OLD PLYMOUTH . UK
www.oldplymouth.uk
 

WHO WAS WHO IN OLD PLYMOUTH

DAVID LADNER TRAHAIR (1917-2000)

David Ladner Trahair was born at Saltash, Cornwall, on July 15th 1917 to Mr Richard Ernest Trahair (1874-1938) and his wife, the former Miss Caroline Roseveare.  He was educated at Plymouth College and at Queen's College, Taunton.

In preparation for him joining the family business, Messrs Farley's Infant Food Limited, he trained as a baker in London and in Chicago but his training was interrupted by the outbreak of the Second World War.  When the War ended he was serving in Germany and remained there until he was discharged in 1946, when he rejoined the business.  As his father had died in 1938 he became the director of the Company responsible for production at Toor Lane, alongside his older brother, Mr Nicholas Roseveare Trahair (1914-2003), and his cousin, Mr John Trahair. 

Mr David Ladner Trahair, of "The Cottage", Dousland, a director of Messrs Farley Infant Food Limited, married Miss Lynda Jean Beckly at the Ancient Parish Church of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Buckland Monachorum, Devon, on September 7th 1949.  Miss Beckly was the only daughter of Mr William Edwin Beckly (1898-1986), managing director of Messrs John Yeo and Company Limited.  The service was carried out by the Reverend F J Cornish assisted by the Reverend R de B Welchman.

He oversaw the expansion of the factory in 1959 and 1965 and the development of new products, namely Farlene and Farley's Baby Milk.  He was also appointed chairman of diretctors of Messrs Furniss of Truro Limited, biscuit manufacturers.  When the business was sold in 1968 to Messrs Glaxo Laboratories Limited, Mr Trahair was retained as production adviser, a post from which he retired in 1973.

However, the business continued and in 1975 a new company was formed, Messrs Glaxo Farley Foods Limited.  Two years later new laboratories for research, development and quality control were constructed.  By 1980 the turnover had risen from £4 million in 1974 to about £35 million and some 1,100 people were employed at Plymouth and a sister site at Kendal, Cumbria.

Unfortunately, disaster struck the plant in Kendal in 1986, when the company's wholesome image was destroyed overnight by an outbreak of salmonella.  Messrs Boot's the Chemist purchased the Farley's two factories for just £18 million and in April 1989 announced that the Plymouth home of Farley's Rusks would be closed down in 1990, with the loss of 295 jobs.

Mr David Ladner Trahair died on December 30th 2000, at the age of 83.  He was survived by his widow and three sons, his daughter having died of cancer the month before.  For many years Mr Trahair had been Captain of the Yelverton Golf Club.