Wright's biscuit factory

Local History for Tyne & Wear
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shadypete
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Wright's biscuit factory

Post by shadypete »

Any memories?

When I was at school, we always joked that if you were very bright, you went to teacher training college, if you were average, you went to the DSS in Longbenton, but if you were thick, you went to Wright's biscuit factory.

That chimney dominated the Stanhope Road/Boldon Lane part of the town for so long, it seemed unthinkable that there'd ever be a time that it wasn't there.

I can remember the Wright's adverts on the sides of vans - a curly-haired boy eating either a fig roll or a ginger snap, on a royal blue background. Looked like a young version of Benny Hill if I remember correctly.
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Re: Wright's biscuit factory

Post by shadypete »

Writing that post has just prompted me to look in Google Images, just on the off-chance...and look what I found!

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/480 ... 2e129f.jpg

I think that's a very early version of the 'Biscuit Kid'.
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StottieCake
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Re: Wright's biscuit factory

Post by StottieCake »

I think the stone steps leading up to the factory are still there. To the right of Landreth House.

My mam would bring home a box of custard creams and other broken biscuits - Lovely :D
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siam sam
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Re: Wright's biscuit factory

Post by siam sam »

i remember you could a big tin of broken biscuits for five shillings. they used to have a Xmas's party for the workers children's i went to one.
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Pooter
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Re: Wright's biscuit factory

Post by Pooter »

The little boy in the adverts was called Mischief, he would have adventures such as this one http://www.southshields-sanddancers.co. ... scuits.htm They were on cards given away with Wrights own brand wagon wheel type biscuit.
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Re: Wright's biscuit factory

Post by denis »

When i was in the forces in GERMANY myself and another cpl wrote a letter to the factory requesting our names put on there notice board for penfriends.we did not get a penfriend. but we did get a box of biscuits each.this was in 1966
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Barney
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Re: Wright's biscuit factory

Post by Barney »

I have written on this memory before.

We used to sneak around the back of Wright's, along the railway line to Tyne Dock, past the back of the signal box. If the guy there saw you, he'd chase you away. [-X

We would climb over the back fence, over the barbed wire, onto the roof of some outhouses at the back of the factory, then down a drainpipe - or hang and drop. Those outhouses were full of sacks of "spoiled" biccies! We would stuff ourselves til we were sick of 'em!! At times, we'd hide behind the bags when the watchie with his dog went by - I guess the dog only had a nose for biscuits!! :lol: :lol:

There'd be all sorts in there - ginger snaps, custard creams, garibaldis, marshmallows. John Hunter used to love them - called 'em Munchmallows!
At Christmas, there'd even be tins of stuff thrown out - probably past it's sell by date. Not that we gave a crap about that! :roll:

Then we'd leave with sacks full of crappy biccies, eating them til we couldn't face another one!!! :(
There's be "slaughtergrounds" of Wright's bisuits on the "black paths" at Temple Park! :lol: :lol: :lol:

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Mr Smith
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Re: Wright's biscuit factory

Post by Mr Smith »

Wrights called their ginger biscuits Ginger Nuts.
Wise man talk because they have something to say,
fools talk because they have to say something.
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Re: Wright's biscuit factory

Post by geordiejean »

i work there for six weeks on custard cream line only 15 am now 73 and can not stand them even now :(
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Mr Smith
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Re: Wright's biscuit factory

Post by Mr Smith »

geordiejean wrote:i work there for six weeks on custard cream line only 15 am now 73 and can not stand them even now :(
We are in the same age group, which school did you attend?
Wise man talk because they have something to say,
fools talk because they have to say something.
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Re: Wright's biscuit factory

Post by geordiejean »

i weht to open air school the lonnon lied in frances st
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Re: Wright's biscuit factory

Post by StottieCake »

geordiejean wrote:i work there for six weeks on custard cream line only 15 am now 73 and can not stand them even now :(

Ahhhh Jean you were there and part of South Shields heritage. Custard creams and ginger nuts...being part of this should make you proud :D It's understood that you don't have to eat them like
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Re: Wright's biscuit factory

Post by anna »

Scary ...That baby looks like Chucky :lol:
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Re: Wright's biscuit factory

Post by jimmywizz »

flogging a whole set of wrights biscuits trade cards http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Wrights-Biscuits- ... 27badb71a5
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Re: Wright's biscuit factory

Post by Mariner_Kenny »

Was round at me mothers yesterday and she had been going through old bits and bats of her mams, and came across this!

Image
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Re: Wright's biscuit factory

Post by Delilahcat »

In the days when most workplaces were unionised Wrights was a non-union firm. The owners were very anti-union with the result that conditions and pay were worse than many of the other factories in the Shields area. My uncle George Lynn was an organiser for the USDAW union and had many a battle with the management there.The owners failed to invest in new machinery and just took money out of the firm with the result that they were not equipped for manufacturing biscuits in the seventies.
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Re: Wright's biscuit factory

Post by J Jackson »

Ive been tinkering with the idea of buying a promotional motor for my business ,while searching the net I came across this,it was the “cu” plate that caught my eye ,then I read the description,originally built for the owner of Wrights,anyone remember the car ? http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C399363

[quote=“Mr Smith"]Wrights called their ginger biscuits Ginger Nuts.[/quote]

Racists ! :D
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Re: Wright's biscuit factory

Post by Melly72 »

Does anyone remember a lady named Kitty Newby please? I believe she was a supervisor at the biscuit factory. Many thanks.
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