Swallows Ice Cream Swallows Ice Cream

Swallows Ice Cream factory was located at Port Melbourne

Swallows ice-cream was crunchy; by dint of the particles of ice in it.

The ice-cream flavour was very distinct; unlike any other around then and now.

During the 50's Haberfields became the regional distributor for Swallows Ice cream until it was taken over by Peters around 1958.

Nola Hartfield says, my father was the original manager of Swallows Ice Cream at Belgrave. He built the home and factory where he commenced making ice to deliver in the Dandenongs.

I grew up there and have many many fond memories. He then built the chassies on Toppa trucks and proceeded to be the depot for Port Melbourne. The home is still there built 1939, but 3 homes take the place of the factory. I am disappointed I cannot find a tin sign advertising. I have a poster of the Woods Point general store which has the sign on the side and I used to go with dad to firstly deliver ice then ice cream, to them.

A guy in Hoddle Street had a huge sign but wanted $1500 for it. Two weeks later he was gone. If you know anywhere I could get a sign, i would appreciate hearing from you. I have hunted and hunted. I'm sure there are many buried where the factory was and where as kids we went through the creek to Macawber Park, now called Highway Inn. I could go on for ever as I have beautiful memories. ephemerasociety.org.au

This Swallow & Ariell's advertisement appeared in the November 1930 issue of Table Talk. Terry finds that collecting collateral material such as ads is often useful in dating his items. A 'double-whammy' would be having the pack shown in the ad. But Terry is hopeful . . .

Swallow & Ariell Ltd

Australia's first biscuit company was founded in 1854 by Thomas Swallow.

Within five years he had taken in a partner, T.H. Ariell. After Ariell died in 1875, F.T. Derham was appointed partner and managing director in 1877, a position held by several generations of his descendants.

By the early 1880s the Port Melbourne factory extended to 3 acres (1.2 ha), and the company owned flourmills and sugar plantations in the Goulburn Valley and Northern Queensland.

With no equal outside Great Britain, Swallow & Ariell was the fifth largest biscuit company in the world, manufacturing over 100 varieties, including the common ship biscuit (an original product) and meat biscuits (apparently taken by Burke and Wills on their ill-fated expedition).

The company also boasted popular sideline products, including cakes, plum puddings, ice-cream and dried fruit.

Renowned for its patriotic fundraising campaigns during both world wars, it diverted most of its biscuits and plum puddings to the Australian and US services in World War II. Company employees were filmed leaving work in 1905 in the Salvation Army film unit's first sponsored industrial documentary film. The surviving opening sequences are held by ScreenSound Australia.

The company was delisted on 5 August 1964 following acquisition of more than 95% of its capital by the Australian Biscuit Co. The factory was later registered by the National Trust and converted into units.

REFERENCES
Derham, G.A. (ed.), The first hundred years, 1854-1954: Swallow & Ariell Ltd, Port Melbourne, Victoria, Swallow & Ariell Ltd, Melbourne, 1954

Swallows sell ice cream co. in Tasmania

Swallow- and Ariell (Ice cream) Pty. Ltd., has accepted an offer by Tasmanian Milk Co. Pty. Ltd., Hobart, to buy its assets in Tasmania.
Directors point out that their right to use the name "Swallows Ice-Cream"does not pass to the purchaser.
Swallow has sold its Victorian ice-cream business to Peters.
Newspapers: Browse The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957)
Wed 22 August 1956 Page 12

Are you able to contribute anything about Swallows Ice Cream?

Messenger

---

❊ Web Links ❊

➼ Swallows Ice Cream 

➼ www.emelbourne.net.au

➼ Swallows Ice Cream factory at Port Melbourne

❊ Also See... ❊

➼ Signs Of Melbourne

➼ Peters Ice Cream






Update Page