CHARCOAL - Key Persons

John Longman Bragg, was born in Dorchester, Devon, and married his first wife Deborah Crabtree in 1848, both husband and wife worked for the business. Deborah looked after the shop, whilst John baked bread and other products in the basement. The bakery produced a range of speciality as well as traditional products, John introduced the first Charcoal Biscuits to the market around 1860, prior to this activated charcoal was taken as a powder dispersed in water. Taking activated charcoal in a biscuit format, became very popular as it was far easier and more palatable to take the activated charcoal and avoided the inconvenience and mess associated with the powder. Bragg's charcoal biscuits became so popular that the product was stocked by Chemists and Grocery stores throughout London, the product was even sold by Harrods. Sales of the product was supported by advertising throughout London, with product advertised on horse drawn trams and in medical publications such as the "British Medical Journal" which is still in publication today. John Longman Bragg, passed away in 1897 at the grand old age of 84, the business continued after his death and was managed by his second wife and business partners.