Poor Bens

[barry1010]

Remember? 

[jno]

were they some long-vanished chocolate bar?  Or the target of ritual punishment at minor public schools? CBBs cartoons for babies?

[barry1010]

No.  Good guesses

[-SharonA-]

Uncle Bens???

[barry1010]

No

[johnny.5]

black pastilles sweets

[RandyMarsh]

Mr Ben the chap who would always go to a fancy dress shop in his lunch hour?

[bookbinder]

https://www.treasureislandsweets.co.uk/lions-and-maynards/poor-bens.html

[anneasquith]

Ohhhhh, a cliff hanging thread, :-)

[Buenchico]

Ooh!

My favourite flavours: liquorice and aniseed!

Sadly though, I probably won't be buying any because just a tiny amount of liquorice (such as that in some herbal teas) is enough to send my blood pressure sky high :(

[Old_Geezer]

Sounds pleasant, although I've never heard of them previously.

[barry1010]

That's them, from the people that made fruit salads and sports mixtures (the proper hard ones not tge newer soft, chewy ones). 

[barry1010]

Good pic of them https://oldestsweetshop.co.uk/products/lions-poor-bens

[10ClarionSt]

I had to look at the picture before remembering them, although I don't recall ever buying them. I much preferred the Lion brand of American Creams, a small fruit fondant that they don't make anymore. ☹

[barry1010]

I don't remember American Creams but I do vaguely recall fondant sweets with a Parma violet flavour 

[Spartypuss]

Michael Jackson's rat?

[naomi24]

I've never heard of them.  Are they a northern thing?

[barry1010]

I'm not northern

[naomi24]

So that's a 'no' then.  I asked, barry, because some things do seem to be specifically a north or a south thing.    

[barry1010]

I agree,what's a barm cake?

[bhg481]

I'm northern; I've never heard of Poor Bens and a barm cake is a sort of bap - barm is a northern word for yeast.