FEBRUARY MEETING REPORT
09 Mar 2020
We were back to meeting in the evening this month and members and a guest were welcomed by Claire. Marie gave an explanation for the increase in the cost of the raffle and local and Federation events were outlined.
Keith Tordoff MBE gave us a fascinating, informative and entertaining talk about the history of confectionary. Keith and his wife own the Oldest Sweetshop in the World – the Guiness Book of Records says so! – in Pateley Bridge. It is a family-owned business in a building dating from the 1600s and has traded continuously since 1827 with sweets in glass jars. They are weighed out on old Avery scales and sold in paper bags. Keith explained that sweets stem from a medicinal background – honey, mint, barley sugar for example – and told us how the apothecaries and early confectioners worked closely together using herbal recipes. Initially confectioners were working for the aristocracy, the only ones who could afford the scarce imported sugar. It was much later that the workers could buy sweets and, from the 1930s, chocolate .The huge selection of sweets that Keith brought to show and to share brought back our childhood memories.
Next time – 7.15pm on Wednesday, March 4 – Jacqui Morrell will talk about happy hedgehogs.