This week we address a couple of visitor submitted questions.

1. David Holdford from the United States writes:

I wonder if you can help me please? I am trying to find the French text from the label of a HP Sauce bottle of the type that was on sale in the 1960s. I recollect that it started “Cette sauce de haut qualite…”
Can you help please?
Many thanks.

Thanks for your question David.

As it happens I was scanning some images from “The Road from Aston Cross - An Industrial History 1875-1975″ when I came across your question. As luck would have it, I recalled seeing a French label printed earlier in the book. This sample comes from a label printed in 1917 which although dated much earlier than what you had requested, may closely match the wording on the 1960’s label. From what I know of these labels, HP didn’t change the wording on their labels all that often, and minor revisions usually came in the form of refining a single word or two rather than the entire phrase. What’s less clear however is when the overall phrase was changed. If say they dropped the salad dressing recommendation in around this time, then it is likely that the rest of the phrasing could also be different as well.

Unfortunately I was unable to find a more recent example of a French HP Sauce label. I hope this helps!

HP Sauce French Label circa 1917
Source: The Road from Aston Cross - An Industrial History 1875-1975

1917 French HP Sauce Label:

Daddie's Favourite Sauce Label circa 1909
Source: The Road from Aston Cross - An Industrial History 1875-1975

2. Alison from Hull, United Kingdom writes:

I have 16 bottles of Daddies brown sauce, Kingswood Asda in Hull had a stock of them a while back, my uncle was getting frustrated that he couldn’t buy this brown sauce anywhere, he has taken what he wanted and i still have a lot left. Does anyone want it?

Running low on Daddie’s Brown Sauce?? Here’s your chance to stock up! Drop us a line and I’ll forward your email to Alison.

Good Luck!

I spotted this little clip while watching the British TV Series “As Time Goes By” starring Judi Dench and Geoffrey Palmer. Here, Jean (Judi) is up to her usual scheming and traps Lionel (Geoffrey) with a bottle of HP. It’s only by pure luck that I happened to catch it as I only watch this show very rarely. Enjoy!

A little while ago while out paroosing for a film at the local video rental shop, I was encouraged to rent the title “Billy Elliot“. While I knew next to nothing about this film, I agreed that it would be at the very least an alternative to a lot of the other drivel lining the shelves. Sorry, but films like “Snakes On A Plane” hold no interest with me. I’m a Corrie fan through and through…with tastes far too posh for the likes of that nonsense!

Back to the movie. Warning, the following may contain spoilers. If you’ve not seen the film, I suggest simply clicking on the photos to fill your boots with HP Sauce, which is of course why we’re all here…

The story of Billy Elliot takes place in the fictional town in ‘Everington’ in County Durham, northern England during the mid 1980’s. Its in this setting where young 11 year old Billy, the son of an impoverished coal miner, discovers a love for ballet while taking and later avoiding boxing lessons at the local community hall as was expected of boys his age. With the help of dance instructor Mrs. Wilkinson, Billy secretly develops his ballet talents amidst the turmoil of the miners’ strike occurring outside the boxing gym walls.

Billy’s secret cannot be kept indefinitely however once Mrs. Wilkinson encourages Billy to try out for the Royal Ballet school in London. The timing could not have been worse as Billy’s father struggles to keep food on the table and the home fires lit. With no money left, he resorts to chopping up their beloved piano for heat while also learning that his son is in his eyes a “poof”. Billy isn’t however a “poof” as his father fears…that’s the other kid up the street. Billy just likes to dance! This distinction finally hits home once he catches Billy dancing one evening in the boxing gym. From that point on Billy’s father’s attitude is markedly different and he spends his time making every effort to see to his sons future in dance.

Then one day, Billy receives a letter from the Royal Ballet School in response to his application.

Billy Elliot receives a letter from the Royal Ballet School. Tension rises!

It is interesting that the directors chose this moment to show the kitchen table adorned with HP Sauce at its center. This same bottle was spotted ever so briefly earlier in the film, but it is in this scene where its presence is obvious. The impoverished Elliot family has no money and now no piano either. It’s remains nothing but embers at the bottom of the stove yet somehow they manage to keep HP on the table.

Father, Brother & Grandmother wait in anticipation. HP provides quiet comfort.

In the end Billy is accepted to the Royal Ballet School to which he later excels to great heights when he achieves the lead role in Swan Lake. How do I think his family toasted his success? With a bacon sarnie with lashing of sauce of course. Anything else wouldn’t be true to this films roots, even if that particular scene never did make it on film…

I enjoyed this film quite a bit. Sauce or no sauce, it really gives one a taste of what life might have been like for people in similar circumstances in northern England in the mid 1980s and the harsh day to day realities they endured.

This week we are kept amused with photos sent to us from two individuals whom, unbenownst to each other have taken up a common theme of photographing bottles of HP Sauce out on the high seas! What is it, HP Nautical Awareness Month or something? Did I miss a memo?

Of course we all know a good Brown Sauce knows no boundaries, so lets dive right in and see what awaits us in this ‘ere treasure trove of HP goodness…Arg!!! (I cannot believe I just wrote that!)

Our first submission comes to us via Jeanette Aubry and Russ Archer from Vancouver Island, Canada. *Click on the images for larger versions. Requires Javascript.

Jeanette accounts how these images came to be:

Under limited artistic direction from Moi, Russ was asked to try to get some action shots of the “SAUCE” aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Ship (CCGS) Gordon Reid. I wasn’t sure how far we could go - considering the hyper security these days, so I was totally thrilled to get a photo of HP on a Fast Response Craft (FRC). In an emergency situation at sea these are the boats the crew use to “race” to the rescue while the mother ship follows.

…where rescued individuals are later treated to bacon sarnies doused with lashings of brown sauce along with the customary hot chocolate!

Life Ring
I guess the choice here is do you throw the ring and rope or the HP?

Tough call!

The Helm on the Bridge The Helmsman (Helm is gender neutral) guides the ship using visual references, and good taste.

Indeed!

Top of the Wheelhouse (Coast Guard Crest)
Except for the various radars, depth sounders, rigging etc…this is the Highest Position an HP bottle can obtain.

I wonder, what IS the highest elevation a bottle of HP Sauce has ever obtained? Do they serve HP in the restaurant atop the CN Tower in Toronto? Perhaps someone once fancied a proper English prior to ascending the heights of Everest!? Who knows? I certainly don’t…

Jeanette finishes:

PS. Russ is already planning a new series… Lighthouses, remote coastal and mostly inaccessible sites. (laugh)

To boldly go where no HP Sauce bottle has gone before!

I have to admit, there is something oddly addictive about setting out with the sole intent of photographing a bottle of HP Sauce in socially awkward circumstances. When traveling to Vancouver Island this past summer on board a BC Ferry, I discovered a lone table reserved for the Captain in the ships dining room. On it, a bottle of HP sat unassumingly (as is its nature) amongst the other condiments. While the dining room was full of hungry people who had only just boarded in Vancouver, I couldn’t resist but walk up to the table with my camera and take the time to properly frame the shot. As I did this, I received some curious looks from other passengers, but once finished, I left the dining room with that “I got away with something!” feeling.

I look forward to future photo submissions! Thanks Jeanette and Russ!

Our next submission comes to us from Tom LaPorte who, along with his wife and a bottle of HP Sauce tucked away in the camera bag, embarked recently from New York on a 12 day Caribbean cruise! Tom as you may recall, has previously presented us with a number of gallery photos - my favourite of which being “The Secret Of Stonehenge“.

Although Tom hasn’t yet provided stories to embellish his photos (he typically requires a good wine & dine before opening up), the photos tell us a good deal on their own. I particularly like how they managed to set up the shuffle board scene having clearly enlisted some fellow passengers for the shoot!

Thanks again to Tom LaPorte and his wife for sending along those photos! Submissions like these two exemplify what this site is all about. Don’t take your condiments TOO seriously, just enjoy them. HOW you enjoy them is up to you.