Cadbury's 1879 Factory In A Garden: World's First Eco Heaven?

A grimy reality

"Why should an industrial area be squalid and depressing?" asked George. "No man should be condemned to live where a rose cannot grow."

Glancing out of his double-glazed window. At the polluted Birmingham sky.

Overlooking back-to-back slum colonies in the distance. With mildew on their walls. And soot on their windows. Britain's second city.

1878. George and Richard Cadbury had a delightful problem on hand.

Business had outgrown their 32-year-old premises. On Bridge Street. In the city centre.

They were selling chocolate after all. :)

They explored new locations. For their factory.

Middle of nowhere?

They discovered a 14.5-acre site. Four miles south of Birmingham. Between Stirchley, Kings Norton and Selly Oak farmsteads.

With winding country lanes. A meadow. A cottage. And a brook called the Bourn.

The Cadburys named the site Bournville.

Making business sense

The place was well connected too!

They could continue getting their milk supply. By the Worcester and Birmingham Canal.

And their cocoa delivered from London and Southampton. By the Birmingham West Suburban Railway. Stirchley Street station was right next to the canal.

There was one other benefit. From setting up shop in the countryside.

Cadbury could expand in its hinterland. In future.

"Love at first bite?"

It was in this charming pastoral setting. That George dreamed of a garden suburb.

With open spaces. In the factory grounds.

And tree-lined streets. With leaves strewn all around in autumn. And squirrels collecting nuts in summer. Like in a picture postcard.

With safe, clean and affordable housing. For Cadbury workers to enjoy a new quality of life. With their families.

In George's words, "If the country's a good place to live in, why not to work in?"

And thus unfolded the story. Of the world's first industrial Eden. The first ever workers' Utopia.

In the Victorian era!

History in the making

The progressive Cadburys pioneered corporate social responsibility.

And their factory township became the poster boy of sustainable development.

Pity nobody had coined either of these buzzwords by then.

Laying the foundation

Jan 1879. Birmingham architect George Gadd launched the project. Erecting the new factory. And the first 16 employee cottages on campus.

July 1879. They shut down the Bridge Street facility.

Sep 1879. The Cadburys inaugurated their new works. With the first trainload of 230 workers arriving at Bournville.

1893. They bought 120 acres of adjoining land. And built Bournville's first worker homes. Terraced houses with gardens.

Over the decades, they acquired more land. And gradually raised an institution.

Honouring tradition

1895. The Cadburys appointed William Harvey. As Resident Architect.

Harvey designed semi-detached houses. In mock Tudor style. Picking up elements from the Arts and Crafts movement.

With decorative terracotta brickwork. And with modern interiors. And indoor bathrooms.

Combining functional with aesthetic.

No house was to be taller than two storeys.

No boundary walls. No high fences.

In harmony with nature

Harvey put natural light to utmost use. And catered for generous ventilation and greenery.

Each house occupied only a quarter of its plot. He reserved the rest for outdoor spaces.

Retaining Bournville's village character.

Each garden was at least a sixth of an acre. And had at least six fruit trees.

Cadbury encouraged workers to grow their own fruit and vegetables on these plots. An apple a day kept the doctor away. :)

An iconic triangular Village Green became the heart of Bournville. From where 42-feet-wide streets spread out. In all directions.

1930. The "Sunshine Homes" were built. Located and structured to catch the most sunlight.

2003. Joseph Rowntree Foundation conducted a study. And declared Bournville "one of Britain's nicest places to live in".

A sense of community

The Cadburys took a holistic approach. To establishing an integrated township in Bournville.

Investing in its infrastructure. For employees to work, live and play.

They promoted meeting spaces and workers' events. The Cocoa House (1895). The Social Club (1900). Stirchley Community Centre (1939).

Dec 1900. George Cadbury set up the charitable Bournville Village Trust. As custodian of all its housing.

Keeping the faith

1895. The Temperance founders decreed Bournville a "dry village". No alcohol. No bars. No pubs.

Employee care

As Quakers, the Cadbury family believed employers were responsible for their workers' well-being.

Cadbury was one of the first companies to make Saturday a half-day. And to keep their factory closed on public holidays.

They created the Bournville Pension Fund. To which both employer and employee contributed.

And they started welfare schemes.

The Works Dining Room (1880s). Offering subsidised staff meals.

Bournville Rest House (1914). A low-cost hostel for female employees.

They also empowered employees. Through participative management. And self-governance initiatives.

Bournville Village Council (1902). A tenants’ committee.

Bournville Tenants Limited (1906). A workers' housing co-operative.

In 1902, as much as 30% of Cadbury’s capital expenditure was on staff benefits!

A healthy mind in a healthy body

The Cadburys urged their folks to lead active lifestyles. To take outdoor fitness and leisure activities seriously.

Even children enjoyed country picnics and summer camps. No couch potatoes.

The company put up extensive sports and recreational facilities in Bournville. With free passes for staff and their families.

Bournville Works Grounds (1895). Cadbury Recreation Ground (1900s). The Playing Fields (1903). Bournville Cricket Pavilion (1913). Bournville Park (1924). Valley Parkway Model Yachting Pool (early 1930s). Bournville Leisure Centre (1967).

Rowheath Lido (1896-1906). An open air swimming and diving pool. Edwardian style. Using natural mineral spring water. With separate buildings for men and women. Shower baths. And heated dressing cubicles. Bournville Athletic Club even hosted an international water polo match here in 1946.

Rowheath Pavilion (1919-1924). The Cadburys acquired 75 acres of open land at Rowheath Farm. Laid 14 football, 13 cricket, four hockey and two rugby pitches there. A grass athletics track. 31 tennis courts. Two squash courts. Two bowling greens. Two croquet lawns. And a fishing lake. The Pavilion had a clubhouse. Billiards tables. An exercise gym. Indoor swimming baths. Changing rooms. And a theatre. It hosted parties. Weddings. Gala dinners. And musical bands.

When under the weather

The Cadburys made medical treatment available to their staff. Free or subsidised.

At health care facilities and infirmaries.

Woodland Hospital (1909). The Works Hospital (1918).

They organised checkups and inspections in Bournville schools.

Employees were eligible for sick pay. Of up to 90% of base wage.

Workers’ Funds covered prolonged illness.

And the next of kin received a lump sum payout. Through the Dependant’s Provident Fund. Whenever a male worker died before reaching age 65.

"There's a glass and a half in all of us"

The Cadburys invested in education. For their workers. And their children.

They built schools. Sixth form centres. And colleges. Offering academic and vocational courses. With libraries and reading rooms.

Bournville Institute (1900). Model Village School (1901). Bournville Junior School (1906). Infant School (1910). Bournville College (2005).

Ruskin Hall (1904). Bournville's first public building. With a lecture theatre and tutor accommodation. In 1911 it became a School of Arts and Crafts. From 1976, it housed the Bournville Centre for Visual Arts.

Day Continuation School (1925). Where young Cadbury staff attended night classes once a week. Until they turned 18 years old. Graduates could apply for Cadbury scholarships.

For the greater good

Public amenities were for all Bournville residents. Not for Cadbury employees only.

They set up 12 different types of "special needs" schemes.

Bournville Care Village (1986). With retirement homes. And an elderly nursing home.

A hostel for those with learning difficulties.

... and so on.

Lending the brand its name

Cadbury named a few of their popular products after Bournville village.

Bournville Cocoa Powder (1906). Bournville Chocolate Bar (1908). Bournvita malt drink (1948).

Jun 1920. Cadbury ran a newspaper ad campaign. "The Factory in a Garden. It is important that food products are manufactured under clean and healthy conditions. This essential has been fully observed at Bournville. Where every detail to promote cleanliness and good health of workers has been considered. Such ideal conditions ensure ideal production. Cadbury's cocoa and chocolates. Made at Bournville. See the name 'Cadbury' on every piece of chocolate."

1950s and 1960s. Cadbury Milk Tray chocolate boxes carried pictures of the Bournville cricket pitch.

Promoting culture

1902. The Cadburys celebrated the annual Bournville Village Festival for the first time. With their famous Maypole dance. By 120 girls and boys. It continues to this day.

1906. George commissioned the Bournville Carillon. A landmark musical tower. With 48 giant bells. They play it year round. Even today.

"Pure Cadburyness"

The Cadburys lent their hand to preserving heritage.

1912-16. George bought Selly Manor. A historic 14th century dwelling. Dismantled and moved it to Bournville. As a museum.

1971. Birmingham City Council proclaimed Bournville a conservation area.

Aug 1990. Cadbury World opened its doors. As a tourist attraction. With talks and workshops. And 14 fun zones. Including a 4D cinema experience. Educating visitors about the factory's history.

"Yours for 200 years"

2024. Cadbury's still one of Birmingham's main employers.

Bournville remains a thriving town. 25,000 residents. 7,800 homes. On 1,000 acres of land. With 100 acres of standalone parks and open spaces.

Bournville Village Trust continues overseeing it.

Rowheath Pavilion still stands.

Cadbury World hosts 600,000 guests a year.

And Bournville's success story has made it a blueprint. For many industrial villages and garden cities that followed. In Britain and around the world.

Until next time. Take care of yourself. :)