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Batchelors Foods


Guest SuzyC

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From a Competition Commission Report involving Metal Box from the early 1970s:

"Metal containers are manufactured by the company at 12 open top

and 10 general line factories in the United Kingdom, which together produce

every type of container within the reference other than aluminium foil and

lipstick containers. The open top factories are situated at Acton, Arbroath,

Carlisle, Leicester, Neath, Portadown (N. Ireland), Rochester, Sutton-in-

Ashfield, Westhoughton, Winsford, Wisbech and Perry Wood (near

Worcester); four of the general line factories are in the London area, the

others being at Carlisle, Hull (2), Liverpool*, Mansfield and Sutton-in-

Ashfield."

Source: http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/1970_1975/fulltext/058c02.pdf

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The Metal Box Co. must have had a huge transport fleet,

as I remember when traveling on the M1 & A1 in the 70's,

the M.B.C. waggons were a common sight.

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Guest SuzyC

The Metal Box Co. must have had a huge transport fleet,

as I remember when traveling on the M1 & A1 in the 70's,

the M.B.C. waggons were a common sight.

The Eddie Stobart of their day no doubt. I cannot believe now this topic has taken off, at such a tangent. Again thanks to all you incredibly dedicated, clever people out there for your knowledge and ( and I have to say with Dave H out there.... your humour as well..) Dave come at me again on a good night, it´s too blinking hot here for humour :P

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I noticed these on the shelf of my local supermarket yesterday,

looks like a new line.

I think you could have posted these in the wrong topic Steve! :o

Have a look at what the squirrels are doing in Flora and Fauna topic lol

...and the various seggestions on how to deal with them. :rolleyes:

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From a Competition Commission Report involving Metal Box from the early 1970s:

"Metal containers are manufactured by the company at 12 open top

and 10 general line factories in the United Kingdom, which together produce

every type of container within the reference other than aluminium foil and

lipstick containers. The open top factories are situated at Acton, Arbroath,

Carlisle, Leicester, Neath, Portadown (N. Ireland), Rochester, Sutton-in-

Ashfield, Westhoughton, Winsford, Wisbech and Perry Wood (near

Worcester); four of the general line factories are in the London area, the

others being at Carlisle, Hull (2), Liverpool*, Mansfield and Sutton-in-

Ashfield."

Source: http://www.competition-commission.org.uk/rep_pub/reports/1970_1975/fulltext/058c02.pdf

Didn't metal box have a place in Chesterfield at one time?

On Derby Road near where Frankie and Bennies is now?

This used to be an industrial area which I had to drive past every day to get to work.

I seem to remember that on one side of the road was T.I. (Tube Investments) that made metal tubes while on the other side was Metal Box who presumably made metal boxes.

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That must be some sort of record Dave. I wouldn't have thought soap would "expire" though :)

No, but with all those overlaid stickers it seems like a clever way of bumping up the price. <_<

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I remember the Vesta packet curry's,

must have been the first time in my life that I ever tasted curry.

Think that they also did a Prawn curry and a Chow mein with noodles things,

a Chicken and a vegetable curry.

But the Beef curry was my favourite,

In 1965 the Batchelors factory was on Limestone Cottage Lane, Wadsley Bridge.

picturesheffield

I'm the same as you Steve. Vesta Beef Curry was my favourite too!

A "serves 2" box was only just enough to serve one though! Then you needed some bread and butter with it to eek it out!

Remember the rice which was in a perforated bag that went into the boiling water and was a swine to open because it was so hot!

Makro used to sell Batchelors Beef curry in catering packs without the rice.

Don't try one nowadays, it's awful stuff, not a patch on the original!

I used to like the Paella too and the crispy noodles in the Chow Mein.mmmmmmmmmm.

A Vesta Beef Curry, and either butterscotch Angel Delight or Bird's Mocha and Rum trifle for afters. My perfect tea as a kid!

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Remember the rice which was in a perforated bag that went into the boiling water and was a swine to open

As I remember and I'm talking mid 60's,

the rice came in a paper packet that you tore open and tipped the rice into boiling water,

and the curry was in a foil lined paper packet.

Like you say "the box was only just enough to serve one"

I added more of my own patna rice,

sounds as if the 'boil in bag' came in at a later date ?

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As I remember and I'm talking mid 60's,

the rice came in a paper packet that you tore open and tipped the rice into boiling water,

sounds as if the 'boil in bag' came in at a later date ?

Could well have been.

That "boil in the bag" stuff, made by other companies as well as Batchelors, seemed to have been most popular in the 1970's, dropping out of favour slowly throughout the 1980's.

In the 1970's you could get boil in the bag beef and fish meals with sliced pieces of beef or whole fillets of fish for serving with a white sauce.

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Could well have been.

That "boil in the bag" stuff, made by other companies as well as Batchelors, seemed to have been most popular in the 1970's, dropping out of favour slowly throughout the 1980's.

In the 1970's you could get boil in the bag beef and fish meals with sliced pieces of beef or whole fillets of fish for serving with a white sauce.

Sorry that was me that brought the 'boil in the bag' into it

Markbaby mentions the perforated bag,

which is a different storage and cooking process

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Sorry that was me that brought the 'boil in the bag' into it

Markbaby mentions the perforated bag,

which is a different storage and cooking process

I thought the perforated bag was a system used by Tetleys tea in their tea bags :unsure:

"Lets the flavour flood out" lol

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Guest SuzyC

I thought the perforated bag was a system used by Tetleys tea in their tea bags :unsure:

"Lets the flavour flood out" lol

You are quite right DaveH, perforations ruled the world for a time in the 70/80´s - teabags, Uncle Bens rice, any ready meals containing rice in fact has perforation. Why couldn´t anyone take the trouble just too cook rice normally (without the perfos!!) it´s quite easy, take some rice, add boiling water and cook, always allowing that 1 part of rice is equal to 2 parts boiling water, or here in Spain where they are more frugal 2 and a half parts water!! I used to find some, so called convenience foods were more cumbersome to cook after a hard days work than just making a batch of the stuff up from proper recipes and simply reheating (sad but true!!). It´s still so easy to make up a ton of bolognaise, chilli or whatever with proper ingrdients then freeze portions than buy the crap served up in supermarkets today. (I know cos I worked for a packaging company who served the fillers for the popular chains and believe me it´s not edible what goes in there, let alone the packaging!!). Sorry on my high horse today :o

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You are quite right DaveH, perforations ruled the world for a time in the 70/80´s - teabags, Uncle Bens rice, any ready meals containing rice in fact has perforation. Why couldn´t anyone take the trouble just too cook rice normally (without the perfos!!) it´s quite easy, take some rice, add boiling water and cook, always allowing that 1 part of rice is equal to 2 parts boiling water, or here in Spain where they are more frugal 2 and a half parts water!! I used to find some, so called convenience foods were more cumbersome to cook after a hard days work than just making a batch of the stuff up from proper recipes and simply reheating (sad but true!!). It´s still so easy to make up a ton of bolognaise, chilli or whatever with proper ingrdients then freeze portions than buy the crap served up in supermarkets today. (I know cos I worked for a packaging company who served the fillers for the popular chains and believe me it´s not edible what goes in there, let alone the packaging!!). Sorry on my high horse today :o

Make room on the saddle for me.

I'm with you all the way.

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