CALNE Heritage Centre hosted a C&T Harris Reunion Tea Party, to celebrate the rich history of the bacon factory that employed thousands of people in Calne.

The tea party was put on as part of Heritage Week after a successful first reunion in 2017.

Former workers from the Harris bacon factory gathered together to talk about old times and enjoy afternoon tea.

Special guest David Harris, great-great-grandson of Charles Harris,one of the founding brothers of the factory, gave a welcome speech before cutting the cake designed and made by The Flying Pig Emporium, Calne.

Norman Beale, retired Calne GP, gave a talk about his study of the health of those living with the threat of redundancy, as well as these who lost their jobs when Harris factory ended production in 1982.

His ground-breaking research led to the findings now being included in trainee doctors’ courses.

At it’s peak, each week, C&T Harris (Calne) Ltd processed 5000 pigs and produced 100 tons of meat pies, 150 tons of sausages, 50 tons of cooked meats and 70 tons of canned and miscellaneous products.

It was founded by Sarah Harris in 1770, but by then pigs were already being imported in from Ireland and surrounding farms. She ran her butchers shop on Butchers Row and from there the company grew over 200 years.

By 1863, the business had grown so much that the railway came to Calne and stayed open for 102 years until 1962. It was built almost opposite the entrance to the factory and provided useful import and export of Harris’ products.

In its heyday the company employed over 1700 local people with its bacon and other pork products distributed nationwide as well as to oversea market. The factory closed in 1982 and was demolished in 1984. Before the 1920s the business mainly operated form tin sheds, but by the early 20th century modern machinery was brought in and by 1930 a factory had been built. however the smell and noise sparked numerous complaints and protests and it was eventually closed in the 1960s. The company closed in 1983.