The company was founded by Michael Irwin Dickson and his  wife Helen in 1953, but the trade connection goes back another generation to Helen's German father who had a business in Walworth Street, Sunderland, in the 1930's.

   

Left: the Fowler Street shop with the new Sandwich Bar, late 70s.

 

 

 

Right: the opening of the new Wallsend branch in April 1978

The current working directors, Michael and Christine Dickson, are the founder's son and elder daughter and found themselves in control of the two original shops in their teenage years, shortly after their father's premature death.

The business has grown steadily through continuous investment in new and existing sites and by acquisitions in both the retail and wholesale sector .

The continuing growth and success of the company in what have proven difficult times for all smaller businesses, and particularly those in the meat sector, is due in no small part to the hard work, loyalty and professionalism of employees in all sectors of our operation. 

There can be few local readers who have not at one time or another had the pleasure of enjoying a Dicksons pie, pork sandwich or perhaps their famous saveloy.  For two generations now the Dicksons chain of shops has been satisfying the demanding standards of hungry Northerners, and it is still run by the family who started out in business in a fairly small way at the Nook in South Shields, way back in the early 1950s.

What has become Tyne and Wear's, if not the North East of England's leading meat products company, was founded in 1953 by Irwin and Helen Dickson with help from Helen's sister Rose and Irwin's brother Tom.

The family connection with the business has earlier roots however, for while both husband and wife had been working separately in the trade from leaving school - in Helen's family the tradition can be traced back a generation further.

At the turn of the century Helen's father, Fritz Kuch, had left the family farm in the Wurtenberg region of Southern Germany to make a new life for himself in Tyneside.  He worked for Mr Kaufman at Kays the pork butchers in Newcastle alonside Rose Kress, a girl from his own region.  They married and in 1908 Helen was born in Raby Street, Byker.

Founders Irwin and Helen Dickson

 
At the turn of the century Helen's father, Fritz Kuch, had left the family farm in the Wurtenberg region of Southern Germany to make a new life for himself in Tyneside.  He worked for Mr Kaufman at Kays the pork butchers in Newcastle alonside Rose Kress, a girl from his own region.  They married and in 1908 Helen was born in Raby Street, Byker.