Search This Blog

Thursday, July 14, 2016

1875: JOHN TAYLOR'S "TAYLOR HAM"

One thing I have found while researching the pork roll phenomenon, John Taylor wins hands down as to historic longevity. John Taylor's product goes back to England when a Taylor family member provided pork products to the royal family. That fact, along with the fact that John Taylor was direct descendant of the British Taylors, led to his setting up shop in Trenton. First in the mid 19th century in an austere establishment in the Academy Street area. In 1870 he moved into the expansive farm property shown in this exquisite engraving from the year 1875 which I find was at the foot of today's Perrine Avenue in Trenton. Little wonder that it was known far and wide back in the 19th century as "Taylor Ham." I have also learned that It was John Taylor who invented "pork roll in a bag.;" so popular in modern times.
Another very interesting and little known fact: Back in the 19th century, Sand Hills (today's Yardville) was a major pork shipping center receiving the products from neighboring pork farmers and sending them north or south from the Sand Hills railroad depot.

1 comment:

Don Whiteley said...

My summer of 1948 was spent working at the Taylor Pork Roll shop on the Wildwood Boardwalk. Since we were allowed to sample the product most of my dinners during that summer were Pork Roll sandwiches