There are a number of well-known brands that have Methodist origins, In the United kingdom Hartley’s jam, founded by Sir William Hartley, (himself elected president of the Primitive Methodist Connexion in 1909) was said to have been consumed by members of that denomination. He himself was a generous donor to his church. Englesea Brook museum of Primitive Methodism has examples of the marketing of Hartley’s jam in distinctive earthenware pots, but unfortunately not the product itself.
On a global scale Coca- Cola as a drink was invented by the chemist John Pemberton of Atlanta Georgia who developed it as a temperance drink from his original French Wine Cola. In 1888 it was purchased by the Methodist Asa Candler who founded the Coca-Cola company in 1892. He too was a generous funder of Methodist projects.
The 200th anniversary of American Methodism, the 1984 bicentenary, was celebrated in part by the issue of a commemorative Coca-Cola bottle depicted above. The striking design of the label portrays a circuit rider and a cross.
David Leese