George Cadbury (19th September 1839 to 24th October 1922)

 

Here I am inches away from the ashes of George Cadbury, the undisputed king of chocolate in Britain. This Willy Wonka’s remains are buried at the Quaker’s Friend Meeting House which is south of Birmingham. Until the planet disintegrates he’s looking onto Bourneville village which he created and just over the row of houses in the mid-distance stands the Cadbury factory. It was Sunday teatime when I visited and sunlight was washing wanly over Bournville Green which is part of the Cadbury story. The Cadbury family built a village near the factory with shops, gardens, lawns and bowling greens. The area has been dry for over 100 years - dry in that no booze is sold in pubs, bars or shops. Recently Tesco tried to introduce beers into its local shop but lost the court battle.

 

George’s ashes were easy to find. There’s a statue of him facing his recently-sold empire and the ashes rest under a stone by its feet. This global empire which now employs 71,000 people started with his dad John who founded the company (also the Animals Friend Society which led to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.) George was one of seven children and though they were born into wealth they were devout Quakers. Money was a by-product of hard work. They were pacifists so a military career was out of the question. Also they weren’t allowed to enter a university or pursue a profession in medicine or law. George entered joined the family cocoa business. He was just 22 when took over the company with this brother Richard in 1861. Under their hands the company grew at a sustainable rate. He was 40 by the time they moved their business here where I’m stood at Bournville. It was rural in 1879 but an ideal place to bring in the millions of gallons and tons of milk and cocoa.

 

He got married for the first time when he was 33 and had four children. Sadly his wife died in childbirth. Age 49 he married again to Elizabeth (her ashes are here) and they produced six children. Aged 54 George bought 120 acres of land close to the works and planned - at his own expense - a model village for his loyal workers. By the time he was 61 the estate included cottages, houses and shops. They had back gardens, play areas and social clubs.

 

George and Richard were unbelievably big-hearted. They treated the employees with respect, paid good wages, provided good working conditions, education facilities, a pension, a medical service, canteens, washing facilities and sports grounds. They believed a happy home life for their employees brought a happy work place. Sadly Richard would die of in Jerusalam aged 63 from diphtheria (and his wife from falling downstairs on a liner.)

 

By the time George was in his sixties he was seriously rich. He was richer in integrity than in bank accounts. He bought newspapers and used them to campaign for old age pensions and against the war and sweatshop labour. He donated Lickey Hills Country Park to the people of Birmingham, a large house in Northfield to the Birmingham Cripples Union (now the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital) and helped create a Quaker School. He lived for 83 years, a long spell for the area, expiring at his home called Northfield Manor House, a huge “A” Listed pile befitting a business king. Sadly this was recently severely damaged when three boys aged 12 to 15 set fire to it. Twenty fire engines couldn’t prevent its ruin.

 

These days Cadbury is still one of Birmingham's main employers (however the dark chocolate Bournville Plain is now manufactured in France.) This British institution is no more…an American company called Kraft Foods own it. They borrowed £7 billion to buy over 71% of the company for £11.50 billion. The deal got a big thumbs-down from the British public but it still went ahead. Kraft then bought more shares and when a company owns 75% of a target company they can remove it from the stock market.

 

I strolled around Bournville Green and sat on a bench and enjoyed a flask of coffee. The Sunday early evening quietude was punctuated by a panting woman jogging passed with nothing on her feet - Zula Budd, I thought (she looked as androgynous.) This place was so clean you could run barefoot on it. I could imagine someone running a Hoover over it but I could not imagine George Cadbury passing by in a chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce. It probably hasn’t changed much since it was built. George’s statue is looking on and making ensuing nothing changes. I strolled down a narrow path to the Cadbury’s factory to have a look. It still employs about 1000 people. George did well and it’s a pity big-hearted people like him have to die. His goodwill, charity and philanthropy didn’t die and continues now. He was so properly good I felt more worthless than usual. I doubt I’ll come this way again so before I got in the car I looked across Bournville Green to George’s statue, did a salute and left.

 

 

 

Looking for the ashes of George Cadbury…

 

Did George scrape the mud off his shoes here?...

 

 

 

He looked over Bournville town which he built…

 

 

 

The first cottages on Bournville lane…

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…these days…

 

There’s George looking onto Bournville Green…

 

The view from the statue of the Cadbury factory itself…

 

 

 

 

 

In 1931…

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George’s home where he died…

 

 

…since ruined in a mindless act of arson…

 

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