Bennett Brothers of Stamford

Wholesale and retail sweet manufacturers 1933 to 1966

This information is from the reminiscences of members of the Bennett family and former employees.

Len and Charles Bennett came from Nottingham and set up business in 1933 at 53 Scotgate at the rear of Dexter's Garage.

The business was successful and they moved to Halliday's Yard off North Street (now occupied by ABM Litho Printers). Throughout the time that they were in business, the brothers remained actively involved in the boiling process, which is the essential part of sweet making.

There had been sugar boilers on their mother's side of the family and their father, Charles, was also a sugar boiler. He had a large wooden market stall at Wicksteed Park and the brothers no doubt learnt the elements of their trade from him although they also worked in Kettering and Nottingham before they came to Stamford.

By the time they moved to Hallidays Yard, they were boiling 2 to 2½ tons of sugar a week and before long they employed about 30 girls as well as 4 men. Mrs C an employee recalled the big vats where the sugar and water was boiled and remembered Mr Bennett as a 'nice man'. She enjoyed her time working there. As they made the sweets the girls listened to music and chatted, and another bonus was that they were able to take the offcuts home! There was boiling on 5 days a week and the girls worked from 7.30am but finished at 4.30pm.

The sweets were sold to shops all over the East Midlands, in Lincolnshire and in Norfolk. Two of the men were employed full-time in delivering. The sweets were sold in heavy glass jars in the traditional way and the jars were returned to the Bennetts ready to be washed for the next delivery. Bennett's also ran a complete wholesale business for other shops in the area. Alongside the sacks of sugar and barrels of glucose, their warehouse would be full of all sorts of chocolate from bigger companies, such as Rowntrees and Cadbury's, ready for distribution with their own sweets.

Bennetts developed some specialities. One was Doncaster Butterscotch, which others tried to copy but never managed and another was Stamford Rock. They also made rock especially for Wicksteed Park and square rock for fairs all over the area. Breatheasies were a popular line that several people remember. Zubes and Hall's menthol eucalyptus were copies of these. Fruit drops, mints, raspberry drops and pear drops were also part of the range. Children were not forgotten and many of the sweets were aimed at the younger market - many look back nostalgically to buying Crystal Fishes, Tom Thumbs, lemon and orange slices.

The advent of supermarkets led to the closing of many small sweet shops and bigger wholesalers taking over distribution. This meant small businesses like Bennetts had an uncertain future and in the mid-sixties, after a serious car accident that led to an extended stay in hospital, the brothers sadly closed shop. The assets were auctioned by Messrs Hodgkinson & Son in 1966.