Irish Moss changes hands

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32804, 3 January 1972, Page 1

Irish Moss changes hands

The rights to the i Bonnington’s Irish Moss trade-mark, held by the Bonnington family for 111 years, have been sold to Sterling Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. By the end of March,'production of the cough-medicine at the Christchurch factory will have ceased, and been transferred to the new owners’ Auckland plant.

This was confirmed by the secretary and managing director of George Bonnington, Ltd (Mr T. R. Condliffe), who said that he wished to make it quite clear that Irish Moss would not be going off the market, nor would there be any change in the activities of the retail shop, Bonnington’s the Chemists, at the comer of High and Cashel Streets. “Economic conditions are

I the main reason for what isi best described as a ‘takeover’ for the cough remedy,” said Mr Condliffe, “Shipping has been one of our biggest problems—for some reason you can ship out of Auckland for one-third of the cost of shipping from Lyttelton to Auckland.” Mr Condliffe said that production of the cough remedy would continue at the firm’s factory at Olliviers Road until about the end of March, to use up materials. Then, manufacturing would have started at Auckland, and the Christchurch factory and plant would be put up for sale. Asked about the staff at Christchurch, Mr Condliffe said that “very few” would be affected. “Bonnington’s has a tradition of longservice,” he said. “Some of the factory people are about ready to retire and the rest will have no difficulty in finding jobs.” "I may stay on,” said Mr

Condliffe, who has been man-| jaging director and secretary, of the firm for 46 years. Although the factory had been automated for some years, the firm had faced continually increasing costs, and as Auckland and its district was the biggest sales outlet for Irish Moss, it was logical to shift production to that city, he said. The sale of the trade-mark to the American-based Sterling Pharmaceuticals covers the rights in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Although no Irish Moss was made or sold in Britain, said Mr Condliffe, the trade-mark was registered there as a protection. Bonnington’s Irish Moss established itself as a family stand-by more than century ago, and the name is probably the oldest trade-mark still in existence for a New Zealand-made product. It all started when George Bonnington, the founder of the firm, became a partner in a chemists’ shop at Nelson,

iand started his experiments 'brewing a cough mixture. Tradition has it that he used a saucepan on a kitchen stove.

The result was the development of Bonnington’s Irish Moss—“ Pectoral Oxymel of Carrageen.” Mr Condliffe says the same 16 orginal ingredients are used in today’s mixture. Mr Bonnington moved to Christchurch, his first shop being on the west side of Colombo Street about where Haywrights is now. In 1876, he moved to the Triangle, then further south on High Street, and, in 1911, to a building erected by the firm at the comer of High and Cashel Streets. This, modernised in 1968, is still the site of the retail chemist shop. George Bonnington- died in 1901 and the family has continued to control the bush ness, first by his eight sons, the last of whom died five years ago. Bonnington’s is still a private company, with 24 shareholders.