HISTORY
A brief (Wiki) history of the malt drink:
THE EXPLORE
With the main building in the full swing of being converted into rabbit hutches, we were not expecting anything great, but were pleasantly surprised.
However, my dislike for the worst drink known to man remains.
Explored in the fine company of The Lone Shadow.
1.
2. The long abandoned rail loading platform and tracks can be seen here.
3.
4. All of the production floors and offices have been totally stripped.
5.
6. Note the 'Young Adult' legend.
7.
8. A lone survivor on the top floor.
9. Exquisite board room situated directly above the main entrance.
10. Glass calendar with vacant clock housing.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15. A very public toilet.
16. A roof extension at some point, highlighting the fine cornice work.
17.
18. One of six driers, fascinating machines.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
That's all folks, thanks for looking!
:
A brief (Wiki) history of the malt drink:
- 1869: William Horlick from Ruardean, Gloucestershire emigrated to the United States.
- 1873: James Horlick, a pharmacist, joined his brother, William, in the US and together they founded the company J & W Horlicks in Chicago to manufacture a patented malted milk drink as an artificial infant food.
- 1875: Business moved to larger premises at Racine, Wisconsin, with an abundant supply of spring water.
- 1883: US patent 278,967 granted to William for first malted milk drink mixing powder with hot water.
- 1890: James returned to London to set up an office importing US-made product.
- 1906: Slough selected as site for new factory (see picture).
- 1908: Factory construction completed at a cost of £28,000.
- 1909–1910: Horlicks became popular as a provision for North Pole and South Pole expeditions by Robert Peary, Roald Amundsen, and Robert Falcon Scott.
- 1914: James made a baronet. World War I saw extensive use of Horlicks drink at home and at the front.
- 1921: Death of James led company to split, with William having responsibility for the Americas and the sons of James for the rest of the world.
- 1928: William Horlick High School founded just north of Horlicks' headquarters in Racine, Wisconsin.
- 1931: "Night Starvation" story developed to promote Horlicks as a bedtime drink.
- 1935: Richard E. Byrd named the Horlick Mountains on the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf after William, in appreciation of his support. A small factory opened in Australia for the local market, including New Zealand. Horlicks milky-chocolate-flavoured disks in paper packets, which were eaten as candy, were marketed in the USA via radio commercials touting the ease with which they could be taken to school by children.
In the US, Horlicks Tablets were sold as a candy, offered in a glass bottle resembling an aspirin jar. In World War II the tablets were supplied to US, UK and other troops as an energy boosting treat, and included in lifeboat and liferaft rations, and aircrew escape kits. Today they are packaged in foil pouches, manufactured in Malaysia as Horlicks Malties. - 1936: William Horlick died, aged 90.
- 1945: The US company was acquired by the UK Horlicks business.
- 1952: Horlicks was linked to the successful treatment of gastric ulcers and some forms of diabetes.
- 1960: Factory built in Punjab, India, to make Horlicks from buffalo milk.
- 1968: Factory built in West Punjab, to supply local demand (including present-day Bangladesh).
- 1969: Horlicks acquired by the Beecham Group.
- 1975–78: Factory construction and expansion in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh.
- 1989: Beecham Group became SmithKline Beecham.
- 2000: SmithKline Beecham became GlaxoSmithKline.
- 2017: Horlicks in the UK acquired by Aimia Foods.
- 2019: Horlicks in India acquired by Unilever.
THE EXPLORE
With the main building in the full swing of being converted into rabbit hutches, we were not expecting anything great, but were pleasantly surprised.
However, my dislike for the worst drink known to man remains.
Explored in the fine company of The Lone Shadow.
1.
2. The long abandoned rail loading platform and tracks can be seen here.
3.
4. All of the production floors and offices have been totally stripped.
5.
6. Note the 'Young Adult' legend.
7.
8. A lone survivor on the top floor.
9. Exquisite board room situated directly above the main entrance.
10. Glass calendar with vacant clock housing.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15. A very public toilet.
16. A roof extension at some point, highlighting the fine cornice work.
17.
18. One of six driers, fascinating machines.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
That's all folks, thanks for looking!
:
