Jacob’s Biscuit Factory

Founded in 1851 by William Beale Jacob who located his factory in a large vacant coach yard at nos. 5 and 6 Peter’s Row on the outskirts of what was Dublin’s industrial area at the time, the Liberties.

Jacob's purchased the yard from Thomas Palmer & Sons, a Dublin coach making company. The purchase price was £160 subject to clearing a mortgage of £500 held by Palmer. The property was between the west side of Whitefriar Street, Peter’s Row and Bishop Street. They went into production as tastes were changing and fancy biscuits started to accompany the new pastime of tea drinking among the well-to-do.

1853-05-12 00:00:00

Beginnings

The Great Industrial Exhibition was held in Dublin on the grounds of Leinster House, providing Jacob's with an opportunity to display their wares. The Exhibition was intended to bring the industrial revolution to Ireland, which lagged behind other European countries. Queen Victoria paid an official visit to the Exhibition on 29th August.

1862-01-01 13:41:47

Horse Power

A five horse power steam engine was purchased which was added to the original equipment of a cutting machine and two hand ovens. A travelling or “railway” oven and a pair of fourteen inch rollers were also installed. More equipment was added culminating in the purchase of a cutter with the legend “W & R Jacob” fixed in type so they could now brand their biscuits.

1863-01-01 13:41:47

Partners

William Frederick Bewley became a partner in the factory after the death of one of the Jacob brothers, Robert.

1865-01-01 13:41:47

Awards

Jacob’s won a medal for the quality of their biscuits at the Dublin International Exhibition.

1874-01-01 13:41:47

Take Over

Jacob’s took over the Cork Quaker firm of Baker & Co, steam biscuit manufacturers. Under the terms of the sale Baker agreed to give up manufacturing biscuits and to take their supply from Jacob’s and in effect, Jacob’s took over the whole biscuit trade of the Cork firm.

1878-01-01 19:22:45

Family Growth

William Jacob’s second son George Newsom Jacob became a partner in the firm. By this time William's brother-in-law, George Joshua Newsom had also become a partner.

1879-01-01 19:22:45

Expansion

During this time the factory expanded until it took up the entire block of Bishop Street, Peter’s Row, Peter Street and Bride Street. In the process the Huguenot chapel, which had stood in Peter’s Street since 1711, was taken over and the graveyard became known to the Jacob’s workers as “The Green”. It was used as a recreational space during work breaks.

1880-01-30 22:45:58

Fire

Fire swept through the factory on 30th January, 1880. The Dublin Fire Brigade did its best to contain the conflagration but was hampered by the narrowness of the streets and the proximity of the tenement housing, particularly in Peter’s Row. In a panic, residents of Peter’s Row and Bishop Street started to evacuate their rooms, piling up furniture in the street, which did not help matters. The factory was substantially destroyed apart from the buildings facing Peter’s Row. Rebuilding started very quickly and continued through the 1890s as the factory expanded, primarily taking over more of Bishop Street.

1883-01-30 22:45:58

A Limited Company

Jacob’s partners decided to form a limited company. Capital of £50,000 was raised by the selling of shares at £100 each. The four partners became the company’s first board of directors and W.F. Bewley and George N. Jacob became its first managing directors. At the same time three other sons of William Jacob, Albert, Charles and William, entered the family firm.

1885-01-30 22:45:58

The First Cream Cracker

Jacob’s produced the cream cracker and it was an instant success. The firm strenuously marketed their produce both in Ireland and in England and made substantial profits.

1893-01-30 22:45:58

Royal Cracker

Prince Frederick Leopold of Prussia ordered six tins of cream crackers, a tribute to their popularity.

1902-01-01 22:45:58

Power House

The factory’s own power house was completed.

1902-08-05 22:45:58

Death of Founder

William Jacob died. In his will he left £82,327 4s 8d to three of his sons, George, Albert and Charles.

1910-01-01 05:30:56

Unrest

In advance of the Lockout of 1913, the factory was beset by periods of industrial unrest.

1912-01-01 05:30:56

Innovation

The first factory block was completed and production started. Technical staff were sent over from the Dublin factory to assist the launching of the Liverpool factory. This year also saw a big innovation for the biscuit making process with the installation of the first gas-fired travelling oven.

1913-01-01 05:30:56

Lockout

Jacob’s had experienced rumbling industrial unrest through 1910 and 1911. As a result, Jacob’s became involved with the Lockout in 1913 and took a very hard line with the workers. The company found and trained workers to replace the strikers. The premises had to be guarded day and night. What were described as “volunteer staff from Liverpool and Manchester” were brought over to Dublin and fed and housed. All of this cost the company a lot of money. The firm’s financial statement shows a significant reduction in profits due to the Lockout. In 1914 profits were down by £10,246 from the previous year’s level of £45,167. The “Jacob's Women” were one of the last groups to go back to work. The dispute caused great bitterness and provided very bad publicity for the firm.

1914-01-01 05:30:56

The "Sympathetic Strike"

The company’s financial report showed a significant reduction in profits due to the “sympathetic strike.” They were down by £10,246 from the previous year’s level of £45,167. Around this time, production was seriously impacted by the start of World War I. Raw materials were hard to get and there was a reduction in the production of fancy biscuits in favour of the plain biscuits provided to soldiers.

1914-01-01 05:30:56

The War Effort

The outbreak of World War I greatly affected the supply of raw materials to the factory. The scarcity of sugar meant the production of fancy biscuits had to be reduced. This was offset by the demand for plain biscuits by the Army. A total of 388 men from the Dublin factory enlisted in the British Army. 262 men enlisted from the Liverpool factory. The firm regularly sent cakes or tins of biscuits to its ex-employees at the front. Jacob's also lent a 4 ton Leyland lorry to the Red Cross for use at the front.

1916-04-24 15:32:50

The Rising

Volunteers occupied strategic positions throughout Dublin city, one of which was Jacob’s factory. A group of around 150 men broke into the factory on Easter Monday, the 24th of April, a bank holiday. The Irish Volunteers were led by Thomas MacDonagh and included Con Colbert, Peadar Kearney and Major John McBride. On duty at the factory were a caretaker, Thomas Orr, and a night watchman, Henry Fitzgerald, who left written accounts of what happened (Dublin City Archives). Snipers moved on to the roof of the factory representing such a threat to the British soldiers that the Army decided to concentrate on the rebels in the Royal College of Surgeons instead of those in the factory. The Rising lasted one week and ended when the Volunteers surrendered to the British forces. Once the Volunteers left the building, looting began and the factory was defended by some of the workers. The looting was finally stopped by Fr. Aloysius Travers OFM Cap., a Capuchin friar, who addressed the crowd calling the looters a disgrace to the city. This resulted in enough of a lull for the workers to barricade the windows and doors of the factory. About 100 live bombs were left behind in various parts of the factory. Compensation for the looting was paid by the British government to Jacob's.

1917-01-01 15:32:50

Aftermath

The company’s annual report stated that production was resumed after 4/5 days of cleaning up. About 100 bombs left in the factory required careful disposal by Army specialists.

1919-01-01 15:32:50

Normal Business Resumes

The factory returned to full capacity once World War I was over.

Jacob’s Biscuit Factory

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