Toffees - history of the nickname

[Avinalaff]

I've been creating an article on this subject, but wondered if there is a definitive version of events, as there is a lot of nonsense out there (on Everton sites too) which simply doesn't add up.

 

Bushell had a shop adjacent to the tower, but I'm figuring it wasn't her first shop, as I have an old picture of another, nearer to the cross / sundial of the old village. Nobletts had shops everywhere, and Bushells grandson 'Wignalls' also had one on London rd too.

 

Bushell certainly didn't go to Goodison as the first Toffee lady as many report, as she was long dead before either Anfield or Goodison were built etc.

 

Far too much nonsense out there, so wondered if anybody had discovered an actual version of events that was a trusted source of info, rather than myth.

[Louis]

http://www.sweeti.co.uk/news.php?id=3

[bluenosetoffee]

John Terry made the name up, didn't he? Havent you seen the picture of him taking credit?

[Avinalaff]

http://www.sweeti.co.uk/news.php?id=3

 

I've read it matey. It's absolute tosh.

 

"Sold to fans on their way to the match"? lol.

 

She opened her shop over 100 years before either stadium were built.

 

I read this, but I was hoping for a little more: http://www.old-merseytimes.co.uk/mollybushell.html

[Cake]

MOLLY BUSHELL OF EVERTON (1746 - 1818)

Molly was born in Everon, in 1746, daughter of John Johnson and Anne Cooper and was baptized in April of that year in Walton Parish Church. She married James Bushell in 1761 when she was only fifteen or sixteen years of age, and they made their home in the cottage in which she had been born. Despite her youth, her diligence and care of her family was noticed with admiration by a local doctor.

When he was attending her family professionally, he was further struck with her industry and her way of making slender means go a long way in the rearing of her family and that she was barely rewarded with a sufficiency. He gave her a recipe for a soothing toffee for the children and suggested that she make larger quantities which she could sell. The kindly doctor recommended the toffee to his patients as a cure for sore throats but the public soon found it out and voted it a very good sweet for those well in health!

Molly then, at the open air oven behind the cottage (which was discovered when the cottage was demolished), alone, and in secret, commenced to practice the Art of Toffee Making. Residents from bordering villages began to arrive and take back with them a packet of Everton Toffee and Molly's business flourished. As time went on there was not sufficient space in her premises and she moved across the road to a larger place and there continued the manufacture and sale of her toffee.

The fame of Molly Busshell's Everton Toffee spread and it became fashionable for people from greater distances to drive to Everton in their carriages to sample and take home this sweetmeat. Everton, in the late 1700's was a beautiful and picturesque district, as we can imagine it could be from its situation on the slope of a steep hill with the River Mersey at its base and with the extensive views of the Welsh mountains. So the tourists not only took back the confectionaery but also the memory of a very pleasand district that they had never heard of before, and EVERTON was 'Put on the Map'.

After twenty years hard work, first alone, then with the help of her daughter, Esther Bushell, Molly enlisted the extra help of a cousin, Mrs. Sarah Cooper, in the 1780's, and they worked happily together for a further thirty years. In the time Molly Bushell's daughter, Esther, had married but had returned to continue helping her mother. In fact, she took over the business legally, though being a married woman, it had to be in the name of her husband, ROBERT SANDIFORD.

Likewise, Sarah Cooper's son had married Mary Atherton in 1811.

* * * * * * * * * *

 

Molly Bushell's Original Toffee Shop, Everton A.D. 1758.

Then, in their old age, Molly Bushell and cousin, Sarah Cooper, parted company, for Sarah joined her new daughter-in-law, MARY COOPER, in setting up a similar toffee business at No.1 BROWSIDE, a charming little shop which was much admired by artists. MARY COOPER ran it until her death in 1867. In 1884 it was demolished by the Improvement Committee.

In the 1830's Mary Cooper's daughter, (Sarah's granddaughter) CHARLOTTE COOPER, had married a Robert Sampson and she opened a third toffee shop in Everton at NETHERFIELD ROAD.

* * * * *

 

The Toffee Shop
Still worn onThe Shirt Today

The Brownside shop established by Molly's cousin, Mrs Cooper & Mrs. Mary Cooper.

Meanwhile when ESTER BUSHELL/SANDIFORD took charge of the Village Street shop from MOLLY she appears to have taken in her young niece, AGNES BUSHELL (Molly's granddaughter) and begun to teach her the business. Agnes remained under the wing of the Sandiford family, even after Esther's death, until her marriage.

In 1830 AGNES BUSHELL married Henry Wignall and she officially inherited the business on the death of Robert Sandiford in 1853. She passed it on to her son, ROBERT WIGNALL, the GREAT-grandson of Molly Bushell, and this enterprising young man extended it to Liverpool city centre by opening two shops in London Road (original wall artwork was discovered here in 1997 - featured in the Echo) and Renshaw Street.

After ROBERT WIGNALL'S untimely death in 1867, at the age of 34 years the Everton Toffe business begun by Molly Bushell 150 years previously, did not go out of the family, for the next owner was a distant cousin, CHARLOTTE COOPER/SAMPSON who already had a toffee shop in Netherfield Road, Everton. Charlotte passed the premises on to her son, ROBERT SAMPSON, and thence to his daughter, Mrs. NORRIS, who sold it to the large firm of NOBLETTS in 1894. The building in Village Street was still standing in 1930 looking very much as Molly Bushell had left it in 1818.

It was a commercial artist at Nobletts who designed the Trademark depicting Molly Bushell, based on descriptions gathered from the older people of Everton who remembered Molly. At first it was always referred to as 'MOLLY BUSHELL' but the name subsequently became 'MOTHER NOBLETT' as being more appropriate to the Noblett firm.

 

Toffee Lady Cries when we loose

Toffee Lady Jigs when we win

The original toffee is now enclosed in a mint - "Everton Mints" and manufactured by Barker & Dobson. Today, more than two centuries after Molly Bushell started her business, her memory lives on, for the Everton Football Team are known as "The Toffees" and 'Molly Bushell' walks around at matchs scattering her Mints to the fans and willing the Team to keep "Everton on the Map". Her caricature may be seem in the heading of the 'Football Echo' each time that Everton Football Team plays a match. If Everton lose Molly weeps for them, but after a win she dances a jig

 

 

[MikeO]

I hate toffee.

[Romey 1878]

I hate toffee.

That blunt post after Cake's lengthy post made me laugh far more than it should have.

[MikeO]

That blunt post after Cake's lengthy post made me laugh far more than it should have.

 

 

Sorry....love the history of the club and appreciate Cake's post but it was the first thing that came into my head....really don't like the stuff, never have.

[Cake]

 

 

Sorry....love the history of the club and appreciate Cake's post but it was the first thing that came into my head....really don't like the stuff, never have

 

 

(fortunately it was only a copy/paste)

[Avinalaff]

Cheers Cake

[Avinalaff]

It says the late 1800s, Goodison was opened in 1892. It seems to add up. Which part do you think doesn't make sense?

 

 

The History of the Everton Mint

 

For those of you who are not familiar with the Everton Mint, it is a black and white mint flavoured sweet with a delicious toffee centre. Everton is also a district of Liverpool in the United Kingdom and the name and home of a famous English football team; Everton F.C. Now, in the late 1800’s there was a sweet shop called ‘Ye Anciente Everton Toffee House’ which was owned by a lady called Old Ma Bushell. ‘Ye Anciente Everton Toffee House’ was situated near to the Queen’s Head Hotel in Everton. Old Ma Bushell created a sweet she called the Everton Toffee which she sold to people on their way to watch Everton F.C. play their football matches; this turned out to be hugely successful and popular among the Everton F.C. fans.

 

Unfortunately for Old Ma Bushell Everton F.C. moved to a different football stadium called Goodison Park. Goodison Park was situated very close to another sweet shop called ‘Mother Noblett’s Toffee Shop’. Mother Noblett realised there was a lucrative opportunity for her to sell her toffee’s to the Everton F.C. fans just as Old Ma Bushell had, however she could not use the name Everton Toffee as Old Ma Bushell had already patented it. To overcome the problem Mother Noblett invented a sweet which was a mint candy on the outside but with her toffee in the middle and named it the ‘Everton Mint’. Mother Noblett also had the idea to make her Everton Mints black and White which at the time was the colour of the Everton F.C. football kit. The combination of the name and the very well made toffee sweet helped to make the Everton Mint hugely popular amongst fans and locals.

 

Mother Noblett’s ingenuity did not stop there; she met with the Everton board and agreed with them that before each football match a girl would walk around the outside of the football pitch tossing Everton Mints to the crowd in the stands, free of charge! This helped make Mother Noblett and her Everton Mint the famous name it is today. Mother Noblett’s granddaughter was given the honour of being the first ‘Toffee Girl’ and this tradition stayed with Everton F.C. for many years even after Everton changed their football kit from black and white to royal blue.

 

Mother Noblett made such a success of her sweet and the crowd loved the ‘Toffee Girl’ so much that the club and fans decided to nickname the club the ‘Toffees’, a name which has stuck with Everton throughout it’s history and is still recognisable today.

 

Unfortunately not much is known of what happened to Old Ma Bushell or her ‘Everton Toffee’; however Old Ma Bushell must be given the credit for the initial idea of the Everton Toffee/Mint. Credit must also go to Mother Noblett for having the vision and the tenacity to take Old Ma Bushells idea and make it a big success. The Everton Mint now falls under the umbrella of sweet giant Barker and Dobson and with their help has managed to stay just as popular now as it was over 100 years ago. To sample a taste of history click here to be taken to the wonderful Everton Mint

 

 

 

The lines in red can't be correct, as the dates are way off.

 

I'm not sure we were playing in black and white at either Anfield, or, Goodison (at that time). There is reference on Toffeeweb that we played in B/W at Stanley Park, which was much earlier. Historical kits show we had some black and white in the early 20th century, and later, so for me, things don't add up.

[Avinalaff]

I need to point out btw that as far as I know, Molly Bushell was alive during the 18th century, hence my queery with the dates.

 

Her first shop was apparently next to the Everton cross, on the opposite side to Ruperts cottage, and the cross was removed during the night in 1820, so her shops needed to be much earlier.

Edited June 6, 2013 by Avinalaff

[Avinalaff]

Molly Bushell's original manufactoryof the sweet to which Everton has givena name was in Village Street; Syers,68. She was living in 1759.

From: 'Townships: Everton', A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3 (1907), pp. 20-22. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=41282 Date accessed: 06 June 2013.

 

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=41282

 

Footnotes: 12

 

 

That verifies my notion that the shop in Everton Brow was not her first shop.

Edited June 6, 2013 by Avinalaff

[Cake]

I need to point out btw that as far as I know, Molly Bushell was alive during the 18th century, hence my queery with the dates.

 

Her first shop was apparently next to the Everton cross, on the opposite side to Ruperts cottage, and the cross was removed during the night in 1820, so her shops needed to be much earlier.

 

The first shop was established in 1759, according to 'Old Mersey Times' (see below) - there is also a drawing(?) from The Liverpool Records Office about the location of the shop, on Everton Cross, to Rupert's cottage

 

http://www.old-merseytimes.co.uk/mollybushell.html

[Avinalaff]

The little open green by the roundhouse is maintained by the corporation of Liverpool, and has beenslightly extended by the demolition of some cottageson the north side of it, among them being the OldToffee shop.

From: 'Townships: Everton', A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3 (1907), pp. 20-22. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=41282 Date accessed: 06 June 2013.

 

[Avinalaff]

 

The first shop was established in 1759, according to 'Old Mersey Times' (see below) - there is also a drawing(?) from The Liverpool Records Office about the location of the shop, on Everton Cross, to Rupert's cottage

 

http://www.old-merseytimes.co.uk/mollybushell.html

 

Cheers cake.

 

I've actually sent them a mail earlier asking for permission to use it as part of the page. If they don't respond I'll just reference it.

[Cake]

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=41282

 

Footnotes: 12

 

 

That verifies my notion that the shop in Everton Brow was not her first shop.

The shop in Everton Brow was the second shop - can't find an exact/approximate date (for the moment) as this was done in Molly's old age.....

 

Then, in their old age, Molly Bushell and cousin, Sarah Cooper, parted company, for Sarah joined her new daughter-in-law, MARY COOPER, in setting up a similar toffee business at No.1 BROWSIDE..........

Edited June 6, 2013 by Cake

[Cake]

 

Cheers cake.

 

I've actually sent them a mail earlier asking for permission to use it as part of the page. If they don't respond I'll just reference it.

 

You're welcome mate... interesting stuff! Keep us posted on progress with this and if Old Mersey Times get back to you.

[Avinalaff]

The shop in Everton Brow was the second shop - can't find an exact/approximate date (for the moment) as this was done in Molly's old age.....

 

Then, in their old age, Molly Bushell and cousin, Sarah Cooper, parted company, for Sarah joined her new daughter-in-law, MARY COOPER, in setting up a similar toffee business at No.1 BROWSIDE..........

 

That's some info I certainly didn't have - thanks.

 

This is that shop btw. I have loads of images, many with bad info written on them, such as stating the Browside shop was 1759 etc, so having to re-work a lot of stuff.

 

 

 

Here you can see the old shop middle left with stairs

 

Edited June 6, 2013 by Avinalaff

[Cake]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/44435674@N00/5098976727/

 

http://streetsofliverpool.co.uk/everton-toffee-shop/browside/

 

1753 for the first shop in the one immediately below but that's unlikely as Molly would have been 7 years old - still no date for Browside;

 

http://www.evertonthevillageonthehill.co.uk/page18.html

 

http://www.fotolore.com/everton-toffee-shop-c1875

 

http://www.liverpoolmonuments.co.uk/buildings/everton01.html

 

Have seen a passage on one site where some reds fans are even trying to get in on the act by saying they're sure it's Liverpool FC Directors who own Barker & Dobson! Wankers!

[Avinalaff]

Thanks cake. Appreciated.

[Matt]

cheers guys, very interesting read!

[rubecula]

Great thread with some cracking replies. (Well apart from MikeO )

 

Heard lots of rumours about the nickname, and frankly I don't think it is all that important on the exact truth of the matter as it is now a legend and legends grow. COYB let's build on the legend.

[Avinalaff]

I'll post a link to my page once it's done. I'm kind of uncomfortable about some of the dates being quoted.

 

There are dates regarding the first shop that make Bushell too young. I appreciate in those days kids worked, but not many will have had their own businesses.

[Peter H]

I'll post a link to my page once it's done. I'm kind of uncomfortable about some of the dates being quoted.

 

There are dates regarding the first shop that make Bushell too young. I appreciate in those days kids worked, but not many will have had their own businesses.

Tbf not many women would have their own business in those days. Molly, our very own Millicent Fawcett or Emmeline Panhurst Edited June 7, 2013 by Peter H

[Avinalaff]

Tbf not many women would have their own business in those days. Molly, our very own Millicent Fawcett or Emmeline Panhurst

 

I've found info relating to her being born in 1736, not, 46, which adds up a little better. She rented her first shop from a family called the Andertons. Her actual name was Mary. As you rightly say, it's actually a mute point as to whether a woman would have had 'any' standing in those days, but I checked with some historic records for the other stuff.

[Peter H]

I've found info relating to her being born in 1736, not, 46, which adds up a little better. She rented her first shop from a family called the Andertons. Her actual name was Mary. As you rightly say, it's actually a mute point as to whether a woman would have had 'any' standing in those days, but I checked with some historic records for the other stuff.

 

I look forward to the finished article, you seem to be putting alot of work into it. Im sure its going to be a really good read.

[Dalziel Kane]

One thing about having a name like ours, it can be open season for some embarrassing media hacks to come up with some taglines, such as "Everton survive relegation by the thickness of a sweet wrapper", "Toffees endure a sticky time" or "Moyes has (had) something to chew over" etc. But it's unique in itself and wouldn't swap it with anyone, Toffees are Everton, it fits perfectly well, even though it's actually Everton mints you can purchase, that are the real delicacy.

 

In the simplest terms, name came about, from a store close to the ground named Old Mother Nobletts (?) that sold candies and other merchandise (toffees inclusive doubtless) and it derived from there. Actually here's a link which just about describes all there is to glean from this issue.

 

Got to agree, the Toffees recognition, is better than simply "The blues", which merely gives us a distinction between another horrible color in the same city. Read below - if only for the end bit. (Everton was once full of wild animals)

 

http://thebeautifulhistory.wordpress.com/clubs/everton/

[rubecula]

Park up in the Everton area and you will soon find that it is still full of wild animals LOL

 

Rottweilers are trained to stamp out car fires in some places.

[Dalziel Kane]

Actually, that's not too far from the truth there.

 

And remember years ago, dinosaurs were rampant over parts of europe, so it's perfectly feasible that some variety of beast, be it a Brontosaurus, Proterosuchus or Diplodocus could have been seen over Stanley Park and surrounding areas.