Wrexham Sauce

Mrs Minnie Edisbury (34).

For Years 5-6

My husband James – James Edisbury – is the most important pharmacist in all of Wrexham. Or so he tells me, anyway. His shop is on the High Street, right by the Town Hall, so I suppose he’s right. And here we are, in this fine big house on Grosvenor Road with our four daughters and our little boy. He loves to visit the shop. He says it looks like a sweet shop, bless him. Specially for the occasion he has been selling bottles of Wrexham Exhibition Pomade – hair oil for gentlemen. It’s been very popular. But mainly? The thing he has sold most is our famous Wrexham Sauce. As he says, it is a relish both tasty and good for one’s digestion. A secret recipe, of course – and nobody, nobody in the world, has the recipe except my James.

For Years 7-8 (or older)

My husband James – James Edisbury – is the most important pharmacist in all of Wrexham. Or so he tells me, anyway. His shop is on the High Street, right by the Town Hall, so I suppose he’s right. And here we are, in this fine big house on Grosvenor Road with our four daughters and our little boy. He loves to visit the shop. He says it looks like a sweet shop, bless him. All those shelves and cabinets. Rows and rows of jars. Pills and potions, gels, ointments and medicines. Paraffin oil and kerosene. Skin soaps and respirators. Camphor balls and chest lozenges. Perfumes. Brushes for nails, teeth and hair. And now James has his own stall at the Art Treasures Exhibition – in the Industrial Annexe. And doing such good business with all those visitors in town. Specially for the occasion he has been selling bottles of Wrexham Exhibition Pomade – hair oil for gentlemen. It’s been very popular. And the bottle factory has made some very special jars, souvenirs of the Exhibition, of course. But mainly? The thing he has sold most is our famous Wrexham Sauce. As he says, it is a relish both tasty and good for one’s digestion. A secret recipe, of course – and nobody, nobody in the world, has the recipe except my James.

Well, I wonder if you can work out what the recipe might be? What things might both be good for our digestion and tasty in a relish? And what do you think a Victorian pharmacy might look like – can you imagine it? Can you write a little song about Wrexham Sauce? And what about the other shops on the High Street – what could you buy in town?