Back in 2015 the BBC produced a series called “Victorian Bakers”, I watched it with interest for several reasons.
Firstly I knew personally two of the modern bakers, working on the program John Foster’s bakery were a long time customer, and John Swift’s family bakery is still a customer of Bakery Computing who I have worked for since 1984.
Additionally I have another link to Victorian bakeries, my 4xGreat Grandfather George Mullins.
George and his wife Sarah were living in Yetminster in 1820 when their eldest daughter Sarah was baptised in St Andrew’s parish church and George’s occupation was given as Baker, they were still there for the baptism of their son George in 1822.
1825 finds the family in Evershot, still baking, for the baptism of Charles, my 3xGreat Grandfather. A final daughter Elizabeth was baptised in December 1829.
George is listed in several trade directories as the Baker of Evershot, but in 1831 George died and Sarah took over the business with her name replacing his in the directories. Sarah had a final child Emma in 1833, no father given in the baptism records.
The Mullins name appears in the Evershot Church accounts from 1825 right through to 1853, being paid around 3 shillings in 1851 and 6 shillings in 1851 for Communion bread, well Sarah got over £1 in 1847, but only, as far as I can see because she had not been paid the previous year. Charles who took the business on when Sarah died in 1851 seems to have continued until the death of his wife in 1854 and then given up baking and become a Railway labourer until his death in 1856. In 1854, the Church bread bill is paid to the Kellaways.
George Jnr also appears in the church accounts as a Glazier mending windows on the church on a regular basis over the years. As does another of my 4xGreat Grandfathers John Groves, a Mason.
After Charles there were no more Bakers in the family and no real connections to baking until I went to work for a computer company run by a 4th generation Baker, turned computer developer.
I love the BBC farm series, but I didn’t know they had one about bakers! I definitely have to check it out. For family history I also love series like this, because they give you a pretty good impression of how live must have been like in that time. And that it directly ties in with your family history makes it even more valuable! Did you learn anything new from the series that gave you clues for researching your family history?
A few bits and bobs and I was really pleased my family were rural bakers, as were depicted in the first program. As you say Living history programs are a real benefit in understanding the lives of our ancestors.