Gatepost
Palmer park, Reading. The land for the park was donated by the Palmer family (of Huntley & Palmers biscuits) in 1889.
Huntley & Palmers was founded in 1822, as a small bakery in London Street, Reading. In 1846 it opened a large factory in Reading and by 1900 was the largest biscuit manufacturer in the world, employing over 5,000 people.
Joseph Huntley was born in 1775 into a Gloucestershire Quaker family. His father was a headmaster while his mother, Hannah Huntley, baked biscuits in the school oven and sold them outside the school gates where the coaches stopped.
George Palmer was born in 1818, the eldest son of a West Country Quaker family. At the age of 14 he was apprenticed to his uncle to learn the trade of confectioner and miller. The Palmer family had connections to the Huntley family. When George was 22 he moved to Reading with his mother and sister. In 1841 Thomas Huntley and George Palmer became partners.
The factory closed in 1972, and Huntley and Palmer ceased trading around 1990, but the brand seems to have been revived.
There is lots more here.
Gatepost
Palmer park, Reading. The land for the park was donated by the Palmer family (of Huntley & Palmers biscuits) in 1889.
Huntley & Palmers was founded in 1822, as a small bakery in London Street, Reading. In 1846 it opened a large factory in Reading and by 1900 was the largest biscuit manufacturer in the world, employing over 5,000 people.
Joseph Huntley was born in 1775 into a Gloucestershire Quaker family. His father was a headmaster while his mother, Hannah Huntley, baked biscuits in the school oven and sold them outside the school gates where the coaches stopped.
George Palmer was born in 1818, the eldest son of a West Country Quaker family. At the age of 14 he was apprenticed to his uncle to learn the trade of confectioner and miller. The Palmer family had connections to the Huntley family. When George was 22 he moved to Reading with his mother and sister. In 1841 Thomas Huntley and George Palmer became partners.
The factory closed in 1972, and Huntley and Palmer ceased trading around 1990, but the brand seems to have been revived.
There is lots more here.