A few years ago, Richard van Riel gave us a talk entitled “All sorts about liquorice”. He showed us pictures of the plants, talked about how it was grown and described the growth of the industry in the town. Liquorice has been grown in the Pontefract area since medieval times, probably brought to the area by monks at one of the town’s abbeys. 

For those not familiar with the product, liquorice is a shrub with a long tap root, which, when dried, ground and boiled, produces a treacly black juice. This substance has an aniseed flavour, which when sweetened is pleasant-tasting, and has a chewy texture. Because of its slightly warming effect it is used widely in throat and chest medicines. It has bowel and stomach-calming properties, generally being used for both diarrhoea and constipation, and for relieving wind! Pontefract cakes are small discs of liquorice sweetened with sugar, usually stamped with a trademark or a picture of a castle, which are eaten as sweets. Liquorice Allsorts are basically different shaped pieces of sweetened liquorice often with fondant or coconut fillings, or as jujbes coated with hundreds and thousands. Liquorice root is also chewed, and was used as a combined toothbrush and mouthwash in the past.

Some of the most famous names in confectionary started their dynasties in Pontefract : Dunhills, Hillaby, Wilkinson, Craven, Barratt, and later absorbed into the Bassett, Rowntree, and Cadbury empires. The current local producers are owned by Haribo and Cadbury-Schweppes.

The Dunhill family are generally credited with first making Pontefract (or Pomfret) cakes for confectionery purposes. Richard Dunhill kept the Old Castle Inn, and he first added sugar to the recipe in the 1760s. His son George continued the business followed by his son Francis. After his death in 1845, Francis’s widow Ann carried on the trade. In 1881 F. Craven acquired the Dunhill business. Craven was a chemist and druggist and presumably had an interest in protecting his medical supply! The reason for the castle imprint is because Pomfret cakes were first made at the Old Castle Inn, then being run by the Dunhills. The firm began producing a variety of different types of liquorice sweets, and eventually, a mixture. This came about , so the story goes, when a travelling salesman had an accident in his van. The lids came off all the boxes and the contents got mixed up. The shopkeeper to whom he had been delivering asked him what he had there. “Allsorts by the look of it !” was the reply, and the rest is history. The Dunhill business is today owned by Haribo, who bought its entire stockholding in 1994. Incidentally, Haribo was founded in 1920 by HAns RIegal of BOnn -  which is where the name comes from?  

Thomas WILSON , a former employee of the Dunhills began his Liquorice Cake and Juice business in Horsefair in 1860. He was only 45 in 1881, another of those who had set up in business at an early age. The liquorice refiners were influential in local politics, often becoming mayors, councillors and aldermen. The Dunhills, Firths, Foxes, Longstaffes, and Wilsons all had such representatives, and David Longstaffe was a magistrate.

Pontefract 1881 Census : Liquorice workers

	Liquorice Refiners: 10 (all male)
	Liquorice Refiners Assistant: 1 male, 1 female
	Liquorice Merchant: 1 male
	Liquorice maker/boiler : 1 male, 1 female
	Manager of liquorice works: 1 male
	Liquorice packer : 1 male
	Liquorice cake maker/ stamper : 1 male, 56 female

Of the women employed as cake makers and stampers it is interesting to note that 13 of these were Irish or of Irish descent.

In addition 6 males and 5 females were described as confectioners and spice makers – it is probable that these jobs were also much concerned with liquorice. ( By the way, “spice “ is a colloquial name for sweets or candies!)

Would you like to know more about liquorice? 

There are  masses of liquorice – related websites, here are just a few:

This site is sponsored by a retailing group, and gives history, information about the plant and for our overseas members, information on retailers!  Yes, you can order Pomfret cakes by e-mail!

Of course when ever we go to a family history fair, we take our Pontefract cakes with us, and this year Dunhills have shown their support by donating a year’s supply! Do come along and try one, or two, ...or three......... or four............... they are a bit more-ish!