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Football Cards 1965/66 - 1979/80
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A&BC Chewing Gum Ltd. - a brief history
Part 1 - Introduction and beginnings
A&BC Chewing Gum Ltd. formed in 1949, and folded in
1974. In its 25-year history it produced some of the best bubble gum and
collectors cards ever seen in the U.K. The company has become a favourite
amongst card traders and collectors for the quality, variety and imagination
shown in the design and production of their gum giveaways. Their range covered
film stars, the Beatles, the Monkees, Man from UNCLE, Civil War cards and
banknotes, as well as an impressive range of English and Scottish football
cards, pennants, pin-ups, emblems and crests. In the history of gum and trade
cards, they will go down as one of the greats.
The story of A&BC Chewing Gum is typical of many
company tales. It has many highlights, challenges and frustrations. This article
aims to record some of this history, focussing mainly on the history relating to
their card production. The history has been prepared by Nigel Mercer of Nigel’s Webspace
(http://cards.littleoak.com.au/)
using material kindly supplied by Mr Tony Coakley, one of the original founders
of the company. Mr Coakley, now in his 80s, has assisted in the production of
this article and his assistance is gratefully acknowledged.
The company began producing their gum
in a small factory in Cricklewood, North London. Besides the
four directors there were five other employees in the early days. After a few
years Mr Anysz was bought out, leaving Messrs Braun, Coakley and Coakley in
control. Douglas Coakley was in charge of Sales and Marketing, with his younger
brother Tony in charge of factories, machinery and production. Mr Braun was
in charge of accounting.
Their main competitors in the gum market at the time
were Anglo American Chewing Gum (Bubbly) and Wrigley. In
those days England had no money and the Exchange control of the dollar was very
tight. As imports were strictly controlled the market was wide open.
Hard to appreciate now but A&BC managed to circumvent a lot
to the problems that came with the importation of machinery. There were many
difficulties, fighting the then establishment who thought Chewing Gum was
disgusting and not worth considering giving them a licence during this time of
shortages; things were very restrictive. Since there was no sugar available
without a licence one of the first ever-sugarless chewing gum was produced using
an artificial sweetener, so that the product did not require sweet rationing
coupons.
A&BC began by making a Chewing Gum
in a twist wrap style, and then Douglas Coakley went to America on his honeymoon
and whilst he was there sought out anyone who might be selling machinery to mass
produce chewing gum, since the required equipment was very specialised. By
fortune he was informed of a chewing gum company who had gone into liquidation
in Fort Worth Texas, he flew from New York and bought the equipment not knowing
anything about machinery, he took the chance. A&BC were then able to produce
their first proper chewing gum which was wrapped in the familiar style that is
still used today; it was called “Everlast” chewing gum.
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