Chivers and Sons

[4] They began selling their products in cans in 1895, and the rapid growth in demand was overseen by Charles Lack (d.1912), their chief engineer, who developed the most efficient canning machinery in Europe and by the end of the century Chivers had become one of the largest manufacturers of preserves in the world.

He later added a variety of machines for sorting, can making, vacuum-caps and sterilisation that helped retain Chivers' advantage over its rivals well into the 20th century.

[1] The Earl De La Warr sold his lands in the village of Haslingfield to John Chivers, who began planting fruit there for his factory.

[4] The Histon factory and its 2,200 employees were of added importance during the Second World War when they began to produce blackcurrant purée, following vitamin C research conducted by Mamie Olliver in the firm's microbiological laboratory in the 1930s.

The Chivers family were known as generous employers; a pioneering profit-sharing scheme was introduced in 1891, with a factory nurse, surgery and canteens all added in the first years of the 20th century.

[1] Sales fell after 1945 causing Chivers to lose their market leadership, and their failure to update their factory with more recent advances in machinery led to further decline.

In a 1986 management buyout the site was sold to developers and a new five million pound factory was built at the rear of the property by new owners Premier Foods for the production of Sun-Pat peanut butter and Smash instant mashed potatoes, Gale's honey as well as Hartley's jam.

In 2004 Premier Foods announced that it would no longer be using the Chivers name on its products, instead remarketing their jam and marmalade using the Hartley's brand, which continued to be made in Histon and employing nearly 400 people.