In a previous article, Reg Brown examined postcards related to Chocolate Clubs – https://insurance.museum/from-reg-browns-postcard-collections). We were a bit unclear about what a chocolate club was, as Reg was working from the postcards. He finished the article with a plea:
“The first member to explain what a Chocolate Club is or was will get a big bar of chocolate from me.”
There were two replies. William Hone, in Bath, and John Lane in Norwich. William looked at W & R Jacob and Company. Quoting Wikipedia, he said:
“Chocolate Club biscuits come to mind, perhaps that’s what it refers to? “W & R Jacob and Company started producing the “Club Milk” biscuit in Dublin just before the outbreak of World War I. It became a popular brand across Ireland. The confection consisted of two rectangular Marie biscuits forming a filled sandwich using a cocoa cream, then covered in thick milk chocolate. Each bar was wrapped in foil, and then further wrapped in a paper outer wrapping.”
Jacob’s originally used images of playing cards from the Club suit to illustrate and to advertise the new biscuit. The “Club” name was therefore a reference to this suit.”
(A plain on Galaxy is my go-to if that’s alright.)
A plain Galaxy was posted and swiftly devoured in William’s office.
John Lane also took a lateral view on the subject, looking at Messrs Austin Davis:
“It might not be what is a ‘Chocolate Club’ but who were ‘Messrs Austin Davis’ of 11 Regent Street, Sheffield.”
“A search engine enquiry reveals that Austin Davis of Sheffield was a club and mail order business launched by Leslie Davis no later than 1924 and listed as Austin Davis Chocolate Clubs, a wholesale chocolate distributor. Austin was the maiden name of Leslie’s wife, Florence, whom he married in 1921 in Sheffield. Leslie was born in 1900 in Herne Hill, London.
The business operated from Davis’s home in Regent Street, Sheffield. Although only a small dwelling, it was given the grand title of Regent House. It specialised in providing goods, including cigarettes, cigars and wallets, as well as chocolate, at trade prices for Christmas savings clubs. Catalogues were issued under the slogan “Ace of Clubs”. It appears the business ceased trading by the late 1960s.
Whilst Austin Davis had a catalogue for Christmas Clubs, could they also have had an Easter offering? Perhaps the Hove Office of Pearl Assurance wished to run a savings club for its staff and possibly Industrial Branch customers?”
https://hawleysheffieldknives.com/n-fulldetails.php?val=d&kel=1191
Although not a fan of chocolate, John’s wife enjoys a mint Galaxy, which Director Howard Benge handed over to John on a recent trip to Norwich.
Thank you both, William and John, for your input and ongoing research into the world of insurance.
