The Chain Bridge Honey Farm is a flourishing family business, started by beekeeping advisor William Selby Robson in 1948.
In 1962, his son, also William but known as Willie, took up beekeeping with the aim of expanding his father?s enterprise, not only by increasing the number of hives, but also the diversity of products.
Bees were purchased from retiring beekeepers while Smith hives were made from local timber (predominantly Thuja, which is light and resists decay). In those days, large quantities of comb honey were produced as well as liquid honey mainly from wild white clover. In 1971 William Robson Snr retired and helped Willie establish a viable honey farm.
His knowledge and experience was crucial at this time. Mr Robson Snr continued to work with bees until he was 82 years old. In 1973 Daphne Robson joined the business, preparing honey for sale and delivering it to the shops. The business grew year by year and in 1982 a new honey house was built.