This article was published in the very first Fison, Packard & Prentice
Journal – a company magazine that continued into the latter part of the
20th Century. The companies had amalgamated the previous year.
by
WALTER C. FISON
The firm of James Fison & Sons, Thetford, was founded by James Fison of Barningham, born 1761, died 1817, who was the grandson of Robert Fison of Langham, Suffolk, who died in 1748.
James Fison owned the White House Farm, Barningham, and carried on the business of a miller, but finding a greater opening at Thetford with the navigable river to King’s Lynn commenced business there in 1808 with two of his sons, James and Cornell.
Another son, William Lorimer, started business in Stowmarket and married Deborah Prentice. His son Joseph, who carried on his Father’s business and later moved to Ipswich, founded the business of Joseph Fison Co. James and Cornell Fison much extended the Thetford business, the latter travelling frequently in Holland, Belgium and Northern France, selling wool and buying oil-cakes and agricultural seeds, which were shipped to king’s Lynn. In his diary he made interesting comments on the growth of Sugar Beet which had been much fostered by Napoleon the First.
They were large buyers of Wool as early as 1816 and opened a Warehouse in Bradford for its sale. The business there in 1836 was transferred to the Late Mr Thomas S. Fison in partnership successively for some time with two sons of the Late Lord Lister. The Thetford Malting business was extended and in 1833 they were supplying Malt to the well-known London brewers. Whitbread Co. which connection has been continued to the present time. In 1840 bones were imported from the Baltic and Belgium for application to the land, and in 1844 Guano. In 1846 the attention of the Firm was turned to chemical Fertilizers owing to the discovery of Coprolite Deposits in Suffolk. In 1853 Sulphur was imported from Sicily for the manufacture of Sulphuric Acid, a site for works having been secured two and a half miles from Thetford, at Two Mile Bottom.
Seven years later Sulphur Pyrites was shipped from Antwerp to Lynn for the same purpose, and in 1870 the first cargo of Spanish Pyrites was shipped by them to Lynn from Huelva, new Pyrites Burners having been erected.
The Late Chairman of Joseph Fison & Co. Ltd. Mr E. Herbert Fison in 1867 was in the Thetford Office to extend his business experience. The trade was further developed in 1878, when a siding was laid into the Works. In the meantime, the Malting business developed, with New Buildings at E. Dereham in 1859 and 1863. In 1867 and 1875 four Maltings there were erected by them for Messrs Whitbread & Co., which are now managed by our Company. In 1900 the Station Malting, King’s Lynn, a large modern one, was built.
In 1899 the business was incorporated as a Private Limited Liability Company.
New outlets for Malt products were sought, and at the Harling Road Maltings, Norfolk, a large quantity is made for the makers of a world renowned and popular food and drink products.
In 1919, after many years of friendly competition, conversations took place resulting in an amalgamation with the firm of Edward Packard Co. Limited. Ipswich, under the style of Packard & James Fison (Thetford)Limited.