History of Newton Chambers & Izal
| Published: 20th January 2007 17:14 |
A History of Newton Chambers & IZAL
In 1893 Mr Newton of Newton Chambers & Co announced a "magical "new trade secret known as Izal. Stories suggest that coal tar, which dripped from the coke ovens in the Thorncliffe factory in Chapeltown, was found to heal the cuts & sores of the oven workers.
Initially this product was known as Thorncliffe Patent Disinfectant, but the firms' analytical chemist J.H Worrall had a sister called "Liza" which could be coincidentally an anagram of Izal! There is however no direct evidence to support this belief.
Within a year or so of its discovery Izal was found to be a revolution in non- poisonous disinfectant & antiseptic. An imaginative advertising and sales strategy kept Izal a household name for the next 70 years.
By the end of the 19th century Newton Chambers employed several thousand workers, they specialised in coal & coke making, iron manufacturing, chemicals, heavy castings & patented the Thorncliffe cooking range.
An article in the British Medical Journal in 1894 carried out an experiment with Izal, it was summed up as follows: Exposure for 5 minutes to Izal in the strength of 1:200 completely destroys the vitality of the microbes of diphtheria, typhoid fever, fowl cholera, swine fever, glanders, cholera of suppuration, of erysipelas, of scarletina and other non-sporing pathogenic and non pathogenic species.
By 1895 Izal was available as toilet & medical soap, soft soap, ointment, tooth powder, lozenges and disinfectant powder.
In 1896 Joseph Godber was appointed as commercial manager, and a world-wide advertising campaign was launched. He targeted in particular the medical profession and sanitary authorities. There was an overwhelming demand for the product in South Africa for the military. He opened agencies in Egypt, Canada, India & USA.
Newton chambers would giveaway free toilet paper to authorities that placed large orders for Izal.
During the 1st World War part of the factory was turned over to a munitions site.
Around 1936 until the Second World War people were invited to send in rhymes which were then printed in toilet rolls!
Mary had a little lamb,
Its fleece was full of germs,
She put it in an Izal bath,
And now it`s full of perms.
Jack and Jill climbed up the hill-
Today we call it hiking,
An Izal bath as an aftermath
Was greatly to their liking.
Pussycat, Pussycat where have you been?
Iv`e been to London to see the Queen,
What did she say to you when you got there?
She said "I use Izal everywhere"
During the 2nd .World War the advertising continued, often with a military theme
Private Bill charged up the hill
With bayonet in its socket
"I fear no ill," said Private Bill,
"With Izal in my pocket."
By 1949 Zal pine disinfectant was launched & was an instant success.
When the first British Commercial television programmes were transmitted Newton chambers advertised Zal, three 30 second films were made.
In the late 50`s Bowater Scott launched its Andrex soft toilet tissue, Izal responded with their own brand.
In 1981 Newton Chambers was closed & the site redeveloped by Hassall Homes, however some Izal products are still marketed by the Lever Group to industrial companies and by Jeyes to the general public.
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