Cohen bought. (Courtesy Karen Tuke, Tolleshunt Major in Words and Pictures old Photos on Facebook)
2025 David Newman comments "A photo that I took today of Goldhanger Fruit Farms' canteen block, to match the 1963 photo. It seems unused and pretty derelict, but surrounded by modern well-used industrial buildings and is a busy place". (Courtesy David Newman)
2025 David Newman comments "A photo that I took today of Goldhanger Fruit Farms' canteen block, to match the 1963 photo. It seems unused and pretty derelict, but surrounded by modern well-used industrial buildings and is a busy place". (Courtesy David Newman)
2025 Location map and photo showing the Goldhanger Fruit Farms site ..
