Our final interview comes from the current manager of Baldwins, Steve Dagnell. Steve recalls growing up with the shop, working there with his father and how the business has changed over the years. A fascinating listen!
Thank you Steve and interviewer Irene Payne for this great interview. And thank you to everyone who has taken part in The Roots Oral Histories over the past year, for putting together such an amazing collection of memories and stories.
And thank you for listening!
We have another oral history to share with you as Brian Frampton recalls growing up in Walworth in the 50s (and his memories of Baldwins too, of course!). A great listen.
Thank you to Brian Frampton and interviewer Kitty Corish for a lovely interview.
We’re pleased to share another of our interviews of local residents with you. Back in 2012 Linda Hearnshaw interviewed Julia Onley, who had much to share about her childhood in Walworth, the local streets and shops (and, of course, Baldwins!).
Take a listen below and enjoy!
You probably know Sarsaparilla best as a sweet soft drink, but did you know Sarsaparilla is thought to have many medicinal properties and used to be drunk as a curative tonic?
Sarsaparilla is a vine, native to the rainforests of Central and South America. The root of the plant is the most valued part of the plant, and the part used for its medicinal benefits.
Sarsaparilla was brought to Europe from the Americas in the mid-sixteenth century where it quickly became popular with physicians and the public.
Today, Sarsaparilla is most often used for its anti-inflammatory properties, which make it a great treatment for sufferers of skin problems such as psoriasis, eczema and itchiness. Sarsparilla has also been used in the past to treat a variety of conditions, including gout, arthritis, rheumatism, impotence, depression, syphilis and some symptoms of the menopause.
The root of the Sarsaparilla plant is very bitter, and so it was common for pharmacists to distill the useful chemicals from the plant and then to mix these with sugar and water. This tonic would often contain ingredients such as liquorice, cassia, ginger, cloves, coriander seeds, sassafras and wintergreen.
Sarsaparilla was one of G. Baldwin & Co’s most popular remedies, where they used to serve it strong and frothy, and very different to the sweet carbonated drink Sarsaparilla is today! Did you ever try a glass of Baldwin’s Sarsaparilla?
Today the anti-inflammatory action is still much in demand for treating arthritis and skin disorders like eczema and psoriasis, and supplements of the plant are still on sale in Baldwins today.
G. Baldwin & Co. on Walworth Road, is one of London’s oldest and most established herbalists, a specialist in the natural remedies field with expertise and experience spanning two families and over 160 years.
The company was founded by George Baldwin in 1844 and was originally based at 77 Walworth Road, South East London. G. Baldwin thrived over the next 50 years, with 12 shops around the London area at its peak.
When George Baldwin died at the turn of the century, his son (also named George) took over the business. Young George was an engineer and had no great interest in the business. As managers left or died the shops closed down.
At the end of the First World War, Henry Dagnell joined Baldwins. His role was to restore the failing G. Baldwin & Co. business. One of his tasks was to collect all unsold stock from the various G. Baldwin & Co. shops aroung London as they closed. Using a hand-barrow he would deliver the stock back to the shop at 77 Walworth Road.
By 1925, only the original shop remained and this was now owned by Mr Parkin, with Mr Dagnell installed as Manager. It wasn’t until Mr Parkin’s death in 1951 that Henry Dagnell purchased the company for which he had now worked for over 30 years. He was joined by his son, Henry Dagnell Junior.
In 1969, Baldwins was forced by development work to relocate to 173 Walworth Road where they are still based today. Over twenty years on, this shop still has a nostalgic atmosphere – wooden floors, high old-fashioned counters and shelves stacked with herbs, oils and ointments.
In 1978, the company bought 171 Walworth Road with the intention of developing into the Health Food Market. It was at this time that G. Baldwin & Co. started branching out into areas outside the core business of Herbs and Herbal medicines. Essential and carrier oils were sourced and sold together with other natural remedies.
In 1981 Mr Dagnell was joined by his son, Stephen and the company continued to thrive, as the Natural and Alternative Health Industry began to boom. In 1993 Henry Dagnell retired, leaving Stephen to carry on the business.
Today the company has a thriving mail order business as well as a solid core of customers who visit the shop.
The Roots project tells the story of Walworth Road based G. Baldwin & Co., one of the oldest and most established herbalists in London, and the many customers who have frequented the shop over its long history. Southwark Pensioners Centre worked with volunteers from the local community to create recorded oral histories of the area and present heritage talks and research.
If you would like to learn more about the project please contact Julia Honess:
Phone: 07960318055
Email: juliahoness@hotmail.com
If you would like to find out more about the area and it’s local history, a great wealth of information can be found at Southwark Local History Library.
To discuss and share your memories of Walworth you can join the conversation on Now and Then Walworth’s facebook page!
