In the 1950s, on school runs, you could exchange perfectly good money for a bag of assorted homemade sweets – hokey pokey, coconut ice cream, caramel, fudge, peanut brown sugar and marshmallows – all contained in a white waxed paper bag.
In this damp, enclosed environment, and aided by direct sunlight – the events I remember at Timaru South School took place outside, on the basketball courts – they coalesced into an amorphous mass that often had to be chiseled or hacked away with an axe.
If you had teeth, peanut nougat was not recommended because it could break them. All the others were also not recommended, but for a different reason: they caused tooth decay, which had to be treated by a dental nurse (wearing a severe hairdo and a comical cap) who pumped her foot vigorously on a pedal to keep the drill running. This operation took place in the “murder house”.
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Homemade sweets were certainly not limited to beer and skittles.
I also remember the love hearts of the 50s, little heart-shaped lollipops with a message written on them. Licking the side of the message made the words stand out more clearly (“You’re nice”). They were a 50s version of modern emoticons, but they involved a lot more laughter from the recipients.
And I think wristwatches were made from the same candy. They had to be put together. There was a dial—again, licking it made it easier to tell the time—and little beads that you put on an elastic band to make a bracelet. They weren’t very effective at telling the time, but they gave the correct time twice a day.
Moving into the 60s, I remember banana bikes. I never understood the nomenclature but no one seemed to care. They were small cubes of soft yellow material individually wrapped in wax paper but their connection to a bicycle ended there. There was no chain, no handlebars, no wheels.
Only my research for this piece revealed a possible explanation: they were first produced by the Beich Candy Factory, and Beich is pronounced “bike.” On second thought, I think it was best not to worry about it.
I also remember the milk chocolate and caramel bars, but in March 2024 Whittakers announced the sad news that they were ceasing production. You might find one on Trade Me if you fancy a trip down memory lane. But it’s not good for me these days, because of what I’ll call my dental equipment.
Jaffas were also very popular in the 60s, but they were more intended to be slid down the gentle slopes of movie theaters than to be eaten. Well, you still had to protect yourself from cavities!
Much later, in 2009, Snifters were phased out and what a furore! Angry consumers protested across the country. One daring New Zealander even started a petition, but it came to nothing.
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I believe Tangy Fruits and Sparkles suffered the same fate, although in 2016 two packs of vintage orange Sparkles were auctioned on Trade Me.
It’s time to return to the hopeful sign mentioned at the beginning. If you are a chocolate fish fanatic, you can still get some, although in a smaller size (tadpole?) and, I think, only as part of a packaged selection.
I agree that a small child may not grab you, so you should also keep an eye on Trade Me.
Good fishing.
