A T Assafrey was a well-known confectioner in Glasgow.
Assafrey was a native of Revel, which is known today as Tallinn, capital of Estonia. He began working as a confectioner in Hamburg. On his arrival in Glasgow he found employment with the caterers Ferguson & Forrester, but soon set up in business on his own and became a naturalised British subject. He opened a number of confectionery shops, the main ones being in St Vincent Street and in the Fine Art Institute Buildings, Sauchiehall Street.
Assafrey's shops were known for their sumptuous window displays of cakes, sweets and chocolates. "Russian toffee" was a speciality. He was also a manufacturer and set up Scotland's first chocolate factory in Grant Street, off St George's Road. Assafrey was given the contract to run the lucrative confectionery kiosk at the International Exhibition held in Kelvingrove Park in 1888.
Reference: Mitchell Library, GC 920.04 BAI
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
chocolates, confectioners, confectionery, factories, Ferguson & Forrester, Fine Art Institute, International Exhibition, 1888, Kelvingrove Park, kiosks, sweets, toffee