Cordial Bottles

In the days before Coca Cola conquered the world, nearly every town and village had its own soft drink factory, usually located near the source of good water. Brands such as Mayfields and Weilys in Orange, were an important part of the local economy and their bottles are sought after by collectors. They were once common on old dumps. Up until the late 60s, when soft drinks began to appear in cans, children also collected cordial bottles, returning them to shops to collect a refund on the bottles. This was extra pocket money for many children.

Above, Weily's cordial box and cordial bottles from Barrett (1870s-1890s), J H Weily, Davis   Mayfield and Mayfields (1945 – 1976) Loan courtesy of Orange and District Historical Society

Above, cordial bottles from Orange manufacturers, loan courtesy Kevin Laughton