John Henderson Archive

6 binders of notes, photographs, and engineering drawings taken or made by John R. Henderson during his training period at Mackintosh’s Halifax Albion Mills and Queen's Road sites, 1957-1960. Includes information on Raw Materials, and Boiling Department; Wrapping Department; Experimental Department; Mogul Department; Toffee Boiling Department; Moulding Department; and Chocolate Enrobing Department.

John R. Henderson was born c.1928, the great nephew of John Mackintosh of Halifax, founder of Mackintosh’s confectionary company. He completed a degree in civil engineering at Trinity College, Dublin, and worked for the Irish Electricity Board and then Wimpey and McAlpine construction, before joining Mackintosh’s as a management trainee in 1957.
His training took place at the company’s Albion Mills and Queen’s Road sites in Halifax. He went on to work as Quality Control Manager at Albion Mills in the 1960s and 1970s, where he played a central role in the development of the new Toffee Crisp chocolate bar, based on the crispy cake his wife Edith used to make for their children, Charles and Jill. He also worked on the development of Mint Cracknells, Tooty Frooties and Caramacs.
In 1982 he became Managing Director of another Halifax based firm, Yorkshire Moulds, supplying plastic moulds to confectionary companies. He remained with Yorkshire Moulds until his retirement in 1995. A prominent local businessman, Henderson was involved in a variety of community organisations, including Halifax Housing Association, Mackintosh Homes, the Waterhouse Trust and Halifax Rotary Club.
John Henderson died in December 2011.

Records are open to the public, subject to the overriding provisions of relevant legislation, including data protection laws. 24 hours' notice is required to access photographic material.

The archive was deposited at the Borthwick Institute in 2015.

John R. Henderson was born c.1928, the great nephew of John Mackintosh of Halifax, founder of Mackintosh’s confectionary company. He completed a degree in civil engineering at Trinity College, Dublin, and worked for the Irish Electricity Board and then Wimpey and McAlpine construction, before joining Mackintosh’s as a management trainee in 1957.
His training took place at the company’s Albion Mills and Queen’s Road sites in Halifax. He went on to work as Quality Control Manager at Albion Mills in the 1960s and 1970s, where he played a central role in the development of the new Toffee Crisp chocolate bar, based on the crispy cake his wife Edith used to make for their children, Charles and Jill. He also worked on the development of Mint Cracknells, Tooty Frooties and Caramacs.
In 1982 he became Managing Director of another Halifax based firm, Yorkshire Moulds, supplying plastic moulds to confectionary companies. He remained with Yorkshire Moulds until his retirement in 1995. A prominent local businessman, Henderson was involved in a variety of community organisations, including Halifax Housing Association, Mackintosh Homes, the Waterhouse Trust and Halifax Rotary Club.
John Henderson died in December 2011.

The archive has not yet been catalogued.

Created by S. A. Shearn, 27.02.17.

A reprographics service is available to researchers subject to the access restrictions outlined above. Copying will not be undertaken if there is any risk of damage to the document. Copies are supplied in accordance with the Borthwick Institute for Archives' terms and conditions for the supply of copies, and under provisions of any relevant copyright legislation. Permission to reproduce images of documents in the custody of the Borthwick Institute must be sought.

Further accruals are not expected.

The archive of John Mackintosh Ltd and Mackintosh & Sons Ltd, 1899-1977, are also deposited at the Borthwick Institute.

Published

GB193