Sometime before 1850, the company bought the canning firm of Donkin, Hall and Gamble on Blue Anchor Road in Bermondsey in South London in order to make their own tins.
In 1919, the company merged with James Keiller & Sons Ltd, the marmalade maker, and E. Lazenby & Son Ltd, who made preserves and sauces.
Over the years Lazenby’s brands disappeared apart from one exception, Lazenby’s Sauce which is available in South Africa, manufactured by Maggi, once part of the Nestle group.
In 1922 they began production of the renowned Branston Pickle at their new factory. However, the investment in this factory was a disaster economically and two years later they were counting the cost. They closed the factory and moved production to the E Lazenby & Sons’ site in Crimscott Street, Bermondsey.
To accommodate this, a new building had been completed in 1924 and referred to as the “great addition” and a further building completed in 1926. These changes had meant the entire reorganization of Lazenby’s factory lay-out, and the factory in Trinity Street was closed.
Sarsons and Champion & Slee were acquired by Crosse & Blackwell in 1928. The acquisition brought together the three largest vinegar producers in the South of England.
The Trinity Street factory was badly damaged in World War II and in 1955 only the ground floor front wall with a long arcade of windows remained. A row of houses that form a gated street called Bedford Row was built on the site in 2008/2009.
Crosse and Blackwell were acquired by Nestle in 1960 but the Bermondsey factory in Crimscott Street continued in operation until 1969.
- Lazenby's Pickle Factory,Trinity Street. 1928
1928