Friends

Back in 1865 a pharmacist by the name of James Lofthouse in Fleetwood was talking to three deep-sea fishermen but was having difficulty listening to what they were saying due to the fact that they were unable to speak properly because of the extreme weather conditions at sea affecting their throats and lungs.

He set about developing a liquid which might help the fishermen and came up with a very strong liquid in a bottle, that contained menthol and eucalyptus oil. It worked and the fishermen began referring to them as 'friends'. Lofthouse later made the liquid into small lozenges, which were easier to transport and use.

We’re talking about Fisherman’s Friends now famous around the world but not known outside the immediate locale of Fleetwood for a hundred years after Lofthouse’s concoction. It started to expand when Doreen Lofthouse, who had married into the business, was selling the lozenges from a kiosk on the Fleetwood Promenade and was getting letters from holiday makers asking why they couldn’t get the product in their home towns.

Doreen and her husband Tony then spent many years working 100-hour weeks, travelling by van to sell the product. She recalled that sometimes, lacking money for fuel, she was unable to leave a town until a sale had been made. A particular success came when Lofthouse persuaded Boots the Chemists to stock the product in all of their branches.

At the request of a friendly importer, a large box of Fisherman‘s Friend was exported to Norway for the first time. This was met with enthusiastic demand. Boxes quickly turned into containers, and from then on the orders never ceased. In 1977 Aniseed arrived. It was the first of the flavoured Fisherman’s Friend. The new lozenge was modelled on a button from one of Doreen Lofthouse’s dresses.

Fisherman's Friend lozenges in different flavours

Since then other flavours have been introduced and some are more popular in one country than another. It’s reported that Fisherman’s Friend markets its current total of 15 different flavours to 100 countries around the globe. 96 percent of the total production of around 5 billion lozenges are exported every year. Germany is the largest market, favouring flavours such as cherry and mint. Customers in Thailand, on the other hand, who represent the second largest market, prefer the combination of honey and lemon.

Yes, that did say 5 billion.

I do like the following from the Stuart Alexander distributor in Australia:
‘Embark on a comforting journey with Fisherman's Friend, where each product is a testament to the brand's dedication to crafting invigorating lozenges and mints. In our diverse collection, discover the perfect blend of soothing relief and delightful flavours...

Indulge in the timeless strength of Fisherman's Friend Original Strong Lozenges, ensuring you have a robust and classic companion in every box...

For a breath of freshness, dive into the invigorating Fisherman's Friend Spearmint and Peppermint Sugar Free Mints...Aniseed Lozenges, ensuring you have a distinctive lozenge ready whenever you seek a moment of calm...Order now and let the comforting orchestration of lozenges and mints bring relief to your senses!’

Once your voice is smooth and strong again after that orchestration you may want to sing along with another form of Fisherman’s Friends. The sea shanty singing folk from Cornwall. This well known but anonymous song, from at least as far back as the 1830s, is on one their albums (Port Isaac's Fisherman's Friends (Special Edition) 2011) and is one of those earworms that won’t let go for the rest of the day.

Port Isaac's Fisherman's Friends

The Drunken Sailor

What shall we do with the drunken sailor?
What shall we do with the drunken sailor?
What shall we do with the drunken sailor?
Ear'ly in the mornin'

Hoo-ray and up she rises
Hoo-ray and up she rises
Hoo-ray and up she rises
Ear'ly in the mornin'

Put him in the scuppers with the lee rail under
Put him in the scuppers with the lee rail under
Put him in the scuppers with the lee rail under
Ear'ly in the mornin'

Hoo-ray and up she rises
Hoo-ray and up she rises
Hoo-ray and up she rises
Ear'ly in the mornin'

Put him in the brig until he's sober
Put him in the brig until he's sober
Put him in the brig until he's sober
Ear'ly in the mornin'

Hoo-ray and up she rises
Hoo-ray and up she rises
Hoo-ray and up she rises
Ear'ly in the mornin'

Put him in a whaler, make him pull her
Put him in a whaler, make him pull her
Put him in a whaler, make him pull her
Ear'ly in the mornin'

Hoo-ray and up she rises
Hoo-ray and up she rises
Hoo-ray and up she rises
Ear'ly in the mornin'

Shave his belly with a rusty razor
Shave his belly with a rusty razor
Shave his belly with a rusty razor
Ear'ly in the mornin'

Hoo-ray and up she rises
Hoo-ray and up she rises
Hoo-ray and up she rises
Ear'ly in the mornin'

Put him in a bunk with the captain's daughter
Put him in a bunk with the captain's daughter
Put him in a bunk with the captain's daughter
Ear'ly in the mornin'

Hoo-ray and up she rises
Hoo-ray and up she rises
Hoo-ray and up she rises
Ear'ly in the mornin'

Have you seen the captain's daughter?
Have you seen the captain's daughter?
Have you seen the captain's daughter?
Ear'ly in the mornin'

Hoo-ray and up she rises
Hoo-ray and up she rises
Hoo-ray and up she rises
Ear'ly in the mornin'

Keel-haul him, keel-haul him
Keel-haul him, keel-haul him
Keel-haul him, keel-haul him
Ear'ly in the mornin'

Hoo-ray and up she rises
Hoo-ray and up she rises
Hoo-ray and up she rises
Ear'ly in the mornin'

Thanks for reading, Terry Q.