Dorothy Mytholmroyd, founder of the Rhubarb Temperance Society, England 1921.

Mytholmroyd’s wistful lectures on the peril of overindulgence in the bitter crimson fruit was always under-appreciated by the gaggle of reprobates and wastrels gathering in village halls across the North of post-Edwardian England, merely to acquaint the complimentary buffet.

Dorothy raised moral objection to the cruel and unusual practice of Rhubarb Forcing; routinely depriving and binging this gentle fruit on sunlight in order to produce a sweeter taste.

Her delightful crumble proved to be a downfall when risk-averse local parishes seized an opportunity for cancellation, citing inadequate labelling of foodstuff.

Abandoning the cause in despair, Mytholmroyd’s malaise led to the discovery of mild halucigenic properties arising from over-fermentation. Recruiting local factory girls, she established supply lines into the variety theatres across the North of Britain. Her sweet pink pills became known as “Eee”, derived from the colloquial expression of surprise or pleasure in Northern dialects.