SAMUEL GAWITH TOBACCOS and 1792
H. Doc Burns, PhD
[Many, many years ago, upon discovering what I've always subtitled: "Expired Rodent Within a Tin", Sam Gawith's '1792', one of the Anniversary issues of the Lake Land Folk, I wrote an Historical article, (mostly Anecdotal with a generous dash of Apocrypha), following the basic history of Samuel Gawith, and the split with Gawith Hoggarth & Co. in 1854. I then tried to trace the alchemy practiced by the Lake Land Little'uns, which takes a surprizing blend of tobaccos through a tortuous process of wrapping, pressing, steaming, flavouring and repeating in various sequences until the desired effect is to be had. I hadn't, (and still haven't) ascertained how they discovered that the tin aroma of a deceased rat, ( or two fulsome mice) that have been stored in a tin for some longish time, would give the eventual ambrosia we love when set alight in a pipe.
[This essay was pre computer, and thus far I have only been able to dig out a couple of the carbon paper sheets of the piece, and none of the original nor carbon copy MS scrolls which, along with other precious MSS I stashed in a place I was sure at the time would be safe and I'd be certain of their exactly location. We all knew where this was going long ago.
[However, using pieces research notes of Gawith history and reviews I trust, more or less, I've cobbled together this bit of history, (mainly true) and opinion, (not so much), having found this, the first piece I find in a new forum. I shan't leave this alone, though. I'll continue to search for the original, (or the carbon copy), but not holding out a great deal of hope, I shall also do one of the most difficult and often odious tasks a writer can be set, that of rewriting a lost piece of writing. Still, when, (and I promise nothing), I manage a passable piece, I shall replace the below, (or tack it on depending upon its quality), and this should take on the appearance of something worthwhile. You've been forewarned.]
Until then, there is this:
For over 200 years, since 1792, Samuel Gawith & Co. have been producing fine pipe tobaccos that have been enjoyed by all walks of life the world over. In the town of Kendal, in the mountainous Lake District of Cumbria, in North West England, near the Scottish border, the generations of Gawiths have been hand cutting, stripping and blending their tobaccos.
Then, in 1854, there came to be three companies milling snuff in Kendal, as one of the Gawith brothers had a parting of the ways with Samuel, and formed a partnership with a Mr. Hoggarth continuing in the manufacture of snuff, creating Gawith & Hoggarth. A third snuff company was eventually started by a gentleman, originally a salesman for Samuel Gawith, called Illingworth, which is no longer in operation.
Find the article in Pipes &Tobaccos for the full story of the Samuel Gawith Company.
A brisk trade in Lakeland wool for American tobacco drove these snuff mills throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As both industries and markets changed, the thrust of Samuel Gawith and G&H shifted from primarily snuff to twists and pipe tobaccos.
1792 Flake
This is a full strength, mellow tobacco comprising a blend of dark fired Tanzanian leaf. It is Gawith’s best-selling premium grade flake. It starts as 7lbs. of hand stripped leaf and goes through a steaming process prior to being pressed. The cake, having been prepared, is wrapped in a select leaf and packed by hand into a 12 inch square. This cake is pressed and left for a minimum of two hours. Then, the pressed cake is placed into a steam press where it is baked at full heat for two to three hours. The baked cake has then taken on 1792’s characteristic rich, dark color. Its hardening occurs during cooling. Once the process of cutting the flake and adding a tonquin flavoring is carried out, hand wrapping and packing finalizes 1792, making it ready for rubbing into your pipe.
H. Doc. Burns, PhD
”Burns’ Blends Custom Pipe Tobaccos”
