Rishy Crisps

M

Mikethebook

Offcomer
Bobbin Winder
I'm trying to fill in gaps in our family history and Rishy Crisps was part of it . . . but my recollections are sketchy. I think Rishy Crisps, at least as a factory, started in in the mid 60's in what was a former woollen mill in Great Harwood (or was it Rishton?). At the time I think it was a subsidiary of Brooks Beattie Biscuits in Wythenshaw (though it may have been Symbols Biscuits, Blackpool). I know that Rishy went on to provide crisps for M & S.

And our family's part in its history? My father, Stan Wallbridge, having previously created a biscuit factory for Carrs Biscuits in Bulawayo, was given the task of turning an empty woollen mill into a fully operational crisp factory and I have vague memories of wandering through the cavernous empty space before work began.

I would love to know what happened to Rishy, the address of the old mill and what it is being used for now. And I would be delighted if anyone has any old photos of Rishy Crisps.

Many thanks.
 
I can only remember Rishy Crisps growing up as a child in the early 60's. I suspect they were around as a local company and got taken over by somebody larger in the mid 60's but I'm sure somebody on here has far more information than me.
 
There will be something on here if you search. Was known as Xl crisps and at some point in time was owned by Bensons
 
I remember them well... would they have been called Rishy if they had been based in Harwood?
 
susie123 said:
I remember them well... would they have been called Rishy if they had been based in Harwood?
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Yes, they were called Rishy Crisps and based in Great Harwood. We had a school trip there when I was at Western County Junior School. We were all given free packets of crisps.
 
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I remember a big fire there in the 1960's, the floor was covered in hot oil, it ruined our fire boots which were made of leather, after that the brigade changed to a thick soled rubber boot with a steel toe protector.
 
My mother worked at Rishy Crisps in the 50s, it started off in Church then moved to snuffy. My dads cousin started it after the war, in his mums kitchen. His name was George Rose, his mother, my Aunt Annie, was the Landlady of the Hare & Hounds at one time, he sold it in the 60s to Bensons. I went to primary school with his son George Rose Jr.
 
susie123 said:
So that theory is shot down in flames and bites the dust...
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.... and mixes metaphors .... but, knowing you, you probably did it on purpose;)

By the by, do any chips (er, "crisps") still come with those little packs of salt wrapped in blue paper?
 
gpick24 said:
Walkers Salt `n`Shake.
Walkers Salt & Shake Crisps (48 x 30g Bags): Amazon.co.uk: Grocery

I`m sure it used to be Smiths Crisps that made them.
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Yes it was Smith's. I had some recently - because the bag's plastic rather than paper all the salt stuck to the bag rather than the crisps because of static electricity... and the crisps were so thin you could almost see through them.

Eric of course I did it on purpose - I hope I'm not an accidental metaphor-mixer!
 
Back then all the crisps had the little blue twist of paper with the salt in that you could never find in the bottom of the packet. I think it was either Smiths or Golden Wonder who launched the new invention of "Ready Salted" crisps early to mid 60's at a guess.
 
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