Ladd's cordials facts for kids
Ladd's was a family-run company in Adelaide, South Australia, that made popular soft drinks like ginger beer. They operated for about 90 years, from around 1860 to 1950. They were known for their tasty drinks and different kinds of bottles.
History of Ladd's Soft Drinks
The story of Ladd's began with Joseph Onesimus Ladd. He was born in England around 1818 and moved to Australia, arriving in Adelaide in 1847. In 1849, he got a special permit to run a hotel called the Gepp's Cross Hotel. He married Caroline Fuller in 1853, and they had many children.
Around 1860, Joseph started making ginger beer in Flinders Street, Adelaide. In 1868, he moved his business to a bigger spot on Rundle Street. Soon after, he began making other soft drinks and fizzy waters. He might have gotten his sugar or ginger from Mauritius, an island country, but we don't know for sure.
Joseph O. Ladd passed away in 1882. His wife, Caroline Ladd, then took over the business. In 1884, she moved the factory to Harrow Road in College Park. The new factory had all the latest machines. The family also lived at this address. This location was chosen because of the very pure spring water found there. Other famous drink makers like Woodroofe's, Hall's, and Coopers Brewery also used this same good water.
Over the years, Ladd's used many different types of bottles, just like other soft drink companies. Some were pottery "stonie" bottles, while others were glass. Early glass bottles included the Codd pattern with a glass ball inside to seal it, and the Barrett or Riley pattern with a screw-on stopper. From around 1930, they started using bottles with crown seal caps, which are common today.
The bottles usually belonged to the company. If they weren't broken, they could be cleaned with steam and used again and again. Mrs. Ladd would buy used bottles from dealers. She told her workers to use all bottles, even if they had another company's name on them. This was much cheaper than buying new bottles.
Caroline Ladd died in 1897, and her son Joseph Ladd (born 1856) became the new manager. Joseph had married Mary Cunningham in 1888. Their son, Roy Leslie Joseph Ladd (born 1892), later married Jessie Ann Sutherland in 1917.
When Joseph Ladd passed away in 1929, his son Roy took over the business. Around this time, the company started using a horseshoe-shaped Magnet as their trademark. In 1948, the family business changed its structure to become a limited company. In 1950, a new company called J. L. Aerated Waters Ltd. was formed to take over Ladd's. A month later, this new company was renamed "Ladds Limited." Roy Ladd died in 1954, and a few months later, the company closed down. Its properties and trademarks, like "Spa-Kup," were sold off.
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