The
Robinson family have been producing cider in Tenbury, “The Town in the Orchard”,
for well over 200 years, the knowledge passing from father to son for at least
eight generations.
Some of the former Robinson hostelries in Tenbury have completely disappeared
from sight and memory now but many are still offering hospitality or, like the
Cage in Church Street, now a private home, are still just discernable. Among the
ones that have gone are The Bay Horse, which used to be at 8 Teme Street; The
Tanners Arms (31/31a Cross Street); and The Kings Arms which used to be in Teme
Street, probably somewhere near the old Corn Exchange which itself was built in
"Robinson's Yard" in 1843.
In
the 1780's and 1790's Robert Robinson made cider for sale at the Bay Horse. He was
followed by his son Robert, but his son Robert decided to follow a
career in the Law. He was High Bailiff in the County Court of Worcestershire (and Secretary of the Tenbury
Improvement Company who built the Pump Rooms in the town) but in 1879 he
purchased the Rose and Crown across the River Teme in Burford. The Robinson
family then held the Rose and Crown for the next 110 years. It was in the premises that
used to stand behind that the cider business really developed.
The
High Bailiff's son, another Robert (seen here in top hat) ran the Rose and Crown
after him. In the course of the 20th century the Robinsons also held the Peacock, the Royal Oak and the
Cage, which used to be in Church Street, by the Round Market in Tenbury. The
Cage is a private residence now but there is still a bird cage hanging on the
wall above the pavement and a pane of etched glass, saying “Smoke Room” to bear
witness. In the 1930’s the family acquired the assets of the Tenbury Aerated
Water Company and started to produce soft drinks.
Robert's sons Robert (not shown in the group photo below: he died in France
in 1918) Charles (on the left of the group), Jack (second from left: when this
picture was taken in the 1950's he was on a rare visit from New Zealand where he
and Tiri, his Maori wife, spent all of their long and happy married life),
Rupert (in the dark suit) and Barney (seen on the right) were all born at the
Rose and Crown in the 1890's. The Robinsons continued to make cider there until
1959 when the decision was made to cease commercial cider making and concentrate
on soft drinks production (although they kept one press, the one we use today,
and continued to make enough cider for their own consumption).
In
the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s farm mechanization increased and the practice of
including a daily ration of cider as part of the farm workers’ wages fell away,
as indeed did the number of farm workers. For most farmers, cider apple growing
became little more than a fringe activity but they could still sell their cider
fruit to the Robinsons and the proceeds would often be sufficient to pay the
rent for the whole farm for a year.
After the Second
World War, Barrington and his brother Robert ("Bob" Robinson) joined
their
father Rupert and uncle Charles in the business. In the 1970's, 1980's and
1990's Barrington and his son Robert (who joined in 1977 and is shown last in
the family photos sequence) significantly developed their interests in the soft
drinks (Wells Soft Drinks), packaging and mineral water bottling industries. By
the time the business was sold in 1998 it was one of the largest and most
dynamic in its market.
In 2005, that irrepressible cider-making gene emerged once more. Robert Robinson decided to refurbish the 70 year old press the family held on to in 1959 and press apples to make cider for public consumption again after an absence from the market of almost 50 years.
In 2006, Robinsons Fine Dry Cider, made on that original press from the Rose and
Crown premises was test marketed in Tenbury. Much of the fruit came from the
same orchards that furnished apples for Robinson's classic ciders in the 1940's
and 1950's. It was a very pleasant surprise to discover that despite a 50 year
absence from the market, the Robinson's Tenbury Cider brand was still so strong
and so positively held in local memory.
Apples
for Robinson's Cider are not treated with sprays or pesticides. They are just
left alone to grow in the sun and the rain that the rest of us enjoy in a year
in Tenbury. It takes more than two pounds of apples to create every bottle of
Robinson's Cider and because it is made with such meticulous care, the character
and flavour are truly outstanding: a unique fusion of authentic country flavour
and real finesse. We feel sure you'll enjoy it. It has certainly been a long
time in the making.
