Our Origins.
The Founder of Wilkin & Sons was Arthur Charles Wilkin whose family farmed here since 1757. Arthur started growing fruit for sale, but soon realised that making good quality jam was more profitable. In 1885 Arthur and two friends set up the Britannia Fruit Preserving Company. The name changed in 1905 to Wilkin & Sons.
Arthur died in 1913, but was succeeded by his sons, Charles, and Stanley. Another son, Arthur Swinborne, left the company to manage his own farm at Dagenham, but his two sons, Fred and Tom, returned to Wilkin & Sons as the third generation of the family. Today, Mr Peter Wilkin is the great grandson of our founder, and is Fred’s son.
Royalty.
In 1911, King George V awarded Wilkin & Sons his Royal Warrant, for jam. George VI continued this, Queen Elizabeth ll extended it firstly to jams and marmalades, and later to all Tiptree products. We are now proud to have received King Charles III’s Warrant.
In 1924, a Dolls House was created by the architect, Edwin Lutyens, for Queen Mary. Companies were invited to produce miniatures of their products at 1/12 scale. Our jams in their mini jars are still in the dolls house, which can be visited in Windsor Castle.
In 2010, Queen Elizabeth ll visited the factory to celebrate our 125th anniversary of jam making.
War Time.
The company continued to produce jam and marmalade during both world wars, selling direct to customers until 1941. In 1918, Lt Milburn, flying out of the aerodrome at Stow Maries, dropped a weighted coloured cloth streamer out of his bi-plane. The streamer contained a folded up message, asking for jam to be sent to Stow Maries. A second ‘drop’ thanked the factory for supplying jam, which the men had enjoyed, and asked for a regular supply. The museum has the original streamer on display, as well as model of his plane, a BE2E.
The Farm and Fruit Pickers.
Wilkin & Sons grow fruit on approximately 650 acres at Tiptree and Goldhanger. The fruit is picked by hand, and some 300 pickers from all round the world, descend on Tiptree for the summer months.
Farm Machinery.
As a working farm, Wilkin & Sons have a number of vintage tractors, seeders and planters, straw chaff cutters and hay turners, some dating back to the 19th century. Two areas adjacent to the tea room car park display a range of these.
Factory Machinery.
Inside the museum is a display of old machinery used in the factory, including apple peelers and slicers, and cherry stoners. Some of these were made for specific purposes, using everyday items such as piano wire and bicycle chains.
Transport.
From 1904 to 1962, a railway line ran right past the factory. Nick-named the crab & winkle line, it ran from the coast at Tollesbury, past Tolleshunt D’Arcy and Tiptree, up to Kelvedon where it joined the London to Norwich main line.
Finding Us.
You’ll find the Museum beside the tea room and shop at the Tiptree factory. Look out for the sign in the tea room seating area.
Opening Hours
Summer
Mon - Sat 9.30am – 5.00pm
Sun 10.00am – 5.00pm
Winter
Mon - Sat 9.30am – 4.30pm
Sun 10.00am – 4.30pm
