We recently received a donation at the South Portland Historical Society that immediately made me want to share the story.

Susanne LeClere had emailed about a letter that she had saved from George E. Robinson, Jr., when he was serving as the president of Circus Time Potato Chips in South Portland. She wondered if we would be interested in the letter and its contents. I had been friends with George’s sisters, Henty LaRou and Belle Graney, so I was quick to let Susanne know that we had a keen interest.

The letter and contents arrived this past week and how I wish that Henty and Belle were still here to enjoy it. It was such a delight to see this treasure that was saved by both Susanne and her mother for so many years. In her own words, Susanne shared the story behind the letter:

“I grew up in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, however, my father, John LeClere, was from Groveton, New Hampshire. We frequently would visit my grandparents in his hometown. Every few years, while visiting, we would go to the Lancaster State Fair. As a child, going to the fair was so exciting – rides, games, food, animals, competitions … and of course, [Joie] Chitwood! [The Joie Chitwood Thrill Show was a feature of the Lancaster State Fair for many years. The show’s ‘Danger Angels’ or ‘Hell Drivers’ would put on an exhibition of automobile stunt driving.]

“On one such visit to the state fair, I had a bag of Circus Time Salt and Vinegar chips – and it was the first time I had tasted salt-n-vinegar chips. I loved the flavor of the chips so much that upon our return to Chelmsford, I looked for them whenever I would go grocery shopping with my mother. To my disappointment, I could not find these chips anywhere.

“So, at the age of 14, I wrote to Circus Time and explained the situation – I loved the chips but could not find them anywhere. I asked the company for the location of the nearest store where I could purchase these chips.

“In response, I received the enclosed hand-written note from Mr. Robinson, stating he was pleased my family was enjoying the chips. However, he regretted telling me that due to distribution limitations, the closest location to find the Circus Time salt-n-vinegar chips was Derry, New Hampshire. Although sad to hear this, my disappointment was somewhat tempered by the balloons that he enclosed in the envelope.”

George E. Robinson, Jr. was born in 1911 in South Portland, the son of George and Etta Woodbury Robinson. He was one of five siblings: George, Jr., John, Betty, Belle, and Henty. Their mother was the daughter of Capt. John B. Woodbury, the captain of the ill-fated fishing schooner Mary Lizzie that went down in a gale in 1893 with only one survivor, George Upton.

George, Jr. graduated in 1931 from South Portland High School and started out in the sales business. He worked as a salesman for Educator Biscuit Company in Massachusetts from 1934-1937, then as a salesman for Jordan’s Ready-to-Eat Meats in Portland from 1937-1943, before being hired by King Cole Foods, Inc.

The three major potato chip companies that were once located in South Portland – King Cole, Humpty Dumpty, and Circus Time – were all connected with George Robinson, Jr.

King Cole Foods was founded by Norman Cole and John “Jack” Hayes, Jr.

King Cole opened in 1944 in a former gas station at 607-609 Main St. in the Thornton Heights neighborhood. An advertisement in July, 1944, announced the opening and the company’s “new J.D. Ferry Automatic Potato Chip Fryer capable of frying two carloads of potatoes per week!”

Norman Cole’s wife Dorothy was also very active in the business, and George Robinson was employed as the sales manager. Norman Cole had likely known George from Educator Biscuit Company, where he had also worked in the mid-1930s.

In 1946, after signing a purchase agreement for a two-acre lot on Cash Street where King Cole Foods would construct a new processing plant and warehouse, Norman Cole decided to part ways with Jack Hayes. According to a family history, in his separation with Hayes, Norman signed a five-year, non-compete agreement. His wife Dorothy had not signed the agreement, however, so she invested in a new company being formed by George Robinson, Jr. – Humpty Dumpty Potato Chips.

George Robinson, Jr., formerly sales manager at King Cole, left that company in 1946 and partnered with his brother-in-law John Graney (married to George’s sister Belle) in 1947 in the founding of the new company.

George was the president and treasurer of Humpty Dumpty and John would serve as the sales manager. The company opened in 1947 in a large facility at 70 Second St. in South Portland, in a building that had previously been used by Maine Steel. Portland Copper & Tank Works was also operating in that factory complex at the same time as Humpty Dumpty. This was the factory complex to the west of Mussey Street that was formerly home to the Lovell bicycle factory.

According to a story in the Portland Press Herald on April 5, 1947, “The pair [Robinson and Graney] have been three months reconverting the former storehouse for snowplows into a fully sheathed, white-walled and clean factory. Workmen this week completed installation of new machinery needed to prepare the chips for market, while hundreds of pounds of potatoes and several hundred pounds of shortening are stacked ready to make the finished product. The firm will employ nearly 30 men and women, the majority of whom will be veterans, Graney declared. A fleet of six trucks [is] ready to take to the highways, and will cover territory of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.”

Since Norman Cole’s non-compete agreement only covered competing with King Cole in the United States, he ended up going to Quebec and starting up a separate business there in 1948 (also using the same Humpty Dumpty Potato Chips name), while Dorothy Cole remained here, working with George and John in the South Portland business.

As the company grew, they decided to construct a new processing plant on Route 1 in Scarborough; construction began in 1949 and they were open in January, 1950, in the new building. Norman was also involved in the Humpty Dumpty operation here, employed as the “plant manager” in Scarborough. Around 1954, George Robinson parted ways with the Coles and went back to work as a salesman at King Cole. John Graney remained at Humpty Dumpty as its sales manager.

In 1958, George and his brother-in-law John Graney partnered up again and started yet another potato chip company. Their new business, Circus Time, Inc., was first located in leased space at 226 Anderson St. in Portland. When they first began business, John was listed as president and George was treasurer. In addition to regular potato chips, they also packaged and sold barbecue chips, salt and vinegar chips, popcorn, pretzels, and nuts.

In 1964, when South Portland city manager Bernal Allen was seeking companies to move to the newly-created Western Avenue industrial area, Circus Time moved its production to a newly-constructed processing plant at 265 Western Ave., on the corner of what was then called Circus Time Road (now known as Foden Road).

John Graney died in 1967. George remained active in the business until he sold it in 1975 and retired. The new owners expanded the business, hiring more people and adding new routes, and the company was later bought up by a larger food manufacturer that eventually closed the Western Avenue location.

George died in 1991 and is buried with his wife Dorothy “Dot” Cheney Robinson at Forest City Cemetery in South Portland.

Historical society ornaments and final days of the 2023 season

The South Portland Historical Society’s fundraiser ornament for 2023, featuring the Mahoney school building, is now available. All 10 of the society’s landmark-series ornaments can be purchased at the museum at Bug Light Park, open on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The museum will close for the 2023 season on Sunday, Dec. 17. Ornaments will still be available for sale daily at our two retail partners – Drillen Hardware and Broadway Variety. The stores generously sell the ornaments and collect the proceeds for us. The ornaments are $20 each and can be purchased with either cash or check at those locations. If you want to use a credit card, or if you want to purchase four or more of any one ornament, we recommend that you plan to purchase them at the museum. For more information, call the society at 207-767-7299 or contact us by email at sphistory04106@gmail.com.

Kathryn Onos DiPhilippo is executive director of the South Portland Historical Society. She can be reached at sphistory04106@gmail.com.

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