12 iconic photos of Cadbury from 1866 to 1985 - the Bournville chocolate maker through the years

Cadbury’s has been an integral part of Birmingham’s heritage, ever since the very first store was opened almost 200 years ago.

John Cadbury opened the store at 93 Bull Street, in Birmingham, and sold tea, coffee, cocoa and drinking chocolate. By 1842, he was selling almost 30 varieties of drinking chocolates and cocoa.

But the entrepreneur retired for health reasons, aged 60 , in 1861 - passing the company on to his brothers, Richard and George. In just five years, the brothers made the business very profitable by moving its focus from tea and coffee, to high quality chocolate.

The company went from strength to strength and by 1875, Cadbury’s had manufactured the first Cadbury’s Easter egg. By 1897, Richard and George had moved the business to Bournville in south Birmingham and manufactured their first milk chocolate bar.

The Bournville factory is still in use today and Cadbury remains a household name with its chocolate enjoyed daily throughout the world - whether it be Cadbury’s chocolate bars (in their many variations), Cadbury’s biscuits, or the original Cadbury’s drinking hot chocolate.

Here are 12 iconic black and white photos spanning almost 100 years as Cadbury finally announces the flavours of their two Cadbury mystery chocolate bars, showing the early popularity of Cadbury, and making the brand into what we know, and love today.