J. BIBBY & SONS, Bibby's Cream Equivalent Seal, Image by StuE, Found by Nasher.
Found near Baldock, Hertfordshire, 19mm, 4.7g.
J. BIBBY & SONS LIVERPOOL // BIBBY'S CREAM (EQUI)VALENT
An animal food for calves - see advert.
The history of J. Bibby & Sons Ltd. can be found in detail in “A Miller’s Tale”, co-written by John Benjamin Bibby and Charles Leslie Bibby.
The following timeline is taken from All about Bibby:-
"In 1830, Edward Bibby, miller, bought Condor Mill, Abbeystead, Scotforth near Lancaster. This was a water driven corn mill where he had worked as a young man. Upon his death in 1854, his estate passed to his son, James.
James’ son, Joseph Bibby was born in 1851 at Condor Mill.
In 1865 a warehouse was purchased in Lancaster for the purpose of selling flour and provender from Condor Mill and 14 year old Joseph was placed in charge.
From 1873 he gradually took over his father's business with his younger brother James.
About 1877 they started a new concept in animal feeds which they called Bibby’s Excelsior Calf Meal. This rapidly became very popular.
In Jan1878 a partnership was formed with his brother James and his father James, who probably took a lesser role as he was becoming elderly.
On 1 Jan 1879 the partnership became the founders of J Bibby & Sons.
In 1883 they opened a new mill in Lancaster for the production of animal compound feeds and soon made it prosper.
In 1885 they started a mill in Liverpool because of its good rail and sea links.
In 1888 they closed the mill in Lancaster.
In 1892 they launched 'James Bibby' a 3 masted top-sail schooner of 130 tons at Glasson dock, Lancaster which carried Bibby products from Liverpool to other ports until 1898.
Also in 1892 there was a serious fire in the Liverpool mill which was rebuilt.
They extended the business into oilseed crushing and soap production and the firm expanded rapidly all over the UK.
By 1895 production of their products had reached 3,000 tons per week.
James Bibby snr died in 1897 and the sons inherited their father's estate.
In 1911 a meal-dust explosion killed 39 people at the mill.
In 1914 they created a limited company worth £500,000
In 1924 the company introduced pensions for all employees, family allowances, subsidized meals etc.
In 1930 another explosion in a silo killed 11 people.
By 1940 the company was worth £3 million and employed 5,000 people.
James was chairman when he died in 1928 and Joseph was chairman when he died in 1940.
Around 1954 the company introduced Trex the well-known vegetable cooking fat.
In 1968, following its progression into seed crushing, soap manufacturing, vegetable oil refining and paper production, the company was acquired by Princes Foods and later went onto become part of ABN (Associated British Nutrition), which is part of Associated British Foods."