I eat pretty much anything, within the realms of British culinary norms of course, which bodes well for the feasts we are fortunate to consume as members of the Cooks. However, there is one food my taste buds cannot abide, and that, is custard. It is therefore highly ironic that the very reason I am part of this wonderful Livery Company is down to custard powder. One could hope for a more sophisticated heritage, but, custard powder it is.
Pearce, Duff & Co., Ltd. was founded in 1847 by William Henry Duff and William Pearce, and not only sold custard powder but also Blancmange and Ice-Cream Powders; Sponge and Pudding Mixtures; Jelly Tablets and Lemonade Crystals; Baking and Raising Powders. Not many of these items would grace our cupboards today, but one can only assume they must have been very popular in their time. At its peak, the Pearce Duff factory resided in Bermondsey, and is even the subject of the fictional book, ‘Custard Tarts and Broken Hearts’.
It is this link with the food trade that I imagine led William Henry Duff’s grandson, Daniel Duff Junior, who sat on the company as a director, to be associated with the Cooks. Daniel Duff never had children but his niece married Herbert Hugh Powell who joined the family business and carried on our involvement with Cooks and it is an association that has continued for five generations and counting, as the family tree below shows.
Though Pearce, Duff & Co. was sold in my grandfather’s time, John Powell continued his connection with the industry working for the Food Manufacturers’ Federation, whilst my Great Uncle Michael worked for the sherry firm Williams and Humbert. Michael was a fantastic raconteur with a dry sense of humour, and I am sad not to have been privy to his after dinner speeches. He chaired the AOCC and eventually became Father of the Company.
My father, Keith, in his farming capacity, took our family link to food back to the very grass roots of the food chain. He was a farmer during his year as Master in 1996 at the young age of 44. He went on to become a vicar, the natural progression from farmer I am sure you would agree. His association with food and drink these days involves ensuring the communion cup is not left unfinished. However, he is now able to serve the Company as honorary chaplain, a role that is dear to his heart, and one in which he has become renowned for his rhyming graces. He has also recently become Father of the Company.
Daddy is not a man to do things by halves and five children and seven grandchildren later, the family is ever expanding. My siblings and I now all sit on the Livery, so I am afraid your chances of being sat next to one of us during dinner is worryingly high. It is usually my brother Sam’s infectious laugh that you will hear reverberating around the walls of the ancient Halls in which we dine. My sister, Katie, is using her inquisitive nature to delve into the Cook’s archives, my brother, Ben, is helping to ensure we remain technologically savvy via the Cook’s website, my brother, James, is a regular at the annual inter-livery shooting competition, and I now sit on the Charity Committee in the attempt to learn a little more about the Company that has become a wider family of sorts for the Powells.
It truly is an honour to be a member of this friendly and historic Company. If I do ever make it to Master though, I apologise in advance, but custard will not be featuring on the menu.
Kingsley Powell
