local resources
It seems clear that soap was an article that was bought and sold in 18th century Jamaica, and that it was both imported and produced locally. There are interesting references to the kind of soap made from the 'Currato' aloe which can be found well into the mid-19th century, but with little detail found so far about where it was produced - probably it was produced on a small scale in the home.
LAWSON'S MERCHANT'S MAGAZINE, Statist and Commercial Review. edited by B. H. STROUSBERG, F.R.G.S.
VOLUME II, JANUARY TO DECEMBER 1853. LONDON: T.F.A. DAY, 13, CAREY STEEET, LINCOLN'S INN |
John Bigelow, writing in 1851, as well as other sources, gives some figures for imports of soap; he also writes 'There are no manufactories of any kind except of sugar and rum.'
Imports into the Island of Jamaica (Kingston and the Outports) up to the 10th of October in the years 1848 and 1849
1849 1848 Soap, boxes 52,706 42,637 |
the soap factories
An online search for soap factories in Jamaica may well convince you that no soap was manufactured in the island before about 1900, but in reality several soap factories had operated before that, in the second half of the century, for varying lengths of time and with varying levels of success. There were almost certainly earlier efforts, but the earliest reference I've so far found is to -
Altamont DeCordova's factory on East Queen Street in the 1860s.
Any further information on this factory has proved elusive; what happened to this venture has proved impossible to discover - so far!
but I have just found this!
but I have just found this!
1880
1880 seems to have seen a considerable upsurge of interest in soap manufacture - two factories were opened up between Port Royal and Harbour Streets -
Middleton's Soap Factory
Daily Gleaner, February 12, 1880
It is a circumstance, then, on which Kingston may be congratulated, that a Soap Factory on an extensive scale is about to be established in this city, the proprietor of the premises known as Matcham's Foundry being busy with, and preparing for, the erection of a steam apparatus, and its attendant plant, capable of making four hundred boxes of soap weekly. The materials for the manufacture will arrive from America in all March, by which time the machinery, to be turned out by Mr. Lazarus, will be complete, his contract for it engaging to deliver at that date. Here, also, we find another point to rest on with gratification, seeing that a native machinist and native artisans are equal to a demand upon their skill as manufacturers of machinery of this nature. No matter that this colony has been somewhat backward hitherto. Kingston at this moment comes to the front for honorable mention, and the public will go with us in heartily wishing success to Mr. Middleton and all concerned with him in his industry. |
Daily Gleaner, April 22, 1880
PAROCHIAL BOARDS: The Municipal board Mr. J. W. Middleton agrees, with thanks, to the terms of the Board, touching the erection of his Soap Factory at Matcham's Foundry. [The first of Kingston's great 19th century fires, in 1843, had originated in Matcham's Foundry.] The first major crisis to face the new business was the hurricane which hit the island on August 18, 1880.
. . . but the business bounced back very quickly -
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Excelsior Soap Factory
The Excelsior Soap Manufacturing Company started up with some fanfare in the summer of 1880.
Daily Gleaner, July 1, 1880
SOAP FOR THE HALF MILLION. We desire to direct the special attention of our readers to the advertisement now appearing in our columns, of the Excelsior Soap Company. This company has been formed by enterprising local capitalists for the extensive manufacture of Blue Mottled Soap, and the Company, which begins operations this morning, invites inspection by the public of its premises 64½, Port Royal Street, at the rear of David Martin and Nephew's Vendue Store. This attempt to supplant an inferior imported article by a superior production of local make has our heartiest good wishes and congratulations, and we are confident that the new soap will be highly appreciated by all who have occasion to use it. Yesterday we were allowed the privilege of inspecting the Factory, than which none could be more eligibly situated, and it was made evident to us that the gentlemen interested in the business, have the courage of their opinions in regard to the superiority of their manufactures. The long warehouse is stored from end to end with soap in all states, from the crude materials to the substantial but delicately mottled bars in boxes. We were shown specimens of imported blue mottled soap which looked and smelled like the veriest rubbish alongside the Jamaica product, and which, when tested in fresh water and salt water were soon, literally and figuratively, nowhere. And yet the Jamaica soap which stands every trial most satisfactorily, and is withal a clean soap in appearance, and has much more "body" to it than the imported, is made and sold so cheaply that. the exclusion of the latter article from our Jamaica market seems to us simply a question of time. |
One of the pleasantest pictures in the "Odyssey" is that in which Homer sketches Nausicaa, a king's daughter, washing the family linen at the seashore, and playing ball with her attendant maidens while the clothes dried on the sandy beach. Homer omits to tell us what brand of soap the fair princess used, but we venture to assert that any daughter of Jamaica making like essay of the "Excelsior" Soap need have no fear whatever as to the results upon the face or hands. Indeed, our own experience after using it was that the skin felt delightfully refreshed, and paradoxically, we wanted once and again to "wash our hands of it." As regards the effect on clothing, we have had proof given us that the soap does the fabric no harm; and as we reflect mournfully on garments that went new to the wash and came home old, we are inclined to blame the Company for not going into the business before.
Not alone is the new "Excelsior" soap sold at lower rates than the imported, and not alone will it succeed upon Its intrinsic merits, but it deserves a word of recommendation on the score of its being made largely from raw material furnished by the island. The company hopes hereafter, as fortune favors them to depend entirely on local sources of supply and here again we shall have that stimulus to internal commerce that is one of the chief forces in building up stable prosperity. We are glad to learn that so thoroughly has the soap taken the market that the Company has to strain every nerve to keep abreast of orders pouring in, and that it is contemplated to greatly enlarge the plant. If we may venture a word of advice to the Company, we would suggest that the soap is a fit article for export, and that a profitable foreign business can be done in that line of goods as well as in others still to be manufactured. |
For 2½ years the Excelsior Company were, apparently, doing good business with soap manufacturing - in late 1882 their factory, along with the Middleton factory, was destroyed by one of 19th century Kingston's perennial threats.
On December 12, 1882, a fire started in Feurtado's Lumber Yard, on Port Royal Street, and spread through much of the downtown commercial neighbourhood, destroying the majority of businesses.
As Andrew Delisser was to remark a decade and a half later - 'Yes, I was in the Excelsior Soap Manufacturing Coy., and we were burnt out by the fire in 1882.'
It became clear quite quickly in 1883, however, that the impact of the fire on the Excelsior Company was far more devastating than on the Middleton operation.
1883
We can learn of Excelsior's fate from advertisements in the press:
'Feurtado's Fire' brought into question the efforts at soap production on Port Royal Street. A basic issue that was raised, and continued to cause concern, was that of the safety factors involved with using steam equipment in the commercial section of downtown Kingston.
Municipal Board of Kingston, February 14, 1883
ERECTION OF STEAM MACHINERY. Application was made by Mr. P. Bravo in reference to the erection of a steam machine at No. 26, King Street. Permission was given him about 7 years ago to erect machinery for the manufacture of chocolate, and it had been running until the recent fire burnt out the premises. An application of a similar character from Mr.Miller was refused at the last meeting of the Board. Mr. Martin opposed the application. The owners of th e Excelsior Soap Factory leased the premises from him. Everything had been burnt except the machinery and if other parties went to him and applied for a lease of the premises with the intention of having steam machinery there, he would not lease the property to them. He thought the Board should do away with all steam machinery in the City. Of course what had been erected must go on, but that which had been destroyed by fire or abandoned, he should oppose the replacing of it in the City. He should certainly oppose the placing of any steam machinery in the Soap factory. Mr. Bicknell said that simply meant they must put an end to all enterprises, and that from this day forth all ideas of putting up manufactories must be abandoned, and they must go on in the same humdrum fashion that they had been doing. In Mr. Miller's case he regretted that he did not vote to grant the application, and give him the permission he requested. It had come to this: the Board were persons who were putting an end to, and objecting to, the extension of manufactories in this City. He believed if proper safeguards were taken there would be no imminent danger. Of course there must be some danger always, but the late destructive fire was not caused by a factory, but from the act of an incendiary. Proper safeguards must be taken, and among other things whenever the Board granted permission to any one to set up a factory, one of the conditions should be that the owners of the place should have a hydrant on the premises, with hose, and everything ready to meet any possible outbreak of fire. If Mr. Feurtado had had what every wharfinger ought to have,—and what the Board should have insisted upon every wharfinger having,—a hydrant on the wharf, all those wharves which had been destroyed would be standing now, as when the fire was first discovered he would have been enabled to have subdued the flames in time to prevent the destruction which followed. They owed it to the unfortunate delay which it is said existed, before the arrival of the Brigade, that the fire spread as it did. If proper precautions were taken he did not see, because of this great calamity, that they should be frightened to such an extent as to prevent any men of enterprise coining here and starting manufactories. The Chairman was quite alive to the necessity of fostering the growth of industries, but at the same time it was the duty of the Board to see that those industries should not be conducted in a manner liable to interfere with the public safety, and he thought there was no hardship in it being generally known that the Board would refuse to grant any application of this kind to the Eastward of the city, where in the case of another outbreak the consequences might be as serious as those that occurred recently. When people knew they wanted to establish premises of this kind all they had to [do] was to provide for themselves at the Westend of the town. He thought the Board should not grant the application. Mr. Martin was of opinion that greater danger existed where steam machinery was used than in places where it was not. As to interfering with progression he heard similar remarks to those of Mr. Bicknell's, made when he opposed the putting up of machinery by Mr, Rutledge, just opposite the Rum Wharf. In fostering and encouraging native industries, were they to jeopardize the safety of the town ? He thought all steam machinery should be erected at the Westend. Mr. Bicknell said it was all very well to talk of the West end, but where were people going to get land from? Mr. Martin replied if they could not get it there, let them go a mile out of town. Mr. Bicknell replied that they might as well say ten miles. People would go to the West End if they could get land, but where could they get it from? Mr. Martin: There is plenty on the Spanish Town road and that way. |
Mr. Middleton, however, managed to get back into business fairly quickly, in spite of any obstacles, and with support from the Gleaner for a local industry.
Daily Gleaner, April 24. 1883
Messrs. Middleton and White have embarked in the enterprize to manufacture soap, and several bars of a very superior quality have been seen by us, and tested by those competent to judge of its quality. On their report we confidently recommend it to the patronage of the public. Soap of the quality manufactured by these enterprising gentlemen must command a ready sale. The price is low as will be seen by their advertisement in another column. Enterprises of any kind established in this colony must benefit all classes of the community, and a helping hand extended to the promoters at the start is worth to them more than capital can bring. Every member of this community in now in a position to assist this undertaking. We say to them use soap only of native manufacture. |
Morton Tavares' Soap Factory
'Mr. Morton Tavares . . . his soap factory in Kingston Gardens.'
'Mr. Morton Tavares . . . his soap factory in Kingston Gardens.'
'For the most part his declining years were spent between heroically trying to maintain a small business - making soap and syrups - to provide a steady income and, in defiance of growing weakness, periodically assembling a band of loyal but inexperienced amateurs once more to tread the boards of the Theatre Royal and rekindle the excitement of his earlier triumphs.'
The Jamaican Stage, 1655-1900: Profile of a Colonial Theatre, Errol Hill |
Delisser's Soap Factory
Daily Gleaner, December 18, 1893
'Andrew Delisser & Son in spite of the hard work entailed in the completion of the new Soap Factory — an enterprise which ought to be successful — have not forgotten to rise to the occasion and although not quite in the centre of the city, a good many people are willing to go a little out of their way to patronise them.'
'Andrew Delisser & Son in spite of the hard work entailed in the completion of the new Soap Factory — an enterprise which ought to be successful — have not forgotten to rise to the occasion and although not quite in the centre of the city, a good many people are willing to go a little out of their way to patronise them.'
Delisser vs. Tavares a case over a patent for making soap
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In July 1896 Andrew Delisser conducted a Gleaner reporter on a fascinatingly informative tour of his soap factory:
Daily Gleaner, July 16, 1896
A Jamaican Soap Factory. DESCRIPTION OF THE WORKS How many people in Jamaica who daily indulge in the luxury of a wash have the slightest idea in what manner that useful accessory, soap, is manufactured? The subject is of such a peculiar character that many are afraid to dabble with it; to the generality of people it suggests nothing more or less than the vapouring of vapid, politicians, and no doubt that popular phrase "wishy-washy" was coined—not from the Japanese as many believe— but in order to stigmatise those who perpetrated the deadly sin of employing soap to the skin—which was in the prehistoric days of mankind, of course. But we are now referring to the manufacture of laundry soap as made in Jarnaica. Most people are aware that "pure ingredients", "absolutely pure" "warranted to contain no destructive chemicals" and such like phrases are used to designate the peculiar properties of certain soaps—and they follow the general rule of buying the most popular, otherwise following the fashion. Until a few weeks ago it would be safe to predict that not one in five knew soap was manufactured in Kingston. It was the case of Delisser versus Tavares, the latter seeking to revoke the former's application for a patent on the machinery for making soap, which brought the knowledge of the fact to the attention of the general public. It is almost needless now to remind readers that the motion of revocation was lost and that Mr. Delisser was granted the patent. Through the courtesy of Mr. A. Delisser, a representative of the GLEANER was permitted the other day to stroll through the soap manufactory receiving at the same time explanatory comments on the process from Mr. Delisser. And although the representative was not unacquainted with soap—of all kinds!—and could deny as a base accusation the statement that he once used a certain soap and since then he had used none other, yet he was exceedingly surprised to note the complicated and peculiar manner in which soap is made. Fortune was on our side for as we entered the manufactory a workman informed the proprietor that preparations were just being made to manufacture half a ton of soap, of the type known as blue-mottled—the same over which the action in Court was concerned. We proceeded to the manufacturing room on the first floor, the boiler room being below in the basement. In the centre of the room a huge iron tub-like arrangement was sunk, the upper edge being slightly above the level of the floor. Within the tub standing up from the middle was an iron post from which long blades projected reaching from the middle to the sides of the tub. Their use was incomprehensible at first but afterwards it became apparent. Depending from the second floor apparently resting in the same fashion as the tub already mentioned, was another basin which led by a pipe into a tank and thence to the first named tub. The arrangement was curious and the process complicated so that it is difficult to indicate all the preliminary arrangements, but the idea of the whole may be arrived at by this statement. When the signal to start the machinery was given, Mr. Delisser opened the pipe leading from the second tub into the first in the centre of the floor. Immediately a brownish yellowish fluid poured into the tub and from another tank a thinner stream of greyish liquid entered the tub—the first fluid was the soap in its initial stage; the second was the alkali. When the liquids ceased to flow and the pipes were shut, the signal to set the machinery in motion was given and then the purpose of the long iron blades inside the tub was apparent. They were almost covered by the brownish liquid, and when the machinery started they began revolving—churning up the liquid into froth—they were the "stirrers." It was curious to watch the effect of the stirring and churning on the fluid; from a brownish colour it assumed a dark yellowish tint, which momentarily became lighter and lighter until it became a bright glorious yellow. Various constituents were poured into the mass as the phases of the process appeared and gradually the fluid thickened until it was of the consistency of porridge. With the inclusion of the ingredients the fluid became darker and eventually resumed its old colour of dark yellow. As the mass of ingredients—which was soap—thickened, the revolutions of the stirring blades grew slower, and it was stated that now the second stage had been reached. Proceeding then to the boiler room we found the end of the tub in which we had seen the ingredients mixed, projecting from the roof into the boiler room. At a sign from the manager, the machinery stopped, and then a workman opening a valve at the bottom of the projecting tub allowed the mass of soap to fall down a slide in small quantities at a time into a frame beneath. As the soap came out in lumps the blue mottling process was shown; one man poured out a blue fluid on the soap as it fell—another caught the soap in a sort of separating machine, shook the soap into the frame, through wire holes, and when the frame was filled rolled the frame away to cool down. And thus is soap manufactured! At the present time Mr. Andrew Delisser is manufacturing 1,600 boxes, each box containing 56 Ibs. of soap every month, showing the wonderful popularity of the soap for laundry purposes. The machinery is capable of producing 3,000 boxes per month, but it has not yet been found necessary to utilise the full capacity of the machinery. "If I wanted to manufacture 3,000 boxes per month" said Mr. Delisser, "I would have to work six days in the week. At present I only work four days in the week, leaving the other two for making boxes, packing, catting &c." We proceeded to the packing and cutting departments; there the soap had cooled into one great slab of soap weighing half a ton—and all around were these slabs ready to be cut and packed. The cutting apparatus was produced; when the proper lengths had been gauged a wire was run through the soap and a long square slab removed; this again was cut and then the bar of soap as it is known to the public was brought to view. The process looked simplicity itself, but the manufacturer of blue mottled smiled knowingly when we suggested the idea. "When was the soap business started?" "I bought the plant for manufacturing this soap about three years ago. Yes, l was pretty successful, even at the very outset, and gradually as l saw how things worked I introduced improvements. But the real increase in the trade took place this year—within the last four months I might say." "Did you know how to manufacture soap previously?" "Oh yes; I was in the Excelsior Soap Manufacturing Coy. and we were burnt out by the fire in 1882. Then I started the general grocery business and continued that until three year ago when I incorporated with it the soap manufacturing business." "Is it true you erected the machinery yourself?" "That's true also; I am my own engineer, soap boiler, soap manufacturer, and everything. I have no practical engineer here; everything about the machinery was arranged by me without assistance, and I haven't done so bad, have I?" "What led you to resume the manufactory of soap?" "Well I had the opinion that there ought to be as good soap made in Jamaica as any imported. Well, then, I put my idea to the test and it proved successful. If it hadn't—I may say every one of those frames cost over £8 each and to anyone but myself they would have been absolutely valueless—you wouldn't take them for nothing—where would I have been. But the fact is that it has not been a failure—that's enough. Then I have gone on improving and improving the process until I found out the method of blue-mottling the soap and patented it. It is very simple—but you've got to know how it's done." "What other kinds of soap do you manufacture besides blue mottled soap?" "All laundry soaps and they are retailed in the shops at the same place as English soap. What I claim about my soap is that it does not shrink—and very few manufacturers can say the same thing. There is less water in my soap than in any other soap—consequently there is nothing to evaporate—that is the secret of the non-shrinkage." After viewing the cutting and packing room, watching the boxes being filled with bars of soap, and seeing all the preparations made for despatching the soap we left with a sample cake, so that as Mr. Delisser, our hands . . . but there is no necessity to proceed further. |
Phillips' Soap Factory
Daily Gleaner, August 7, 1897
A VISIT TO WAKEFIELD SOAP WORKS. A few years ago the smoke coming out of the tall brick chimney at Wakefield Estate (situate about three miles from Bog Walk) meant that sugar was being manufactured on a rather large scale, Sugar. however, has now given way not to bananas or logwood, as in many places, but to soap. The estate now produces more tons of soap annually than it formerly produced tons of sugar. The boilers, engines, pumps, pans and centrifuges and [such?] used (with many additions) and so the extensive works formerly used as a central factory for sugar continues to be a hive of industry. It may be as well to remark just here that Mr. Phillips, the principal, has to be a bit careful as to who he admits on a tour of inspection, since soap making is one of the secret trades. It appeared, however, to us, that the more one sees of it the less he is likely to understand, as far as the actual manufacture of the soap is concerned. Hence it is that the men who work here from day to day do not really learn how to make soap. We thought that soap making was very simple, we ventured to remark. "Yes," said Mr. Phillips, "there is often an easy way of doing a difficult thing, it is never very effective. I suppose that is the case regarding shorthand," he remarked "there are some systems that may be learnt in a week, but can any of them compare with Pitman's?" And then he went on to explain how that soap (which is made from tallow, grease, or cocoanut oil) had to be boiled sometimes for several days while being manufactured. No large soap-makers in England would think of using what was known as the Cold Process, in which the ingredients were merely warmed and put together in certain quantities, when they saponified in the course of a few minutes. This is how crude soap is made by the settlers in the back woods of America and Australia, and was only good in the absence of better. All the soap that is manufactured at Wakefield is boiled. Messrs. Phillips & Co have had no difficulty in selling their soap, and have to be continually enlarging their plant so as to supply the increasing demand for it, Mr. Phillips, who is a bit of a humorist, says that this is owing either to the lathering, washing, and wearing qualities of the soap, or to the excellency of the GLEANER as an advertising medium! We saw large quantities of brown, yellow, and blue-mottled. Also a finer description of yellow soap, "similar to Sunlight," and a bright yellow scented soap, which is to be put in the market in "quattie" tablets, and sold as Phillips' Honey. Hitherto Messrs. Phillips & Co, have had to purchase all their cocoanut oil, and have even had to import it from Germany and England on account of the insufficient supply in this island. They are now putting up an extensive plant which will enable them to extract a much larger percentage of oil from the cocoanut than is generally obtained. This means that they will soon become large purchasers of cocoanuts, and will have to employ more hands. Mr. Phillips, who is an Englishmen, likes Jamaica fairly well, but says it is a bit warm and slow here — has many advantages, and a few disadvantages. He has come to settle, and while carrying on this "native enterprise" is willing to encourage others in manufacturing castor, and other oils, so that he may not have to import so many of his materials from America. |