Merseyside has always been home to thriving factories that have employed generations - but not all those sites still exist today.
Over the years many businesses have come and gone, but fond memories, relationships and pictures of Merseyside factories throughout the decades still remain to this day. A number of the factories helped put the region well and truly on the commercial map.
Whereas others were like a second home to generations of the same family who worked there for decades. From tobacco to sweet treats, toys and more, many have closed over the years and workers clock in no more.
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But that doesn't mean we still can't reminisce about the good old days when they stood proudly in Merseyside. Here, we take a look back at 19 well-known factories that we've loved and lost.
The list below isn't intended to be comprehensive, we selected a number of factories from across Merseyside that have closed their doors or been demolished. But, if there is a factory you feel we should have included, share your memories let us know in the comments section.
1. Taverners
Now called the Tangerine Confectionery - the company who acquired it - Taveners origins go back to Victorian Liverpool, when William Henry Tavener branched out from pickles and sauces into producing boiled sweets at his shop in Scotland Road in 1889.
William Tavener's son, Herbert, masterminded the transformation of Taveners to a confectionery empire after WW1. By then the company was in a four-storey factory in Kew Street in Vauxhall, but in 1928 it was on the move again to the building in Beech Street.
Over the years, Taveners became famous in the city and beyond for inventing hard-boiled fruit sweets and chocolate eclairs in 1932 and producing other family favourites like buttered brazils, treacle toffee and more. In 1976, Liverpool FC stars Ian Callaghan, Phil Thompson, Terry McDermott and John Toshack also visited the Taverner sweet factory and watched the lollipop making process.
2. Odgens Tobacco
Odgens Tobacco was founded by Thomas Odgen in the 1800s. By 1901, a factory opened on Boundary Lane.
The tobacco factory was once a major employer in the city before it was knocked down to make way for a residential development. Imperial Tobacco operations at the factory ceased in March 2007 when production was moved to other UK plants.
Bulldozers moved in early 2016, with the factory site being almost completely cleared for work to begin on building 133 homes. Captured in 2016, Toc66 was given permission to access the site as the landmark ‘witches hat’ chimney was pulled down by demolition workers.
3. Schweppes
Decades ago, many will remember seeing the masses of workers walking up and down Long Lane, Aintree. A number of those were colleagues from Schweppes, a pale brick fronted factory that was located opposite Hartley's.
Taken in 1983, these images, recently rediscovered by our archives Mirrorpix, offer a glimpse into what the site once looked like and workers of the time. The site itself was demolished around a decade ago.
But our archives, Mirrorpix, recently rediscovered a number of images of workers on a picket line on site. They capture the now lost Merseyside factory and those who worked there in the 1980s.
4. Pendleton's Ice Cream
Pendleton's was best known for its delicious ice-creams and lolly ices, or ice lollies - depending on what you call it - as well as other sugar confectionery. The business was started in 1935 by William Pendleton.
Pendleton’s three sons continued to run the Newset Road-based business on Kirkby Industrial Estate until 1979, when it was sold to Associated British Foods. By the late 1980s, Lyons Maid bought the company.
It was popular for its Twicers ice-creams, which many people across Kirkby and surrounding areas associate with their childhood memories.
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5. Bear Brand Hosiery
Located in Woolton, the Bear Brand Hosiery factory had a long history in the area. The businesses trade name was American in origin and it was a Mr Howard Ford who started in the hosiery business by importing stockings, some from the Bear Brand Hosiery Company of Chicago.
Bear Brand employed hundreds of people at one time, making ladies tights and stockings. Hitler's World War II bombers failed to blitz the old Bear Brand factory at Woolton as it turned out thousands of parachutes for the war effort and one point, Liverpool playwright Willy Russell worked there.
But by 1997, work began to demolish the factory to make way for a Tesco supermarket. Villagers fought a big battle to halt the plan and won support from the council.
6. Huntley & Palmers
In 1822, J Huntley & Son biscuit bakery opened in London Street, Reading, and the business continued to flourish throughout the century. It was later renamed Huntley & Palmers and became a private limited company in 1898.
The business had its first factory in Reading and the brand became recognisable across the country for its biscuit tins full of family favourites like short bread, nice, lemon puffs, custard creams and other products such as cakes. By 1955, Huntley & Palmers had opened a biscuit factory on Wilson Road, Huyton Industrial Estate.
HRH The Duchess of Kent was shown around the factory in 1958 and Cilla Black was presented with a 21st birthday cake by staff from the Huyton factory. In 1983, the Huntley & Palmers Huyton officially closed and less than a decade later, Ferrari's nightclub called the site home from 1992.
7. Meccano
Frank Hornby, born in 1863, invented Meccano and Dinky Toys, as well as founding the model railway company which still bears his name. The Meccano company headquarters was based in Binns Road, Liverpool, for more than 60 years.
During the 1920s and 1930s Meccano Ltd was the biggest toy manufacturer in Britain. Hornby bought up five acres of land in the Old Swan area of Liverpool and it was here the Binns Road factory opened in 1914.
In its heyday Meccano also had factories in Speke and Aintree as well as manufacturing bases in Argentina, France, Germany, the USA and Spain. But a decline in profits led to a takeover by Lines Brothers in 1964 and the Airfix Group in the 1970s and the Binns Road factory finally closed in 1979.
8. Cadbury's
Back in 1952, Cadbury Bros Ltd began building a factory in Moreton, Wirral in the hopes of regenerating Merseyside after the Second World War, as the region suffered the greatest level of enemy bombing outside London and dire unemployment levels. Two years later, the factory and its surroundings were completed and it was officially opened on September 17 by Mrs Lawrence Cadbury.
Some of our favourite Cadbury chocolates, biscuits, hot chocolate powder and more were once made right on our doorstep. The factory, which was based on Pasture Road, also produced goods from other brands when Cadbury merged with drinks company Schweppes in 1969, including Typhoo Tea.
But in 1986, the factory was taken over by Burton's, which refined chocolate for Cadbury's on site, as well as manufacturing its own brands such as favourites Wagon Wheels and Jammie Dodgers. However, in 2011 the factory closed its doors.
9. Richmond Sausage Co
Some may be unaware that popular brand Richmond started from humble beginnings in Merseyside. The original Richmond sausage was produced at 63 Lineacre Road, Litherland, after Lewis Moore opened a butcher’s shop in 1889.
Proving to be a real hit, the business boomed and in 1917, a factory was opened on the same site, producing Oxford beef and Cambridge pork sausages. An even bigger factory was built in 1930, employing 230 people with vans delivering all over the country.
In May 1970, the Birmingham Daily Post reported how the Richmond Sausage Company, of Redhill, Worcester, said that its 50-year-old factory at Litherland would close that year. At the time, the management said that the decision came after "a lengthy period of difficult trading conditions in the meat manufacturing trade."
10. The British American Tobacco (BAT)
For nearly 80 years, one Liverpool tobacco factory stood proudly in the city and employed thousands across the generations. Located in Vauxhall, The British American Tobacco (BAT) plant was a familiar site on Commercial Road and saw many members of the same family work there through the decades.
But in 1989, the Liverpool ECHO reported how British American Tobacco announced the closure of the Liverpool plant after 77 years in business. The site itself years later became home to flats.
Do these awaken any memories for you? Let us know in the comments section below.
11. Birds Eye
In 1953, frozen foods brand Birds Eye established a factory on Kirkby Industrial Estate. The factory employed thousands of workers for over three decades.
Different generations of local residents produced meat and vegetable products in one of the most modern and larger factories in the country at the time. But in 1989, it was announced that the Kirkby factory would close later that year.
This led to a demonstration of 2,000 people. When the factory eventually closed, 1,000 jobs were lost.
12. Dunlops
Rootes aircraft factory later became Dunlops - where generations of families in Speke once worked. When the Dunlop factory closed in 2000, it had been manufacturing wellington boots and other shoes for 150 years.
The site suffered a fire in the 1980s, which put a number of the buildings were put out of use. The company’s head offices were on Rice Lane, in a building which which later became home to the China Garden restaurant.
The land which housed the factory, just to the back of Rice Lane on Hazeldale Road, stood empty for 15 years after its closure. But in 2015, work started on 58 eco-friendly homes there.
13. Cannington Shaw no. 7 Bottle Shop
Cannington Shaw no. 7 Bottle Shop in St Helens was once the largest bottle-making factory in the country. The Grade II listed building first opened in around 1886 and remained in production until 1918, when it was used as a store.
It was later used as an air-raid shelter during the Second World War before it became derelict in the late 1980s. The bottle shop serves as an important reminder of St Helens industrial heritage which played an important part in glass making across the globe.
In April 2021, ambitious plans were announced to restore the building to its former glory and turn it into a visitors centre for the local community. The Cannington Shaw Preservation Trust CIC behind plans said their aim wasto create a centre of excellence that "blends the past with the future."
14. Cousins Confectioners
Decades ago, Cousins Confectioners was a familiar fixture across the region, selling everything from delicious cakes and Danish pastries to Devon Whip, sandwiches and more. Many will remember the large Cousins corner sign in Lord Street - the Radio Rentals building - that was a major feature in Liverpool city centre until the takeover by Liverpool One.
But many will also remember the factory on Woodend Avenue in Speke. By the mid-1970s, the company was a household name, with more than 100 shops and coffee bars all over Merseyside.
At its height, Cousins Confectioners employed nearly 3,000 people. In 1980, it was reported that the business had 400,000 customers in their shops each week.
15. Criddles Treacle
John Frankland Criddle was known for his philanthropy as well as Criddles Treacle Factory, which manufactured treacle and syrup on Merton Grove in Sefton. The well-known brand was started by his father, William Criddle.
Older generations will remember the old fashioned black treacle tins or spotting a Criddles Treacle sign whilst on the train from Southport to Liverpool. In 1898, it is believed William Criddle entered a partnership with the Billington family, which is said to have continued until the company was sold to Tate & Lyle.
Descendants of John Criddle said he was known as 'Mr John' in the community and that he sold his shares in the company, using the money to buy land. As a result, Merton Village in Ford was built in the 1930s.
16. Crawfords
Crawford’s Biscuits originally opened as a small shop by William Crawford in Scotland in 1813. And soon became famous for its delicious shortbread.
Fast-forward to November 1897, the Southport Visiter reported how the old-established Edinburgh firm of Crawford and Sons, the biscuit manufacturers, recently established a large factory in Fairfield, Liverpool. Over the years, the factory on Binns Road welcomed thousands of employees.
It was known for making favourites such as 54321 chocolate bars, Bandits and Penguin bars. The company was later acquired by the biscuit firm United Biscuits, but the Crawford's brand is still used today.
17. Tate & Lyle
Henry Tate made his first venture into sugar cane refining in 1859. Following its success, the entrepreneur set Henry Tate & Sons and the Love Lane Refinery in Liverpool was opened in 1872.
Despite workers fighting hard to save the Tate and Lyle factory in Vauxhall, over a century later in 1981 it sadly closed its doors. This resulted in the loss of 1,570 jobs, followed by a syrup making plant in Bootle which shut in 1984.
A new community was later built on the land once occupied by the sprawling Tate and Lyle factory, called the Eldonian Village. The Tate & Lyle factory dominated the skyline north of Liverpool city centre for 109 years.
18. Hartley's
The Hartley’s jam factory was a well known site in Fazakerley for decades. William Pickles Hartley founded the complex in 1886.
But by the mid-1900s, the factory closed. Since its closure, elements of the village have been lost including factory roofs and Mr Hartley’s own villa on Long Lane.
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19. Leaf UK
Leaf UK's sweet factory on Virginia Street in Southport sadly shut down in 2006. It was later demolished in 2008.
The factory which made Chewits was formerly the Holland's Toffee factory. A factory has been on site of the old Leaf UK factory, since 1920.
Renovation, including new offices, took place in 2000.
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