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The Sugar Girls: Tales of Hardship, Love and Happiness in Tate & Lyle’s East End
`Delightful, a terrific piece of nonfiction storytelling, and an authoritative and highly readable work of social history which brings vividly to life a fascinating part of East End life before it is lost forever.' --Melanie McGrath, author of Silvertown and Hopping
‘On an autumn day in 1944, Ethel Alleyne walked the short distance from her house to Tate & Lyle’s refinery on the shining curve of the Thames. Looking up at the giant gates, Ethel felt like she had been preparing for this moment all her life. She smoothed down her frizzy hair, scraped a bit of dirt off the corner of her shoe and strode through.
She was quite unprepared for the sight that met her eyes …’
In the years leading up to and after the Second World War thousands of women left school at fourteen to work in the bustling factories of London’s East End. Despite long hours, hard and often hazardous work, factory life afforded exciting opportunities for independence, friendship and romance. Of all the factories that lined the docks, it was at Tate and Lyle’s where you could earn the most generous wages and enjoy the best social life, and it was here where The Sugar Girls worked.
Through the Blitz and on through the years of rationing The Sugar Girls kept Britain sweet. The work was back-breakingly hard, but Tate & Lyle was more than just a factory, it was a community, a calling, a place of love and support and an uproarious, tribal part of the East End. From young Ethel to love-worn Lillian, irrepressible Gladys to Miss Smith who tries to keep a workforce of flirtatious young men and women on the straight and narrow, this is an evocative, moving story of hunger, hardship and happiness.
Tales of adversity, resilience and youthful high spirits are woven together to provide a moving insight into a lost way of life, as well as a timeless testament to the experience of being young and female.
For more information, pictures and audio clips, as well as the Sugar Girls blog, visit: http://www.thesugargirls.com
‘On an autumn day in 1944, Ethel Alleyne walked the short distance from her house to Tate & Lyle’s refinery on the shining curve of the Thames. Looking up at the giant gates, Ethel felt like she had been preparing for this moment all her life. She smoothed down her frizzy hair, scraped a bit of dirt off the corner of her shoe and strode through.
She was quite unprepared for the sight that met her eyes …’
In the years leading up to and after the Second World War thousands of women left school at fourteen to work in the bustling factories of London’s East End. Despite long hours, hard and often hazardous work, factory life afforded exciting opportunities for independence, friendship and romance. Of all the factories that lined the docks, it was at Tate and Lyle’s where you could earn the most generous wages and enjoy the best social life, and it was here where The Sugar Girls worked.
Through the Blitz and on through the years of rationing The Sugar Girls kept Britain sweet. The work was back-breakingly hard, but Tate & Lyle was more than just a factory, it was a community, a calling, a place of love and support and an uproarious, tribal part of the East End. From young Ethel to love-worn Lillian, irrepressible Gladys to Miss Smith who tries to keep a workforce of flirtatious young men and women on the straight and narrow, this is an evocative, moving story of hunger, hardship and happiness.
Tales of adversity, resilience and youthful high spirits are woven together to provide a moving insight into a lost way of life, as well as a timeless testament to the experience of being young and female.
For more information, pictures and audio clips, as well as the Sugar Girls blog, visit: http://www.thesugargirls.com
352 pages, Paperback
First published March 29, 2012
96 people are currently reading
1883 people want to read
About the author
Duncan Barrett
32 books63 followersDuncan grew up in London and read English at Jesus College, Cambridge. He is the editor of Ronald Skirth's First World War memoir The Reluctant Tommy (Macmillan, 2010) and co-author of Star Trek: The Human Frontier (Polity, 2000) and Zippy and Me: The Remarkable Life in Puppets of Rainbow's Ronnie Le Drew (forthcoming, 2011). He also works as an actor and occasional theatre director.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
June 30, 2015
This goes together with Jennifer Worth's Call the Midwife series. It's non-medical, not so well-written, and, as you might imagine, quite sweet. What this book seriously lacks is any kind of reflection or insight into the mostly poor, definitely uneducated East End girls' lives. It's very much a 'she got dressed and went to work' and 'she said to the girl next to her' and 'later they went out to buy clothes to wear to the dance' where they inevitably met some boys and either got pregnant, got engaged or got another boyfriend at some point.
There is nothing whatsoever about the inner lives of these girls and, which is extremely noticeable, very little questioning of the status quo. No one questions the dreadfully paternalistic (in a strict Victorian father kind of way) employer. No one questions why girls from some departments must leave when they get married, but not other departments. No one says why should they all have to leave if they have a baby. I wanted to know why they accepted everything thrown at them just because the factory paid quite well (and fired at will).
The girls had very limited lives. I had a hard time keeping straight which one was which, Edith, Flo, whoever, they were mostly interchangeable. Or if they weren't the author failed to differentiate them enough.
One thing I would like to know is why people who do shit are just people who do shit, their religion isn't given. Probably in the East End they are at least nominally Christian, whether Baptist, C of E or Catholic Unless they are Jewish. Then we have to know about it. I understand why there is a point made of a mixed-race person being described as Black, the first in the factory. Tate and Lyle despite the East End docks area having a sizeable population of Caribbean and African people in the 50s, remained resolutely white until finally they have to employ one. Then another one. And since these two work out (why wouldn't they?) they are open to employing others.
If the authors are going to write a book of sociology, no matter how light, they should be aware that the people who buy such books are interested in the sort of details and problems that I am. I don't buy history books to read endlessly about boyfriends and getting a ring.
On reflection, neither Jennifer Worth's Call the Midwife series of books nor the endless rather sweet and entertaining tv series include anyone much non-White. They, we, are just invisible despite being there in plain sight for all to see.
There is nothing whatsoever about the inner lives of these girls and, which is extremely noticeable, very little questioning of the status quo. No one questions the dreadfully paternalistic (in a strict Victorian father kind of way) employer. No one questions why girls from some departments must leave when they get married, but not other departments. No one says why should they all have to leave if they have a baby. I wanted to know why they accepted everything thrown at them just because the factory paid quite well (and fired at will).
The girls had very limited lives. I had a hard time keeping straight which one was which, Edith, Flo, whoever, they were mostly interchangeable. Or if they weren't the author failed to differentiate them enough.
One thing I would like to know is why people who do shit are just people who do shit, their religion isn't given. Probably in the East End they are at least nominally Christian, whether Baptist, C of E or Catholic Unless they are Jewish. Then we have to know about it. I understand why there is a point made of a mixed-race person being described as Black, the first in the factory. Tate and Lyle despite the East End docks area having a sizeable population of Caribbean and African people in the 50s, remained resolutely white until finally they have to employ one. Then another one. And since these two work out (why wouldn't they?) they are open to employing others.
If the authors are going to write a book of sociology, no matter how light, they should be aware that the people who buy such books are interested in the sort of details and problems that I am. I don't buy history books to read endlessly about boyfriends and getting a ring.
On reflection, neither Jennifer Worth's Call the Midwife series of books nor the endless rather sweet and entertaining tv series include anyone much non-White. They, we, are just invisible despite being there in plain sight for all to see.
February 13, 2013
3.5 Ever since reading the Midwive's series, I have taken a great liking to these kind of books. A group of women, who at various times had worked for the sugar factory. Book explains how easy it was to get employment, a far cry from current times, a woman could start one job in the morning, decide she didn't like it and get a different job by the afternon. A good series, highlighting the many sociological and personal prejudices of the forties and fifties. One girl is forced to give up her child, because unmarried mothers were finished as were their families. Such an innocent time, while at the same time woman had little personal freedom. The prose is rather simplistic, but this is the author just setting down the words the women told him. Tate & Lyle were once two different companies, they merged and were the biggest employer in the East End.
July 3, 2012
'The nervous 14-year-old who had stood outside the gates of the factory had gone. Ethel was a sugar girl now.'
This lovely book gives us an insider view into the world of women working at Tate & Lyle's factories in the East End of London during the twentieth century.
In particular, it focuses on the stories of four women, Ethel, Lillian, Gladys and Joan, delivering their memories and thoughts about the time they spent working hard at the factories, how their days were filled, how their lives were shaped, the hopes and dreams they held dear, the experiences that have stayed with them from those times past. Each of the women has their own attributes, characteristics and individual personalities that come through in the storytelling.
This reminds us of how incredibly hard times were in the past, how you had to make-do and mend, people started work younger then, worked long hours, and had to grow up fast. There was poverty, hunger, illness and loss to be endured. But their days were of course not without humour, and their lives were not without love, and within these stories are recollections about work and life outside work that are entertaining and moving.
The authors have clearly undertaken a huge amount of research behind the scenes to bring this book to us. The stories belong to the women, the sugar girls, who lived and worked back then, but the authors have succeeded in creating a compelling narrative from these memories, and the past has been brought to life. This may be non-fiction and be informative and factual to an extent, but it is at the same time a very readable collection of stories that flow so well and immerse the reader in the atmosphere and lifestyle of the times.
This book offers us a rich depiction of a part of our country's social history and heritage before, during and after World War II, preserving the memories of some wonderful ladies, depecting the camerarderie amongst the workers, and portraying the sense of community of those living and working around Silvertown back then that has now been lost.
I enjoyed this journey into the past accompanied by these fascinating, fabulous sugar girls, and found it a very engaging and interesting snapshot into their lives.
This lovely book gives us an insider view into the world of women working at Tate & Lyle's factories in the East End of London during the twentieth century.
In particular, it focuses on the stories of four women, Ethel, Lillian, Gladys and Joan, delivering their memories and thoughts about the time they spent working hard at the factories, how their days were filled, how their lives were shaped, the hopes and dreams they held dear, the experiences that have stayed with them from those times past. Each of the women has their own attributes, characteristics and individual personalities that come through in the storytelling.
This reminds us of how incredibly hard times were in the past, how you had to make-do and mend, people started work younger then, worked long hours, and had to grow up fast. There was poverty, hunger, illness and loss to be endured. But their days were of course not without humour, and their lives were not without love, and within these stories are recollections about work and life outside work that are entertaining and moving.
The authors have clearly undertaken a huge amount of research behind the scenes to bring this book to us. The stories belong to the women, the sugar girls, who lived and worked back then, but the authors have succeeded in creating a compelling narrative from these memories, and the past has been brought to life. This may be non-fiction and be informative and factual to an extent, but it is at the same time a very readable collection of stories that flow so well and immerse the reader in the atmosphere and lifestyle of the times.
This book offers us a rich depiction of a part of our country's social history and heritage before, during and after World War II, preserving the memories of some wonderful ladies, depecting the camerarderie amongst the workers, and portraying the sense of community of those living and working around Silvertown back then that has now been lost.
I enjoyed this journey into the past accompanied by these fascinating, fabulous sugar girls, and found it a very engaging and interesting snapshot into their lives.
August 11, 2019
A bit of a bore...
I thought this would be more interesting. I’m interested in the ordinary lives of the people who lived in ‘exciting’ times. This book didn’t hold my interest and I had to keep convincing myself to read farther hoping something would happen. All 4 girls were basically the same to me. I had to keep checking what girl I was following.
The one thing that I did shake my head at was the girl from the family (again, 🤷🏻♀️???) That had the nine kids but they all slept in the same bed with the parents. WTH? Get off of her! Did he sneak up on his wife in the shared outhouse! Did they kick the kids onto the floor? Squish them?? I don’t know. Aside from that I just droned along wishing I didn’t know so much about what’s in her turban.
I thought this would be more interesting. I’m interested in the ordinary lives of the people who lived in ‘exciting’ times. This book didn’t hold my interest and I had to keep convincing myself to read farther hoping something would happen. All 4 girls were basically the same to me. I had to keep checking what girl I was following.
The one thing that I did shake my head at was the girl from the family (again, 🤷🏻♀️???) That had the nine kids but they all slept in the same bed with the parents. WTH? Get off of her! Did he sneak up on his wife in the shared outhouse! Did they kick the kids onto the floor? Squish them?? I don’t know. Aside from that I just droned along wishing I didn’t know so much about what’s in her turban.
April 3, 2012
The preface gives the reader a brief background of the two refineries. The employment conditions of the times and also the changes in modern Silvertown are also briefly touched on.
The reader is then introduced to Ethel, Lilian and Gladys whose families all have similar social backgrounds … and later on we get to meet Joan whose family have a different perspective of finances.
Their stories are narrated in chapters of their own and the language is such that you can imagine the women themselves sharing their experiences as opposed to an author re-telling their memories. I felt their personalities really came through which gave me the human element I needed to identify with them and helped me imagine how they felt. This makes something that could have been ‘dry and factual’ into a very enjoyable read.
Although there are plenty of facts about the Tate & Lyle refineries, they are woven in amongst the women’s lives. The reader follows them from their first days in the factory but also we’re with them on a day-to-day basis experiencing the life they lived outside of the factory. Alongside the women we get to meet their families and their co-workers and eventually their boyfriends and husbands. The reader learns about social history as well and ‘natural’ disasters ie The Great Smog in 1952 and the storm tide in 1953. As well as the ‘good times’ – WW2, war romances, evacuation, infant mortality, poverty, pregnancies outside marriage, adoption, domestic violence and politics are all a part of The Sugar Girls lives.
Tate & Lyle were such impressive employers with the way they looked after their employees (convalescent home, factory surgery, pensions etc) and rewarded them with bonuses and promotions. I must admit to having a giggle at the bidets … It was such a way of life for The Sugar Girls including the friends that they made at work, it was no wonder they didn’t want to leave when they got married!
A lovely touch for me is the epilogue – where we find out where the ‘girls’ are now in their lives.
From a family history/genealogy perspective, although there are many names mentioned, some names have been changed to protect identities so I’m not sure how useful it will be for someone trying to trace a specific ancestor/relative. If you have a family member who worked at Tate & Lyle then it’s invaluable for finding out many things about the company and the lifestyle.
I’ve really enjoyed reading the blog on The Sugar Girls website and the pictures there bring the book to life even more. There are a lot of other things to browse through and I recommend you have a look.
I would like to thank the authors for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
The reader is then introduced to Ethel, Lilian and Gladys whose families all have similar social backgrounds … and later on we get to meet Joan whose family have a different perspective of finances.
Their stories are narrated in chapters of their own and the language is such that you can imagine the women themselves sharing their experiences as opposed to an author re-telling their memories. I felt their personalities really came through which gave me the human element I needed to identify with them and helped me imagine how they felt. This makes something that could have been ‘dry and factual’ into a very enjoyable read.
Although there are plenty of facts about the Tate & Lyle refineries, they are woven in amongst the women’s lives. The reader follows them from their first days in the factory but also we’re with them on a day-to-day basis experiencing the life they lived outside of the factory. Alongside the women we get to meet their families and their co-workers and eventually their boyfriends and husbands. The reader learns about social history as well and ‘natural’ disasters ie The Great Smog in 1952 and the storm tide in 1953. As well as the ‘good times’ – WW2, war romances, evacuation, infant mortality, poverty, pregnancies outside marriage, adoption, domestic violence and politics are all a part of The Sugar Girls lives.
Tate & Lyle were such impressive employers with the way they looked after their employees (convalescent home, factory surgery, pensions etc) and rewarded them with bonuses and promotions. I must admit to having a giggle at the bidets … It was such a way of life for The Sugar Girls including the friends that they made at work, it was no wonder they didn’t want to leave when they got married!
A lovely touch for me is the epilogue – where we find out where the ‘girls’ are now in their lives.
From a family history/genealogy perspective, although there are many names mentioned, some names have been changed to protect identities so I’m not sure how useful it will be for someone trying to trace a specific ancestor/relative. If you have a family member who worked at Tate & Lyle then it’s invaluable for finding out many things about the company and the lifestyle.
I’ve really enjoyed reading the blog on The Sugar Girls website and the pictures there bring the book to life even more. There are a lot of other things to browse through and I recommend you have a look.
I would like to thank the authors for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 24, 2013
Although this was an interesting piece of social history, I found that it didn't quite work for me. I found the writing style a touch pedestrian, and the book didn't quite have that spark that makes good social history stand out.
March 20, 2015
THis book follows the lives of four "sugar girls" both inside and outside the factory and is an excellent character study as well as an inside look into life during WW2 London. Each chapter centers on a different girl so I had to frequently look back to remind myself who was who but otherwise the stories flowed nicely.
I don't like to read books with bad language and unfortunately I had to keep a pen nearby with this book as there were several words I blacked out (at least two F words). For this I subtracted a star.
I don't like to read books with bad language and unfortunately I had to keep a pen nearby with this book as there were several words I blacked out (at least two F words). For this I subtracted a star.
August 17, 2013
Really liked this book - the characters and their stories are endearing, touching and strong. It's getting a little tricky to remember who's who now - I think they should have stuck to a chapter per person rather than revisiting the characters on rotation, but it's still a really great mix of character study and historical reference.
Is this why our communities have gone, killed with the death of companies like Tate & Lyle? Pay the Highest pay, have your own sports teams, run days out, private medical ON SITE! Minimal recruitment costs and churn. The way of the future?
Is this why our communities have gone, killed with the death of companies like Tate & Lyle? Pay the Highest pay, have your own sports teams, run days out, private medical ON SITE! Minimal recruitment costs and churn. The way of the future?
October 13, 2018
Too many characters to follow and not enough of a coherently connected plot. Didn’t finish this one, which is rare for me.
April 25, 2021
I enjoyed this book. I read this book for the second time. I love it. I enjoyed reading books about Factories in London
October 20, 2017
I should have seen the red flags from a reviewer's comment on the the back cover "If it doesn't become a TV series to rival 'Call the Midwife'... ". Surprisingly designated as a non-fiction book, I found it no more than a soap opera aimed at a teenager reader. The first 50 pages were more than enough for me.
November 18, 2021
Beautiful piece of historical non-fiction depicting life just as it is, with ups and downs, joy and sorrow , love and loss.
In the 60s-70s-80s there were 2 big factories in the town where I live, and almost everyone in our small town worked there.
I wish I could read a book like "The Sugar Girls" about my grandparents work at these factories. They tell us stories every so often and they really would make a good book.
In the 60s-70s-80s there were 2 big factories in the town where I live, and almost everyone in our small town worked there.
I wish I could read a book like "The Sugar Girls" about my grandparents work at these factories. They tell us stories every so often and they really would make a good book.
May 24, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the life of young girls growing into adulthood, made friends through working at the same factory. Easy to read, relatable, yet shows the different world that’s not even a hundred years behind us.
April 26, 2017
Quite engaging, written in an easily readable style, and you really got to know the women featured. Enjoyable.
April 18, 2025
it was very knowledgeable to read about what it was really like back in those days.
Those days people worked really hard. I enjoyed knowing about Tate&Lyle
Those days people worked really hard. I enjoyed knowing about Tate&Lyle
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May 6, 2021Very easy reading about an era somewhat regrettably gone where families commonly worked in the one factory and stayed there during their entire working life. The story of several lives all with ups and downs in difficult times.
February 9, 2023
A very telling and inspiring story of four woman just after ww2 and many others. I think this would make a great series one day! This is one of the few books I would read again. I definitely recommend it!
May 8, 2021
Interesting stories based on oral history.
July 2, 2020
Thoroughly enjoyed this book, what a fabulous company Tate and Lyle was,
June 11, 2014
A book about the women who worked at the huge Tate and Lyle sugar factories in Silvertown London, about their experiences and antics at work, their home backgrounds and their love lives, ending with a epilogue of how these spirited young women look back on their lives as elderly ladies. What I found tricky was the jumping from one person's story to another, without any reference to dates! A map is provided, a timeline would have been useful! One thing that struck me throughout was that, apart from less description of how the company operated and of the social conditions locally, it was very similar in style to "The Sweethearts" about the girls working for Rowntrees in York. In fact the opening passage was almost identical - a young girl just out of school approaching the factory gates to get a job! A little investigation followed - different authors, but same publisher and a shared editor! So clearly a winner formula has been found and could well be applied now to other iconic brands - that could become very repetitive!
October 2, 2016
Similar to "Call the Midwives" this book follows the lives of girls starting at the age of 14 working in the factories in East End London...wouldn't be surprised if they make this into a TV mini series as well. Well written, gives you a real taste of what life was like back then.
April 27, 2019
I was very excited to learn about the background of the factory workers and the different classes and home and work life stories. The book bounces around too much to give the characters clarity and I had a hard time remembering which girl came from which back story.
June 1, 2020
This was an interesting true story about the girls in East End London that worked in the Sugar factories. There are a lot of characters to keep track of. It is an era I never read about before. It is an easy read. Not compelling but interesting enough to finish
September 2, 2020
Not sure why this book doesn't come up with a cover but anyways the book follows the lives of several women who worked in the Tate & Lyle London factories in wartime & after - their family lives, tragedies, romances, the work conditions. Interesting.
April 30, 2020
I liked the stories, but felt the organization made the book challenging to read. It would have been more enjoyable to read to have each story individually as their lives didn't really intertwine and the chapters weren't organized in a manner that they were comparing a similar time across girls. It felt like they took the stories of these women, put them in a chopper then just let the chapters fall where they may. The back and forth technique works for some books but with these stories each having a full set of distinct characters and different starting and stopping times, it felt more like putting together a puzzle than reading a story. The chapters themselves were well written and really transport the reader back to the factory floor or the beano or the bomb shelter, but the transition was so abrupt it was almost like setting down one book and picking up another after each chapter. So if you are looking for some glimpses into the lives of girls working the factory floor, this is the book for you. If you are looking for a book to get lost in the story, this book might frustrate you.
December 18, 2019
The accounts of several young women who had worked in the sugar factories in London's East End in the 1950's. In rotating order, their stories about their introduction to factory work, relationships with their peers, home life, what they did for fun, their romances and their romantic disasters, career moves, marriage, and family. These accounts are not embellished at all; just no-frills accounts. I got several things out of this book: historical context for the German blitz of 1940-41; the Great Smog of 1952; and the local nature of English factory workers. It was interesting to learn how completely the employer ("Tate & Lyle") took an interest in the employee's well being. When girls experienced a stressful period that impacted their ability to perform, they were delivered for three weeks to a sanitorium-type facility for rest and relaxation. For the most part, they were hearty and good-natured souls, although relatively low in the social caste system, living in modest means. They had an acceptance of their lives and enjoyed their alcohol. I al
February 9, 2022
I was pleasantly surprised by this book.
I came to it by a strange route. A walking exploration of the Royal Docks took me to the Wikipedia page for Tate and Lyle, to investigate the history of T&L in Silvertown: and the Wikipedia page took me to the book.
This is not a true sociological study; rather, a discursive history of four Sugar Girls, their colleagues and their families. All human life is here. It is a light read, but the stories convey very clearly the lives, the work environment, and the home settings of the young women. It does this well, and I am glad I have read it.
Recommended.
I came to it by a strange route. A walking exploration of the Royal Docks took me to the Wikipedia page for Tate and Lyle, to investigate the history of T&L in Silvertown: and the Wikipedia page took me to the book.
This is not a true sociological study; rather, a discursive history of four Sugar Girls, their colleagues and their families. All human life is here. It is a light read, but the stories convey very clearly the lives, the work environment, and the home settings of the young women. It does this well, and I am glad I have read it.
Recommended.
November 14, 2017
I decided to read this one because it's sort of in the same vein as Call the Midwife, true stories of poor and working class women in England after WWII. This one follows several "sugar girls" who worked at Tate & Lyle's sugar factory in London's East End from their teenage years up until their marriages. It's sweet but it lacked substance, to me. It's a lot of stories about what happened, who went where, etc, and not a lot of reflection on society or anything of that nature. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but it makes this book more forgettable than others in its genre.
June 12, 2024
Three stars because I like the social history side to this book but I just couldn't keep up with which girl was which as there were so many others involved in each girls story. I'm from that part of the world and it reminded me of what it was like as a 15 year old starting out in the world in the early 60s not much different to these girls in the 40s. I struggled a bit to keep focus but I did enjoy most of this book.
May 3, 2017
This is a wonderful story. It could have been about the women who worked in any of the factories in my home town in southern Ontario....the glass factory, sugar beet factory, Libbies, Wallaceburg Brass. Ordinary lives were lived with sadness, joy, laughter, sorrow, hardship, shame....every possible emotion that we all feel on any given day. Ethel, Gladys, Lilian, Joan -- a good read
Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews