Herbie Rides Again

By the late Victorian era, consumers throughout the UK were offered a wide range of products which were advertised in newspapers, agricultural show brochures, almanacs and periodicals.  

This was especially so for brands of medicines, tonics and health-inducing foods. 

Over the counter remedies were often cheaper than paying to visit a doctor and buying their prescribed medicines. Many people were forced to some extent to self-diagnose and on their own analysis bought treatments from their local chemist’s shop instead. 

The market was largely unregulated and some manufacturers made very extravagant claims about the effectiveness of their products. 

One popular beverage was based on an extract of herbs which, when diluted, made a Herb or Botanic Beer,and importantly for wider acceptance and use it was non-intoxicating .  

Such things were commonly drunk as tonics and seen as preventative medicines. 

Manufacturers were keen to encourage a brand following and warn consumers of inferior imitations. 

The Nottingham company of Newball and Mason was originally founded in or around 1870 from the combined talents of Thomas Newball, who had a chemist shop on Derby Road in the city and Thomas Mason, who had actually started as an apprentice from age 15 to Newball. 

It was Mason who took the credit for the invention of the “Extract or Essence of Herbs” which became a main product from around 1875. 

The Extract was for the speedy production of herb or botanic beer with a sixpenny bottle, although the volume was not recorded, making 8 gallons of a creamy head like bottled ale with a herbaceous flavour. 

The attraction to the consumer was that the concentrated liquor saved them from having to undertake the tedious and no doubt odour producing boiling of herbs to achieve something like the original. 

The advertisements to be found in many country wide publications promoted this health giving, invigorating and as a bonus, delicious, drink. There were glowing claims that it was by far the best Temperance beer on the market and the target market was for those working out in the harvest fields as well as those partaking at home. 

The beverage was reputed to be of bright and attractive appearance being agreeable to the palate and at a very trifling cost. 

Newball and Mason were not at risk of underselling their product and testified in the marketing literature that “The immense sale of this Beer Essence is sufficient proof of its excellence. Those who have not tried this preparation should do so at once. They would certainly become constant purchasers”. 

The company offered a sample bottle to new customers on a post free basis in return for nine stamps. 

Hundreds of endorsements by thrilled customers were mentioned but not actually provided.

The Temperance Movement was obviously given the hard sell for the Essence on the basis of its non-intoxicating properties. Specific mention was made of Mason’s Original always being acceptable at picnics, evidently a mainstay of the abstainers and those of a religious persuasion.

Much emphasis was placed on Mason's Extract being "the pleasantest and most refreshing drink available" 

The special ingredients were not listed as required on products today but with manufacturers claims of it being entirely of Herbs. 

Perhaps the biggest self proclaimed accolade was that it made “the finest beverage in the world” 

The reproduced bottle label from the inner pages of  an Agricultural Show gives the factory address in Hyson Green, Nottingham which became the main production site from 1890. The company began to diversify into coffee, fruit essences and flavourings, household chemicals, culinary and medicinal herbs. 

In a 1947 British Industries Fair Advert  Mason's Products were listed to include Custard Flavour, Dessert Flavours for Soda Fountains and Ice Creams, Communion Wine, Junkets, Packet Spices, Culinary Essences, Herbs, Flavourings, Extracts, etc. Also Mint Sauce, "Fifth Avenue" Coffee and Cornish Pilchards. (Foodstuffs Section - Earls Court, 1st Floor, Stand No. 588)

For the late Victorian Extract the natural ingredients were actually grown on the company’s herb and fruit farm in the cutely named village of Bunny in open countryside to the south east of Nottingham. 

Whilst the Victorian Era did see a proliferation of quacks, charlatans, bogus fraudsters and downright swindlers this did not at all apply to Newball and Mason who continued in business into the 1970’s.