Image Ref : EMM 1520.tif

Harris Bacon 1969

View across Coronation Road and the leat, Harris Bacon Factory, 1969. From TT 1982 - 160 people work at the Harris Factory in Totnes. The mill and weir were bought by C & T Harris of Calne who completed the building of their factory in September 1912. The mill was worked by water power from the Mill Leat right up to the end of WW2 when electrical power was installed. Mr John Powney of Calne was the first manager of the Totnes project arriving with Mr Frederick Smart and his two sons William and Ernest to open the factory. By 1921 Ernest was 24 and "regarded as a man" so it was agreed to advance his wages from 50s to 52s, the level of the other employees. During the war "small goods" production was added to the bacon curing side of the business - like sausages and pies. Further extensions were made to the property after 1962 and the "small goods" side was expanded to create the premises we now know. We are now back into recession but the factory is surviving well. Ref 58/(120)