This is a fun, recent acquisition for Market Lavington Museum and a reminder of a once popular sweet which is no longer available (although there are others which are very similar).
Nuttall’s Mintoes were originally made by William Nuttall in Doncaster. They made lots of money for William, who used his wealth helping the poor of Doncaster.
What we have is a large tin, to hold seven pounds weight of the sweets.
Nuttall’s Mintoes tin, possibly from around 1960
As you can see, the tin is not pristine which is hardly surprising. For the last fifty years it has been in Market Lavington and used as a container for dog food. The owner, who gave it to us, wasn’t sure where she had obtained it, but thought it might have been from a local shop.
The price on the tin is, of course, interesting at 8d per quarter pound (about 3p for 100 grams) But for whenever that was, inflation was clearly an issue for if you turn the tin round, a different price is shown.
The other side of the tin shows a different price.
We can see, of course, how wonderfully unhealthy in today’s terms these sweets were with only sugar and fat based products mentioned.
The tin, of course, would originally have been held by a retailer who could weigh out smaller quantities for his customers. The retailer was charged more for the tin than the customers were for the sweets.
Retailers ‘hired’ the tin for a deposit of 1/6
!/6 is 7½p. It was a deposit which the retailer got back when he returned the tin to Nuttall’s.
What a lovely item to have. But can anyone out there date it from the price? Maybe it was around 1960?
Market Lavington Museum 
May 4, 2014 at 2:55 pm |
Maybe this came from Bill Little’s shop now the newsagents.
May 4, 2014 at 9:45 pm |
Nice idea – it may have done!
October 17, 2014 at 6:05 pm |
Having been born & bred just outside Doncaster these swetd where and still are a favourite in our household, also Parkinsons Butterscotch was a family favourite, John Starbuck, Doncaster
March 29, 2015 at 2:59 pm |
I have two of these tins. One belonged to my mother and was acquired in the 1930s. It is slightly smaller in size and the price on the tin is 4p per quarter pound.
Mine is a 7lb tin like your example. It was acquired from a local sweet shop in 1960 and the price on the tin is 8p per quarter.
Both tins were used to store flour for home baking.
John N of Sheffield.
March 29, 2015 at 8:02 pm |
Fun and useful items! The photo of ours has recently been used in a book about the River Don – not so far from where you live.
Rog
Curator
September 2, 2015 at 3:36 pm |
My father-In-Law used to give his goats Nuttalls mintoes as a treat. They loved them but I can’t remember any tins be bought.
September 2, 2015 at 6:24 pm |
More recently they came in plastic bags (we think). Goats with taste but maybe you got minted milk from them!
September 25, 2015 at 9:00 am |
I was looking at one of these tins in a local baazar and they wanted £40 for it………….a bit steep I thought.
September 25, 2015 at 10:59 am |
Yes we think that’s steep too. As far as we are concerned the value is in its local provenance. Cash doesn’t enter into it.
Rog
Curator
March 15, 2016 at 11:37 am |
Hi I have recently acquired a nut talks acidoes tin which I can’t find any information on ,it’s very similar to the mentors but blue any info would be very helpful thank you Sarah
March 15, 2016 at 6:45 pm |
Sorry Sarah. We know nothing!
February 16, 2017 at 6:04 pm |
I have one exactly the same, same condition too it belonged to a grandmother, so must have some age as I am now a grandmother myself.
June 2, 2017 at 1:24 pm |
In 1969-70 I lived in a house in Bessacarr outside Doncaster that had belonged to the Nuttalls, it was very grand, with badminton courts and large fishponds etc. and a huge garage. Mr Nuttall went out in his RR every Christmas Day to give presents to his workers. That is the story I was told by the then owner. We just had 2 rooms in the house. It was called Blatherwick House and was two doors from De Mulders house. Doncaster people know who De Mulders were. Massarellas also lived on the same road.
June 29, 2019 at 11:27 am |
I am interested in the history of William Nuttall (Mintoes). Can you provide the address of Blatherwick house and do you have a photo?
Any info. would be much appreciated.
June 29, 2019 at 10:31 pm
Market Lavington Museum focuses on our village and the neighbouring village of Easterton. Our interest in a generic item such as the Mintoes tin is purely that it was used in our village. I’m afraid we have no information on William Nuttall or the house you mention. Sorry we can’t help you, but maybe another reader of this blog will.
July 24, 2017 at 3:37 am |
My mum only ever sucked these mints. You would always be offered a nuttall Monroe when you arrived. Sadly my mum past away 20 years ago now. But this mint with always be linked to her. A few years before she died I wrote to the company and told them about her, she had the surprise of her life when one day a tin of minutes arrived with a wonderful letter from them explaining how they had heard about her and was sending her a gift, it was like she had won the lottery! She wondered how they knew her, in the end I told her, she was so very pleased. The company did her proud!
February 26, 2018 at 9:39 pm |
Nuttalls mintoes were situated on Queens Road in Doncaster and closed in the mid seventies. Parkinson’s butterscotch factory was close by and Radiance toffees were made in a factory on Radiance Road no about half a mile away
June 13, 2018 at 11:35 am |
worked at nuttalls packing nougat for gallard and browser in seventies
August 9, 2020 at 3:10 pm |
My great grandfather was a sugar boiler at Nuttall, He invented the nuttalls mintones, they bought the recipe from him & he set up his own sweet factory. Sadly long since gone
September 25, 2020 at 5:00 pm |
My Father and his Father before him worked at SJ Tyler & sons they made ‘Ernests’ mintoes the company closed in the 1960’s when Mr Tyler retired. Do you know the date Nuttalls mintoes were first made, my dad also made Fruitoes I used to help at the factory aged 10 loved watching the albinum ?? Being pulled on the machine then rolled out.
April 24, 2022 at 10:42 pm |
Hello IAM Lucas I’ve got a tin that’s same but my tin says the same but it’s PER 4.D ,,QR PLUS MADE IN DONCASTER
March 17, 2024 at 10:52 am |
We have just been given an 11″ tall tin at 4d a quarter.
It has an inset lid like a paint tin Possibly 1920s?