Memories of the toffee factory that disappeared
A woman in her 90s has recalled her family's roles in a sweet factory once said to be the biggest toffee makers in the world.
Sharps, in Maidstone, Kent, was famous for its Kreemy Toffee, made using condensed milk.
The business began when Edward Sharp sold boiled sweets made by his wife, Clara, from his grocery shop, before building a factory by the River Medway in 1911.
Janet Collins, in her 90s, told Secret Kent how her father and grandfather worked for Sharps as sugar boilers, technical advisers and managers.
Matthew Crampton, author of The Trebor Story, has documented how, during World War One, Sharps put on cricket matches to entertain wounded soldiers, offering hospitality to staff and local people.
In 1923, Sharps built a sports ground in London Road, near the factory, with bowling greens, tennis courts and a cricket pitch.
Sharps was eventually bought by Trebor, known for its mints.
As Trebor Sharps, the company became known for giant Easter eggs weighing up to 27.5lb, standing 3ft tall, packed with toffee and fudge and decorated with handmade marzipan flowers.
'A pound of toffees'
Collins said her grandfather oversaw recipes.
He became an award-winning expert in sugar work, decorating Easter eggs with paste roses and icing. At one point, his creations were displayed in a shop front in Maidstone.
Recalling how her father managed the peppermint department, she said: "I was only very little - and I went in this room like a warehouse. It was where they were making the peppermints, and I can remember the peppermint being so strong it made my eyes water."
There were perks for families, she added.
"During the war, Dad used to come home - I think they must have been allowed a pound of toffees a week - and he used to bring the toffees home," she said.
"The trouble was I never liked toffee."
The Sharps factory closed in 2000 and was demolished two years later for housing.
"I couldn't believe it when it closed," Collins said.
"What upsets me more now, I ask even my friends, 'do you remember Sharps Kreemy Toffee', and they don't remember it."
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