Ethelreda Baxter (22 October 1883 – 16 August 1963) was a Scottish cook and businesswoman. She was a second generation member of the family that established the

Baxters Baxters Food Group Limited, also known as Baxters of Speyside or Baxters, is a food processing company, based in Fochabers, Scotland. It produces foods such as Soup, canned soups, canned meat products, Pickling, sour pickles, sauces, vinegars, A ...

food processing company, based in

Fochabers Fochabers (; gd, Fachabair or Fothabair) is a village in the Parish of Bellie, in Moray, Scotland, east of the cathedral city of Elgin and located on the east bank of the River Spey. 1,728 people live in the village, which enjoys a rich musi ...

, Moray.

Family life

Baxter was born in Roseisle, Moray, the daughter of a farmer, Andrew Adam, and his wife Elizabeth Farquar. She trained as a nurse and in 1914, tended a patient, William Baxter, whom she subsequently married. He was the son of George and Margaret Baxter, the founders of the original Baxters grocery shop in Fochabers.

Career

Initially a nurse, Baxter joined her husband in business, and in 1916 they opened a factory near the

River Spey The River Spey (Scottish Gaelic: Uisge Spè) is a river in the northeast of Scotland. At it is the eighth longest river in the United Kingdom, as well as the second longest and fastest-flowing river in Scotland. It is important for salmon fishi ...

to make preserves from locally sourced products. She then took charge of managing the factory, purchasing the fruit, hiring the workforce and devising new recipes. Baxter's guidance ensured that the product range widened to include soups and canned and bottled fruits. Her husband travelled widely, promoting the products, and the couple eventually began selling to customers in London, America and throughout the British Empire, including the royal household itself.

Death

Baxter died in 1963 in Elgin, Moray. She was 79.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baxter, Ethel 1883 births 1963 deaths Scottish business families Scottish women in business 20th-century Scottish businesspeople