This Day in History: 1897-01-24

‘The Chemist and Druggist’ reported that on 24th January 1897 ‘A fire broke out at Pontefract on Sunday, January 24 (1897), resulting in the complete destruction of a liquorice-factory belonging to Councillor A. Taylor White. A large quantity of machinery for the making of ” Pontefract cakes ” was destroyed, and also a few tons of finished cakes, as well as a considerable weight of raw material.’