I love bread--mmmmm, carbs. So I always notice bakeries and, when I am researching, I notice mention of bakeries and bakehouses.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEjFJaalExGfGSqz9GnXbNccgN-LxkEjuDd3gFPyyMZZE0ypwt2BkbcATx4IfFgQ7988Sa-N9EbF43cgWLqSnjp_hBtlCdhgQCF-MKvOGUaiEVmB2TEc80_tASu02KLHWO8VRGG6BkCvk/s1600/Billings+Bread+and+Biscuit+Maker.jpg) |
mid-19th century advertisement |
In the newspapers of the Regency, there seem to be frequent mentions of baking establishments changing ownership.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK7fPk0q44GobBW_t3ChJ47Cy-nZMNgnptlPq_d25huI6OW54SdDNwOjFV1MEcqClY_TzDYF9_97CAiBvr9x6RxjKxy-avtRv8nqNR1cXQY7JBVEtra1FpjMa67yBgGIxwezsVJDtM8Mc/s400/Morning+Advertiser+-+Thursday+13+November+1806.JPG) |
Morning Advertiser - Thursday 13 November 1806 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLBKdLiczydCvVYNNfP0JHHQG3ym_3IWLV5HVr9PEYz8Wy_YLm4tlQloBZ1erpW18WKIfIK0NKrkaBjMRRn1XclthIvj4eoc5hBmm0Aqf9bbqgM6urLCwTqOthLxBLjfXK35wqbXTxncQ/s400/Morning+Advertiser+-+Wednesday+14+January+1818.JPG) |
Morning Advertiser - Wednesday 14 January 1818 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyov2xN1_9avv3H4hmnlIip2sk3il8crIxdo1PWW8XuzZkf6Axhn_TxPcoIGsUXdhotcIq1KA6O3okx_TIU2vRn6vbG6Em6HXm2qZxalpaqRi5xb6Z3WXnYTRDL0m_OxfSUUAjG2ZBQG4/s400/Public+Ledger+and+Daily+Advertiser+Mon+13+Jan+1817.JPG) |
Public Ledger and Daily Advertiser Mon 13 Jan 1817 |
So I did some investigation on baking and bake shops in the Regency era. (By the way, meal was the word for flour and grains, and meal-men were dealers in the same.) The best book I found on bread baking was:
In it, Mr. Edlin describes the best way of constructing a bakery:
And he describes the "most usual and indispensible requisites" (tools) for the bakery:
The seasoning tub
The seasoning sieve
The warming pot
The brass-wire sieve
The pail
The bowl
The spade
The salt bin
The yeast tub
The dough knife
Scales and weights
The scraper
Marks
The rooker
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5jOr9kblYOof-s4SJDvgz8iQT0yIWtEFT54simVGMqhqVOOpRBc4nuCS0BwiC0U7jOsHZCz5oMm6mdPqyM9kE86Yb89JvWDdURDKQ6md84WISDBWbDEtgtV2iCZGlXFqZg9XN7DZW7iE/s1600/An+early+19th+century+bakery+of+the+type+described+by+Edlin.+From+Panschar%252C+Baking+in+America.jpg) |
An early 19th century bakery from 'Baking in America' by Panschar & Slater 1956 |
Baking was big business. Only the largest establishments made their own bread; most households routinely purchased the staple of life. Bake shops did a small sideline in baking items for householders but the Appendix in Mr. Edlin's book makes it clear it was a small earner for the baker.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiem623vjJgW7YhXnU3Mj5IrNmjUCMal5R0dp1OQngSpnD6fOouoF33XRbRjmuzsnhrC7FrDZRRAjFYd5Eh5djr_KAjQRefDzye8l1gmJVv6iMXBBnajTCPh-VmgaLoO9TN5TXaR3621GY/s400/Staffordshire+Advertiser+-+Saturday+15+September+1810.JPG) |
Staffordshire Advertiser - Saturday 15 September 1810 |
The man who took on a bake shop had to be a hard worker and a good manager of business. The margins were small and the regulations increased throughout the 19th century due to the dishonest practices of a few bakers. (Bread was often adulterated with such things as alum and chalk.)
There is a substantial appendix of interviews and statistics at the end of Mr. Edlin's book. He sums up the facts with the following paragraph. Reading it, I no longer wonder why there were so many bakeries for sale in Regency newspapers.
Hmm, I'm hungry. I think I'll go support a baker.
'Til next time,
Lesley-Anne
Sources: Google Books
British Newspaper Archives
1 comment:
Wow! Shoutout love! This is INCREDIBLY helpful, thank you guys!
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