Love Lane Lives
The history of sugar in Liverpool and the effects of the closure of the Tate & Lyle sugar refinery, Love Lane
Lord Cube in Liverpool 60 years ago tonight!
Written by Ron Noon at 23:09 on Tuesday, December 08th 2009
This is the report contained in THE TIMES on Friday December 9th 1949:
LORD LYLE DEFENDS SUGAR CAMPAIGN
REPLY TO ATTORNEY-GENERAL
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT
LIVERPOOL, Dec.8
More than 2000 people packed into the Central Hall, Liverpool, tonight and filled another hall in the same building, to which the speeches were relayed to hear Lord Lyle of Westbourne address a free enterprise meeting organized by the local branch of the National Union of Manufacturers. Apart from one or two minor efforts at heckling, he was given an enthusiastic hearing.
Before the meeting he issued the following reply to the Attorney-General’s statement in the House of Commons yesterday: “The Attorney-General’s statement does not clarify the position with regard to the printing of Mr Cube on our packets. It will be necessary to get further legal advice. In the meantime some aspects of our campaign can be noted.
“The cost of printing Mr Cube is no greater than the cost of printing anything else on our packets. 2. Our campaign is not against nationalization in general, but against the nationalization of a section of the sugar refining industry - namely sugar refining. 3. There are many Socialist supporters, and no doubt many Socialist candidates, who are opposed to the nationalization of sugar refining. 4. Our campaign is certainly not directed towards the return of a candidate, thereby supporting one candidate or attacking others.”
In his speech, Lord Lye said that his firm intended to continue its oppostion to the Labour Party’s proposal to nationalize the sugar industry.
................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Sixty years ago Mr Cube was clearly enjoying the festive season. Forty years on in December 1999 the former refinery workers at Henry Tate’s mother plant, held their last ever Christmas party in the Britannia Adelphi Hotel and Mr Cube had metamorphosed to Mr Scrooge!
