IT ALL BEGAN WITH A TIN
I bought my first Thorne’s tin in 1983 at Chesterfield Flea Market (Derbyshire, UK). I had begun a small collection of antique packaging and advertising which soon started to grow. At that time, most dealers were not particularly interested in old tins and were often selling whatever had been stored in them. This first Thorne’s tin appealed to me for its attractive girl and dog design.
WHY CHESTERFIELD?
By the mid-1990s, my Thorne’s collection had grown to around 25 tins – along with many others. It puzzled me that this Leeds manufacturer’s tins were so numerous in Chesterfield as I hadn’t previously heard of the company. I took some tins to a few community events and, for want of something to say, started asking if anyone knew about Thorne’s. Eventually, a lady called Audrey said, “Ah – that’s because old man Woodhead owned Thorne’s”.
ONE QUESTION LEADS TO MANY MORE!
I knew who Edward Woodhead was – a former Chesterfield Mayor and prominent local grocer – but did he really own Thorne’s? If he did, who was Henry Thorne? Who is the girl on the tins – is she a Woodhead? “It’s too good for you Spot!” appears as the strap line on many ‘girl and dog’ items. Was Spot a real dog?
Anyone involved in historical research knows that as you seek the answer to one question, you find several more questions to ask! Not only did the volume of questions grow, but each subsequent find seemed to be even more fascinating than those that had come before – and I was hooked.
- Private collection ↩︎
Henry Thorne & Co. Ltd., Leeds, England 