New Book Uncovers History of Ovaltine Factory

What was it like to work at one of Hertfordshire’s most iconic factories? A new book by Dacorum Heritage reveals the untold stories of Ovaltine’s local legacy. 

Entitled A Wander Through Ovaltine the book offers a behind-the-scenes look at the archive rescued from the factory upon its closure in 2002 and cared for by Dacorum Heritage, the accredited museum for the Dacorum area.

The locally designed and printed book features stunning photographs of the factory, as well as products and artworks. The visuals sit alongside memories of former employees, who have shared their stories with Dacorum Heritage as part of an oral history project.

Dacorum Heritage stores and preserves over 11,000 artefacts from the Ovaltine Factory, which was open from 1913-2002 and in its heyday exported the malt-based drink around the world. The publication serves as a ‘printed exhibition’, offering a glimpse into the rich archive and the story it tells about the hard work, creativity and community that powered this local industry with a global reach.  

‘We are thrilled to be sharing the Ovaltine Collection with the wider public,’ says museum manager Melissa Linsey. ‘As a small charity with limited exhibition space, we are delighted to be able to create a publication that can be enjoyed and treasured and that will instil pride in our local industrial past. The publication captures the highlights of this archive – from objects such as an Ovaltine Maid Costume to the reminiscences of former employees that otherwise would have been lost for good.’

The publication will have its special launch at the Kings Langley Carnival on Saturday 21 June, a short distance from where the factory building still stands today. At the carnival launch, Dacorum Heritage invites the community to share their stories of Ovaltine and its impact on the local area. 

A Wander Through Ovaltine will be on sale for £12 at the Kings Langley Carnival and for £14 (RRP) from the Dacorum Heritage website: dacorumheritage.org.uk or call 01442 879525 for assistance. The book will be stocked at many libraries in the local area.

A Wander Through Ovaltine is the culmination of Dacorum Heritage’s ‘A Taste of Ovaltine Project’, funded by the Garfield Weston Foundation and Arts Council England.

For more information, or if you have Ovaltine memories you would like Dacorum Heritage to record and preserve, please contact Dacorum Heritage’s Ovaltine Project Assistant: Lauren Wilson on LaurenWilson@dacorumheritage.org.uk.