Below are the main weekly and seasonal adverts in the Eskdale & Liddesdale Advertiser placed in 1915 by organisations outside the area in 1915. They illustrate the types of products being promoted nationally at the time.
Food and drink
- Bournville chocolate
- Cooper & Co’s teas
- Red, White & Blue coffee
Health
- Beecham’s Pills
- Clarke’s B41 Pills
- Doan’s Backache Kidney Pills
- Holloway’s pills and ointments
- Widow Welch’s Female Pills
Miscellaneous
- Blackbird pen
- Francis & Day’s pianoforte solos
- Merryweather fire extinguishing supplies
- The Christian weekly advertiser
Transport
- Overland cars
Food and drink
Bournville Chocolate
Bournville Chocolate was a brand of dark chocolate launched by Cadbury’s in 1908, named after the company’s model village (near Birmingham), which was named after the local river Bourn. Cadbury’s Dairy Milk had been created three years earlier, incorporating a higher proportion of milk than previously used.
Cooper & Co’s teas
Cooper & Co’s warehouse, as advertised below, was in Howard Street, Glasgow. Its flagship store for premium teas, coffees and provisions was at 499-505 Great Western Road, Glasgow.
Red White & Blue coffee
Sold by tea and coffee merchants Samuel Hanson and Son, this was a popular coffee brand in the early 1900s.
Health
Beecham’s Pills
Beecham’s pills were initially a laxative and were promoted in 1859 with what is said to be the first widely known advertising slogan: ‘worth a guinea in a box’. However, their 1915 E&L promotion was more verbose.
Clarke’s B41 Pills
Francis Clarke (1842-1888) developed a highly successful ‘blood mixture’ in the 1860s, claiming to cure numerous blood-related ills. He was the mayor of Lincoln in the 1870s and 1880s. His company then developed ‘B41 Pills’, perhaps named after a trademark reference.
Doan’s Backache Kidney Pills
Aimed at both men and women, Doan’s Backache Kidney Pills were often sold using testimonials and ‘infomercials’, including by Foster-McClellan Co. of London.
Holloway’s pills and ointments
Thomas Holloway (1800-1883) was an entrepreneur who became one of the richest men in Britain through his pills and ointments, heavily promoted through advertising. He founded Royal Holloway College, now part of the University of London.
Widow Welch’s Female Pills
According to his wife Catherine Kearsley (c.1741-1809), Fleet Street publisher George Kearsley acquired a recipe from ‘Widow Welch’ in 1787 to treat female medical complaints. The company C & G Kearsley continued trading into the 1960s.
Miscellaneous
Blackbird pen
‘The standard of low-priced fountpens’, made by Mabie, Todd & Co. Pens and paper stationery were in short supply for soldiers (‘Tommies‘) and sailors (‘Jacks‘). Mabie Todd’s ‘Swan’ pens were advertised as ‘the pen of the British Empire’.
Francis & Day’s pianoforte solos
Francis & Day was a trading name for Francis, Day & Hunter, which became part of EMI Music Publishing in 1973.
Merryweather fire extinguishing supplies
Merryweather & Sons manufactured fire engines and trams, as well as fire extinguishers and escape equipment.
The Christian weekly advertiser
The Christian was an advertising publication produced by Morgan & Scott which later became part of Marshall Pickering (now absorbed into Zondervan).
Transport
Overland cars
Overland cars were made by Willys (pronounced ‘Willis’), the second largest US car manufacturer, after Ford. It later became known for its World War II jeeps.
