I thought that this clumsy attempt to obtain secrets of the snuff trade quite amusing and hope it will be of mild interest to others.
Whether Joseph Wilson’s SP in the latter part of the 18th century was scented with added flavour is unknown. A London manufacturer observes that: the article by fermentation even imbibes as added flavour and leads to the idea that it has been scented [when it has not].
Be that as it may, in 1799 a rival tobacconist in Leeds (James Beswick), grasping in the dark, suggested that Sharrow’s SP was flavoured with:
Saffefrax (Sassafras)
Logwood
Common Pepper
Cashua Bark
Orange nut
Cinnamon
and that they made their own SP version using the ingredients above, claiming that it was in ‘propper perportions’ identical to Sharrow’s SP. He writes the following epistle to Joseph Wilson:
We shall Exhibit our SP for sale very soon & if I find you Cast the least Reflection degradeing its Quality & flavour to the Publick or to undersell in Price I shall then be Disposed to sell the mode of Making to the Principle Manufacturers in the Kingdom.
The reason for me takeing such Liberties in writing you in such Plain Terms is because I cannot tell the difference betwix’t your SP and ours.
Although James Beswick was hoping for a retort, Joseph Wilson wisely ignored all correspondence from him. Beswick finally gave up pestering the Wilsons the following year. One-way correspondence from James Beswick is quoted in Mark Chaytor’s book.
According to the internet, the scent of sassafras is mildly fragrant with a minty/sweet base and a slightly camphor aroma.
On the matter of the etymology of SP, this video interview with two Wilsons of Sharrow insiders was just posted (the matter of the meaning of “SP” is discussed starting around 11:15). Just saw this video posted, and thought of you:
This from Mark Chaytor’s 1962 book The Wilsons of Sharrow: The Snuff-Makers of Sheffield (see attachment). I have previously uploaded pictures of the 18th century Sharrow Ledgers (with permission from James Hanson) confirming that SP is written as S & P.
The interview filled me with a certain foreboding. Notice the body language at around 14:50 when the dreaded Track & Trace is mentioned.
James Hanson says that “The UK government decided that a few weeks before we had to start using it [Track & Trace] that they were going to delay it by ….erm, ah” Delay it by what exactly?
He admits that sales are not going up but costs are. That much is evident from examining their company accounts. He says that they need to diversity rather than concentrate on snuff – but diversify into what exactly? Originally Wilsons of Sharrow had a diversity of products, chiefly metal wares as well as snuff and Joseph Wilson was registered with The Sheffield Assay Office from 1773. See the price list and the huge variety of metal goods made by Joseph Wilson. Wilsons can hardly go back to those days so into what would they diversify?
Unfortunately the interviewer didn’t press the point.
Wilsons of Sharrow is a small family-run business. What happened to Bernard can easily happen to Wilsons. Closure of Sharrow just doesn’t bear thinking about. One can only admire the Wilson family at Sharrow Mills for their tenacious survival and business acumen in the face of adversity since 1737. They survived the bankruptcy of Joseph Wilson the First, the Lundy Affair, the very damaging Top SP Affair, German incendiary bombs in 1940 and tax hikes. They also survived the mortal threat when their doorstep rivals (J & H Wilson) was taken over by a tobacco Colossus in the shape of Imperial. And they have survived the collapse of those industries associated with snuff-taking as well as the wholesale closure of tobacco retailers. Can they survive legislation such as Track & Trace?
