The story of Henry Tate & Sugar
Everyone is familiar with the Tate & Lyle name, which relates to sugar, and also the famous Golden Treacle Syrup. Silvertown had a part to play in the fortunes of Henry Tate, if only as a site where he could ply his trade.
The sugar trade was for a long time one of the trades that was detested by many, particularly by the Irish work force [even with unlimited beer as a sweetener - good pun], it was in fact the German labour force whom fulfilled these roles - reference ELHS - this description by James Greenwood, in 1876, clarifies the state of the sugar trade then.
Henry Tate manages, through patent purchase, to improve this process inexorably, and thus make himself into a millionaire, over 150 years ago! He later makes major charitable contributions, that include the building of the infamous Tate Gallery - this is obviously where it gets its name from - cool!
Here is a brief introduction to this amazing person - Henry Tate.
Henry Tate was born, in 1819, in Chorley, Lancashire, being the son of an Unitarian Minister. After working in the grocery trade from the age of 13, in Manchester, he had a chain of stores by the age of 35, in Liverpool; he became a partner in a sugar firm in ? [1859], after which he sold his grocery stores two years later to invest in a new venture, .
In 1861, he is living in Walton, Lancashire, aged 42 along with his family - see census: and in 1871, through the census, we find him again listed as a sugar refiner in Much Woolton, Lancashire, along with his sons, Alfred [25] & Edwin [24] listed as patrners.
By 1881, Henry is still listed at Much Woolton, at Highfield House; and by 1891, he is aged 72, but living with a new wife, Amy [thirty years his junior], again in Lancashire. They had married in 1885, her full name bring Jane Amy Fanny.
He dies in 1899, and hence cannot be found in the 1901 census!
By 1871, he has invested in the Silvertown area, and has a stake in the derelict dock yard of Silvertown. See the Trade Directory listings for Silvertown
His wealth was produced from purchasing patents in the cutting of sugar, from French patentees, . This was to replace the raw boiling and packing of sugar by the German migrants , in Whitechapel. This involved a chemical process, using