Peek Frean Archive 

Reference: MS 1216                    Dates: 1831-1957                    Extent: c. 45 boxes

Peek Frean, a biscuit producer, was founded in 1857 by James Peek and George Hender Frean, a Peek family relation by marriage. Its first factory was in St Saviour’s Dock, London. In 1870 the company was supplying biscuits for the French Army fighting the Franco-Prussian War.  After a devastating fire in 1873, a new factory was built nearby in Bermondsey, which had already earnt the nickname “Biscuit Town”.   Peek Frean was famous for its ‘Pearl’ and ‘Pat-A-Cake’ biscuits. The company provided benefits to its employees such as free company medical and dental services, and sporting, musical and other activities.

James Peek died in 1879 and his partner James Frean, son of George, retired in 1887, after which time the family was no longer involved in running the business.

In 1921 the company combined with the firm of Huntley and Palmers, each becoming subsidiary units of the Associated Biscuit Manufacturers Ltd. The Liverpool firm of W. & R. Jacob & Co. joined the group in 1960. From 1969 the three units disappeared as independent trading entities and were replaced by the division known as Associated Biscuits Ltd.

In 1982, Nabisco, an American multi-national company, bought out Associated Biscuits Ltd. The company was renamed Jacob’s Bakery Ltd in 1989 and acquired by BSN (Boussois Souchon-Neuvesel), which changed its name to Danone in 1994.

The extensive archives cover the period 1831-1957, and include price lists, photographs, letter books, lists of employees, illustrations for tins, stock books, balance sheets, designs for labels, correspondence with Huntley & Palmers, and an obituary list of staff 1893-1928.

MORE INFORMATION

• A handlist for the whole collection can be found here.
• See also the Peek Frean staff autograph book (MS 5671) and the Donald Alfred Clark Collection (MS 5548).

ASSOCIATED COLLECTIONS

• See also Huntley & Palmers Archive – Collections – Special Collections