Reading Roars!

I received an interesting email this week from someone named Ann MacDonald in Canada. In the email, Ann wrote the following:

I have only seen a few pictures of Reading, but it looks like a very beautiful place, and someday I hope to visit your city, since my roots go back to Reading. My great-great grandfather was from Reading and I dare say that I may have relatives still living there, although I have not been able to make contact with any, but I will continue my search.

Ann’s great-great grandfather was none other than George Palmer of Reading biscuit giant Huntley & Palmer’s (Joseph Huntley was Palmer’s cousin). Her great grandmother, Ann Palmer, married Catholic John McConville. The couple moved to Ireland and Scotland before finally settling in Canada.

Huntley & Palmer’s started life as a London St bakery, J. Huntley & Son, in 1822. Ambitious George Palmer joined in 1841. According to Wikipedia (and this may or may not be accurate), they

became biscuit makers to the British Royal Family and in 1865 expanded into the European continent, and received Royal Warrants from Napoleon III and Léopold II of Belgium. At their height they employed over 5,000 people and in 1900 were the world’s largest biscuit firm.

A website named The Huntley & Palmer’s Connection states that the company also supplied biscuits to Scott’s ill-fated British Antarctic Expedition in 1911 and made Army biscuits during both World Wars. Reading biscuit production sadly ended in 1976 and the enterprise, now known as Associated Biscuits Ltd, was sold to Nabisco in 1982. In 1989, they were sold again, this time to French multinational Danone.

The Huntley & Palmer’s brand was resurrected in 2004 when the company was acquired by two families.

Crumbs! What a story! Can anyone help locate Ann’s relatives, so that she can make contact with them? If so, please get in touch!