R L Jones soft drinks manufacturer of Mansfield
Mandora Cola label
One of R L Jones' products
First helicopter landing in Mansfield advertises R L Jones soft drinks
By Tony Clement
I was doing some research into the aircraft history of the Mansfield area and found an event that occurred in Mansfield on the 6th May 1956, at around 12.30 pm.
This was the first documented landing of a helicopter in Mansfield, on the Chesterfield Road recreation ground, according the Mansfield Advertiser of that date.
Has anyone a photo of this event, perhaps someone remembers this, a picture would be greatly appreciated? Click HERE to see photos sent in by a reader - Ed.
Not only was this the first documented helicopter landing in Mansfield, but it was a publicity/advertising event funded by local drinks firm R. L. Jones of Mansfield.
The helicopter was (according to the Mansfield Advertiser of the time) "dressed up as a Sunecta bottle" to advertise the soft drink produced in Mansfield.
Some of the management team of R. L. Jones were in the aircraft.
R. L. Jones also produced another publicity item in 1956-1957 in the form of a 24-card series entitled ‘Jet Aircraft of the World’ which were given away with every Sunecta glucose drink in that period, showing aircraft from England, USA, France, Russia etc., this was when the UK had a large aircraft industry. I cannot find out how the cards were given away, were they attached to the bottle or did you have to apply for them somehow?
Are any of these cards still in the hands of local collectors and perhaps they did cards on other subjects, which would be of great interest. http://www.skytamer.com/1956G10.html
In the mid 1960s R.L. Jones acquired the Derby firm of Burrows & Sturgess another famous name in the soft drinks industry.
Mansfield Brewery bought out R. L. Jones in 1977, the Brewery sold the Mandora and Sunecta drinks brand to Scottish firm A. G. Barr in 1988, production from 1975 was at a factory on Bellamy Road, Mansfield.