10 iconic brands that started in Yorkshire including Marks & Spencer, Seabrook Crisps and Harry Ramsden's

The thing about household names like Marks & Spencer, Seabrook Crisps, Fox’s Biscuits and Iceland is that they are so iconic is easy to think they have always just been on our high streets, but it turns out they all started life in the same place – Yorkshire.

When you think of Yorkshire, you may think of the rolling hills, beautiful scenery, friendly people and the perfect cup of tea – but there are also a myriad of household names that all come from the county.

Marks & Spencer:

There are currently 1,064 Marks & Spencer stores located in the UK, and 406 other store locations situated around the world. However, the brand was founded in Leeds in 1884, as a stall in Leeds Kirkgate Market, Marks & Spencer.

Iceland:

The well-known budget supermarket can be found in towns and cities across the UK today, but began life 53 years ago in 1970, by the Huddersfield-born Sir Malcolm Walker CBE who established his business just as there was a rise in freezer sales by UK families.

Fox’s Biscuits:

One of the oldest confectionary companies in the UK, Fox’s Biscuits was founded by the Fox family in Batley, West Yorkshire, in 1853. The brand is the creator of some UK favourites including Rocky Bars, Sports biscuits, Crunch Creams, and none other than the birthday staple – Party Rings.

Seabrook Crisps:

Hailing from Bradford the gluten free crisps brand was founded in 1944 by Mr Charles Brook with his son. The brand peculiarly got its name when Brook went to sign his name on a picture instead of writing “C Brook” her wrote “Seabrook”.

Harry Ramsden's:

Although Harry Ramsden's may be synonymous with walking up the Blackpool promenade, it actually started life in 1928 in a wooden hut in White Cross, Guiseley, West Yorkshire, set up by Harry Ramsden selling fish and chips.

John Smith’s:

The story of the Yorkshire Bitter is a complicated one that goes back to the 1700s. Stephen Hartley began brewing in Tadcaster in 1758. Jane Hartley mortgaged the brewery to David Backhouse and John Hartley in 1845. Samuel Smith of Leeds arranged for his son John to enter the business in 1847. Jane Hartley died in 1852, and John Smith acquired the business, enlisting his brother William to assist. It was then John Smith’s was born and has brewed in the area since.

Kit-Kats:

There cannot be a person in the UK who does not think of a Kit-Kat when it is time to take a break and it divides many when the argument comes about whether it is a biscuit or a chocolate bar. Either way, it started life all because Henry Issac Rowntree founded Rowntrees in 1864 in York and less than a century later, in 1935, Kit-Kat was originally launched as Rowntree's Chocolate Crisp.

Jelly Babies:

Although the baby-shaped sweets were being produced from the mid-1800s, it wasn’t until 1918 when they were revived by Bassett’s and branded “Peace Babies” to celebrate the end of the Great War that they grew in prominence.

Tetley Tea:

Tetley Tea came into being after two brothers, Joseph and Edward Tetley, decided that selling salt from a pack horse in Huddersfield, Yorkshire was not the business for them and they moved on to selling tea, which became so successful they set up Joseph Tetley & Co. tea merchants in 1837.

Terry’s Chocolate Orange:

Created at the Chocolate Works factory in York in 1932, Terry's Chocolate Orange has become a well-loved treat for many across the UK, especially over the festive season. Although the parent brand had been around since 1767 selling lemon and orange candied peels and other sweets.

Bonus: Yorkshire Tea:

The clue is in the name for this one. Yorkshire Tea is made by Taylor’s of Harrogate, a family business that was founded in 1886 in Harrogate. The first pot of Yorkshire Tea we know today was brewed in the 1970s.