Just thinking years back, I became again mindful,
of the sweets made quite near, that were delightful.
In the quiet road named Kemble Road that lead,
away from the busy main road called Stanstead,
Hidden away, back between the private houses,
the smell sweet sugar boiling, our pallet arouses.
Flavoured Lemon or Rose that tickles the nose.
your favourite flavour is the one that you chose.
Memory bring back those far back distant things,
today it brought me back to the times of "Lings".
Has this jogged memory? I thought that it might,
yes this is where they made the Turkish Delight.
There was a selection of sweets that were here,
too many of these and for your figure you fear.
Then should I pick a slab of that Peanut Brittle.
"Yes I will", look at this one its only so little.
So much to choose from it all looked so nice.
perhaps then, lets have a slab of Coconut Ice.
Just the one more choice for me before I forget,
I just could not leave without a Peanut Nugget.
I have searched and found a picture of Lings Turkish Delight.
Lings had gone out of budiness years ago and the factory gone.
Remember opening the six sided box unwrapping the waxed paper to find the wooden fork, choosing the peice that you wanted, putting it into your mouth, then finding that the front of you was covered in icing suger that had fallen from the delight try to brush it off but it stays there even worse if it is raining.
Oh, yes, I remember that. There was something so exotic about that shape of the box and the waxed paper and the fork and all that icing sugar, it made the actual sweets taste even better.
Having had the misfortune to live nest to it for 8 years I was pleased when it went......the rat infestations it generated were legendary amongst those whose houses backed onto it. Oh yes and the excitement of the odd break in to the factory during the night.
As I recall the production line relocated to their other site in the midlands.
Another lorry load of Waxed Paper for Lings Turkish Delight.
Thats my lorry behind Albion 1937 requisitioned at outbreak of War in 1939 for use into the Royal Air Force, returned to owner in 1946.
Waxed Papers made wrappers for every sweet manufacture and Baker.
yes, wasn't so long ago that our street reeked of Turkish Delight. Had no idea that you couldn't buy Lings anymore. I think the rats were a bit of an urban myth though, Erikose. Kemble Road not known for much, let us keep our fifteen minutes of... before you trash it.
FHF
As the rat bait was often sited in the alley behind our garden I claim more detailed knowledge of the Lings rat problems.......
Oddly the brazil nuts the squirrels burried in our garden were chocolate covered ones which we speculated came from the Lings site......
Like many old people I like to dig back through family history, Lings is small part of that history. My great grandfather Joseph Webb, described as a 'caterer' invested money in the setting up of Lings, the Turkish Delight company. Don't panic, I'm sure the investment was repaid. I know that the Webb family lived in Earlsthorpe Rd in Sydenham in 1920 as Joseph's daughter, my grandmother Annie Elizabeth Webb, gave that address when she was married. Does anyone know anything about the Lings connection or of more interest to me, the Webb family when they were in the area? I am aware that Joseph and possibly his family may have moved to the Caterham area, possibly in the 1920s/30s. Joseph was said to be buried at Caterham churchyard, however his grave no longer exists. Thanks for reading... Dean S
My Father had the Railway Telegraph from 1955 to1980. I spent my first 23 years there, I don`t know who but somebody used to come to the pub and treat me to Turkish delight while I was a child.
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never saw a rat
