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==History== In the early 1800s, [[Jeremiah Colman]] began making mustard at a [[water mill]] near Norwich in the village of [[Bawburgh]]. To create a tangy flavour, he blended brown mustard (''[[Brassica juncea]]'') with white mustard (''[[Sinapis alba]]''). [[File:Stoke Holy Cross Mill - geograph.org.uk - 142445.jpg|thumb|left|Stoke Holy Cross Mill was the home of Colman's Mustard from 1814 to 1862.]] Colman founded '''Colman's of Norwich''' in 1814, at the [[Stoke Holy Cross]] mill on the [[River Tas]], {{Convert|4|mi|km|spell=in}} south of Norwich.<ref name=history>{{cite web|url=http://www.colmansmustardshop.com/history_of_colmans.htm|title=Colman's History|date=June 8, 2009|website=colmansmustardshop.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090608114828/http://www.colmansmustardshop.com/history_of_colmans.htm|archive-date=June 8, 2009|access-date=December 8, 2018}}</ref> In 1823 he took his adopted nephew, James, into the business, which became '''J. & J. Colman'''.<ref name=history/> In 1851, [[Jeremiah James Colman|J. J. Colman]] took over the business.<ref name=history/> By 1865, production had transferred to a large factory at [[Carrow Road]] on land at [[Thorpe Hamlet]], bought from the [[Norfolk Railway]] to the south of Norwich,<ref name=history/> where the firm operated until the Norwich closure. From 1855, the firm introduced its distinctive yellow packaging and bull's-head logo. In 1866, it was granted the [[Royal warrant of appointment (United Kingdom)|Royal Warrant]] as manufacturers of mustard to [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]].<ref name=history/> [[British royal family|His Majesty's household]] still uses Colman's today.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} The Colman family's pioneering achievements in social welfare are part of Norwich's history. In 1857 a school was opened for the employees' children,<ref name=history/> while in 1864, the firm employed a nurse to help sick members of staff, a social revolution at the time.<ref name=history/> From 1896, [[Sir Jeremiah Colman, 1st Baronet|Jeremiah Colman]] became chairman.<ref name=cambridge>{{cite web|url=http://www.bioc.cam.ac.uk/library/history.html|title=Department of Biochemistry: History|year=2015|publisher=[[University of Cambridge]]|access-date=December 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090803090458/http://www.bioc.cam.ac.uk/library/history.html|archive-date=3 August 2009|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1903, the firm took over rival mustard maker [[Keen's|Keen Robinson & Company]],<ref name=history/> through which it also acquired the [[Robinsons (soft drink)|Robinsons]] [[barley water]] and baby food business.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|url=http://karabi.ir/greencontent/uploads/2014/04/THE-EMERGENCE-OF-MODERN-MARKETING.pdf|title=The Emergence of Modern Marketing|access-date=21 March 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140809124353/http://karabi.ir/greencontent/uploads/2014/04/THE-EMERGENCE-OF-MODERN-MARKETING.pdf|archive-date=9 August 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> The purpose of the acquisition was to reduce competition within the mustard business.<ref name=autogenerated1/> In the 19th and early 20th centuries [[Wisbech]] uniquely held annual mustard markets where the sale of the harvest of 'brown' and 'white' seed took place. Regular annual Buyers included Messrs Colman's.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000237/19071025/032/0006|newspaper=Stamford Mercury|title=Coleman of Norwich|access-date =21 September 2019}}{{subscription required|via=britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001995/18891025/055/0005|title=Coleman of Norwich|newspaper=Wisbech Standard|access-date=4 October 2019}}</ref> By 1909, the company employed 2,300 people.<ref name=autogenerated1 /> Keen's production was moved from London to Norwich in 1925.<ref name=autogenerated1 /> Together with [[Reckitt]], the company acquired [[French's]], the American mustard manufacturer, in 1926 for Β£750,000.<ref name=autogenerated1 /> In 1938, it merged with [[Reckitt and Sons]] of Hull to form the [[Reckitt & Colman]] household products conglomerate.<ref name=history/> From 1997 to 2001, Colman's were the main sponsors of [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City Football Club]]. The Colman's part of the business was demerged in 1995 and Colman's became part of [[Unilever]] UK Ltd.<ref name=history/><ref name=bbc2013>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-norfolk-23051897|title=Colman's Norwich factory jobs may be at risk|date=June 25, 2013|work=[[BBC News]]|access-date=December 8, 2018}}</ref> In addition to mustard, it applies its name to condiments, sauces and other foodstuffs. Reckitt and Colman engaged in cost-cutting as it prepared to sell the brand, getting rid of the [[agronomy]] department, which had looked after plant breeding and seed development.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Warwicker|first1=Michelle|last2=Saladino|first2=Dan|date=2 September 2012|title=How English mustard almost lost its name|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/0/19370526|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120902193147/https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/0/19370526|archive-date=2 September 2012|access-date=21 March 2015|publisher=BBC Food}}</ref> Colman's maintains links with Norwich. The founding family are commemorated in street names such as ''Colman Road'' (part of the A140 inner ring road), on which is situated Colman First and Middle Schools. In addition, the Colman House residence at the [[University of East Anglia]] is named after the company and Jeremiah Colman.
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