Edited Trudi Gribble
Author Vivienne Sinclair
Western Preserving Works – Sovereign Pickles
Harry Robert Rayner, born in Stratford, Essex, England, in 1878, began his career as a foreman at a local jam and sweet factory. According to the 1901 Census, Rayner was 22 years old and employed in this role, with claims that he had also worked for the esteemed Keiller and Co., a preserves company based in Dundee and London (Daily News, 15 May 1919; Sunday Times, 21 June 1920). By 1911, Rayner resided in Leyton, Essex, still engaged in the confectionery and jam trade.
Rayner married Edith Johnson in 1904, and they had three children: Leonard Robert (1905), Harry Sydney (1907), and Edna Grace (1910). In 1913, the Rosella Preserving Company of Richmond, Victoria, sought Rayner’s expertise as a manager, prompting him to emigrate to Australia with his family. Rayner remained with Rosella until he relocated to Western Australia in early 1918 (Bunbury Herald, 18 October 1919).
Upon his arrival, Rayner was appointed manager of the AFL Fruit Canning and Trading Co. at 567 Newcastle Street, Perth. This company had leased its operations since November 1917, gaining permission from the government to liquidate its assets (West Australian, 7 October 1921). By May 1918, the business was listed for sale, and Rayner’s wife gave birth to their daughter, Edith, in Victoria the same year (Kalgoorlie Miner, 9 May 1919). The family subsequently settled in their new home at 101 Monmouth Street, Perth. In September 1919, H. Rayner & Co. acquired the Newcastle Street building and began producing jams, sauces, pickles, and fruit preserves under the “Reindeer” brand (Daily News, 11 September 1919). Leveraging his reputation from England and Victoria, Rayner aimed to attract local customers away from large interstate companies by using Western Australian fruit, thereby supporting growers in the southwest and tomato producers in Geraldton.
By October 1921, Rayner’s product range included various sizes of jars, bulk jam in 56-pound tins, along with products such as lemon butter, pickles, sauces, chutneys, guava jelly, canned fruits, tinned plum pudding, mincemeat, and canned tomatoes (Pilbara Goldfields News, 1 February 1921; West Australian, 7 October 1921). To incentivize purchases, he introduced a promotion whereby a £10 prize disc was placed in select Reindeer jam tins, redeemable at the factory. One of the lucky winners was Mrs. Manning of Bruce Street, North Fremantle (West Australian, 26 December 1921).
In May 1922, the Bunbury Herald featured a story on Rayner’s company, recognizing its reliance on local fruit growers and aiming to encourage broader support for the Reindeer brand products (Bunbury Herald, 26 May 1922).
Although he initially found success, by September 1923 Rayner faced intense competition from large Eastern States companies offering their products in Western Australia at significantly lower prices than in their own states (Call Perth, 28 September 1923). In response, Rayner sought government subsidies but received no assistance. Consequently, he appointed receivers to manage his affairs, and in February 1924, tenders were invited for the sale of assets, including stock, jars, corks, labels, spices, casks, machinery, and plant (Sunday Times, 10 February 1924).”, by September 1923, Rayner faced intense competition from large Eastern States companies that offered their products in Western Australia at prices significantly lower than those in their own states (Call Perth, 28 September 1923). In response, Rayner sought government subsidies but received no assistance. Consequently, he appointed receivers to manage his affairs, and in February 1924, tenders were invited for the sale of assets, including stock, jars, corks, labels, spices, casks, machinery, and plant (Sunday Times, 10 February 1924).
Despite these challenges, Rayner continued operations, showcasing his products in a grand pyramid display at the Council of Industrial Development building in June 1926 (Daily News, 3 June 1926). However, in October of that year, he decided to move to a smaller building, and Swan Products took over his Newcastle Street factory. Rayner advertised for a new building and established a preserves factory under the name H. Rayner & Sons at 110 Francis Street, Perth, in early 1927 (Bunbury Herald, 12 April 1927). The Bunbury Herald continued to advertise his products, and in October 1927, The West Australian clarified that although Swan Products had taken over Rayner’s previous building, Rayner was still producing his own products (West Australian, 8 October 1926; Mirror, 22 October 1927).
The business prospered in its smaller premises, with family members actively involved in production. Unfortunately, Rayner’s health deteriorated, and he passed away following an operation on April 28, 1928, at the age of 49 (Daily News, 14 May 1928; Sunday Times, 6 May 1928). His sons, Leonard and Harry, took on leadership roles in manufacturing and sales, respectively, while his daughters, Edith and Edna, held executive positions. By 1941, the company employed a staff of 20 and managed significant purchases, including 320 tons of tomatoes, 25 tons of apricots, 20 tons of apples, and 2 tons of quinces (Daily News, 28 June 1941).
Edith Rayner, Harry’s widow, passed away in 1947 (West Australian, 20 August 1947). The company remained operational until at least December 1954, as noted in Trove newspapers, though its exact closure date is unknown (South Western Times, 16 December 1954). Throughout his career, Rayner was known by the initial “H” in advertising, a distinction necessary as another H. R. Rayner, Henry Richard Rayner of the Ironclad Hotel in Marble Bar, was also active in Western Australia in the early 1900s.
References
Bunbury Herald / Blackwood Express. (1919, October 18; 1922, May 26; 1927, April 12; 1927, October 21).
Call Perth. (1923, September 28).
Daily News. (1919, May 15; 1919, September 11; 1926, June 3; 1928, May 14; 1941, June 28).
Find My Past, Ancestry, Newspapers.
Kalgoorlie Miner. (1919, May 9).
Mirror. (1927, October 22).
Pilbara Goldfields News. (1921, February 1).
South Western Times. (1954, December 16).
Sunday Times. (1920, June 21; 1924, February 10; 1928, May 6; 1935, December 15).
The Leader. (1924, December 19).
West Australian. (1921, October 7; 1921, December 26; 1925, March 12; 1926, October 8; 1947, August 20).
