Rishy Crisps
 

I'm trying to fill in gaps in our family history and Rishy Crisps was part of it . . . but my recollections are sketchy. I think Rishy Crisps, at least as a factory, started in in the mid 60's in what was a former woollen mill in Great Harwood (or was it Rishton?). At the time I think it was a subsidiary of Brooks Beattie Biscuits in Wythenshaw (though it may have been Symbols Biscuits, Blackpool). I know that Rishy went on to provide crisps for M & S.

And our family's part in its history? My father, Stan Wallbridge, having previously created a biscuit factory for Carrs Biscuits in Bulawayo, was given the task of turning an empty woollen mill into a fully operational crisp factory and I have vague memories of wandering through the cavernous empty space before work began.

I would love to know what happened to Rishy, the address of the old mill and what it is being used for now. And I would be delighted if anyone has any old photos of Rishy Crisps.

Many thanks.

Re: Rishy Crisps
 

I can only remember Rishy Crisps growing up as a child in the early 60's. I suspect they were around as a local company and got taken over by somebody larger in the mid 60's but I'm sure somebody on here has far more information than me.

Re: Rishy Crisps
 

There will be something on here if you search. Was known as Xl crisps and at some point in time was owned by Bensons

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I remember them well... would they have been called Rishy if they had been based in Harwood?

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Yes, they were called Rishy Crisps and based in Great Harwood. We had a school trip there when I was at Western County Junior School. We were all given free packets of crisps.

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So that theory is shot down in flames and bites the dust...

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Snuffy Crisps - doesn't sound right.

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Re: Rishy Crisps
 

My mother worked at Rishy Crisps in the 50s, it started off in Church then moved to snuffy. My dads cousin started it after the war, in his mums kitchen. His name was George Rose, his mother, my Aunt Annie, was the Landlady of the Hare & Hounds at one time, he sold it in the 60s to Bensons. I went to primary school with his son George Rose Jr.

Re: Rishy Crisps
 

I worked there doing contract maintenance work in the sixties

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Didn't they used to have a picture of blackpool tower on the packet?

Re: Rishy Crisps
 

No it was a lighthouse I think and also probably in another incarnation as Benson's. How funny to think of potato crisps having an incarnation.

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Maybe the words "rebranding" Susie :)

Re: Rishy Crisps
 

.... and mixes metaphors .... but, knowing you, you probably did it on purpose;)

By the by, do any chips (er, "crisps") still come with those little packs of salt wrapped in blue paper?

Re: Rishy Crisps
 

Walkers Salt `n`Shake.
Walkers Salt & Shake Crisps (48 x 30g Bags): Amazon.co.uk: Grocery

I`m sure it used to be Smiths Crisps that made them.

Re: Rishy Crisps
 

Hell fire, the price, thats above a quid a bag. Shove em, I'll mek my
own.

Re: Rishy Crisps
 

It pays to shop around.:D
Walkers Salt & Shake Crisps 6X24g - Groceries - Tesco Groceries

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I remember Smiths Crisps ... sometimes it was a sonofabitch to get at the salt ... but a great, and simple common-sense way of allowing someone to control the salt content. Altho', after a skinful ... and chips/crisps are still a great pub snack ... who gives a rat's ass about eating healthy.;):D

Re: Rishy Crisps
 

Yes it was Smith's. I had some recently - because the bag's plastic rather than paper all the salt stuck to the bag rather than the crisps because of static electricity... and the crisps were so thin you could almost see through them.

Eric of course I did it on purpose - I hope I'm not an accidental metaphor-mixer!

Re: Rishy Crisps
 

Back then all the crisps had the little blue twist of paper with the salt in that you could never find in the bottom of the packet. I think it was either Smiths or Golden Wonder who launched the new invention of "Ready Salted" crisps early to mid 60's at a guess.

Re: Rishy Crisps
 

I remember eating rishy crisps they were quite tasty.bensons used to be at the bottom of harwood st, Blackburn till sometime in the 70s and then old sid sold out and they moved to Kirkham ,then walkers took them over later. if memory serves me right.

Re: Rishy Crisps
 

My mum and auntie's worked there must of been late 70's perhaps early 80's always remember the smell on their fingers as a kid growing up, was always referred to "Rishy" crisps

Re: Rishy Crisps
 

I worked there for a while in 1976, it was XL then.
JB