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Scribbans Bakery

  • Thread starter Thread starter Steve C
  • Start date Start date
paul stacey said:
hi all
Scribbans used to deliver bread in bartley green with an horse and cart? did they come all the way from aston or did they have a subsidery near by, in say harborne or selly oak??
and has any one ever heard of wacoden milk?
regards
paul
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Paul, Wacaden was a company name for Wathes, Cattell & Gurden Dairy products, they sold their products in many districts of Brum one shop was by The Swan island, Yardley by were i lived pre & post WW2. Len.
 
hi len
thanks for the mail the wacoden milko had a horse and in the summer it had a hat and in the winter a balaclava, it would stop at all the address's on its own and in adams hill half way down was an old house with an equaly old lady it would not move until she came out with a lump of sugar or an apple. I remember the swan yardly from the 60's great pub though a little hard to get back home from late at night.
regards
paul
 
I worked at Scribbens as a holiday job (in 1963?). Loading lorries in the warehouse. I was about 16 at the time, and got a holiday job every summer, whilst I was tudying to go to Uni. I remember 'throwing' large boxes of cakes down a roller conveyor that we ran into the back of the vans. Someone in the van then took the boxes (weighing up to 56 lbs) and stacked them in the vans. The folk who worked there were very friendly, and I particularly remember the help and advice from Frank (about 50 I guess). Sadly, he had a heart attack whilst I was theer and was not able to do the job any more. We were all very sad about this. I remember realising how tough it was if you became unfit for work through illness. And how lucky those given the opportunity to get an education were -- they would be able to change jobs as circumstances changed. I still remember Frank's kindness now, 50 years on (and I am now retired).

The camaderie amongst workers in the 60s (and I guess earlier too) is something I am very pleased I was able to witness. An important thread in society in the 20th century (families too, as in earlier centuries)?

Workers at Scribbens were able to take home 'broken biscuits' and cakes for a nominal charge on Fridays. I remember our neighbour who worked there about 1960 selling some of these on to us around 1960. As a rather poor working class family, these were real treats!
 
lencops said:
Paul, Wacaden was a company name for Wathes, Cattell & Gurden Dairy products, they sold their products in many districts of Brum one shop was by The Swan island, Yardley by were i lived pre & post WW2. Len.
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Paul, Len, just as a footnote as i mentioend last year that my Grandma worked at Scribbans during the early years of the war, it was in fact at her next job in 1943 when she joined Wacadens on Frederick Road at the back of the Warley Odeon as a milkman (woman) driving an electric cart up and down the Hagley Road that she met my Grandad and married soon after

Is there any photos of Scribbens up the Cape at all?, Cheers, lee
 
there yes i remember wacadans dairy very well and on the subject of old scribonas if you went to the bakery entrance for about 9 30 every night of the week you could get job
loading there vans by asking the van driver if he needs any help loadinghis van or lorry and he would give you a fiver for helping him
alot of kids picked up on this there was a crowed waiting so you had tyo be early to get a job you had to be early before ten other wise you had no chance of the money nor a few
cakes thrown in with the deal
best wishes astonion
 
Going back to the 70s I remember working as a journey man electrician at a bakery (i think it was Scribbans )at the back of Smethwick Market in the road that ran parallel with Windmill Lane I don,t remember it that well as I was only there a few weeks but i do recall the factory cake shop where you could buy the rejects on the cheap. Dek
 
After the many, many, horse drawn vans from the 50's you would think that somewhere there was at least 1 photo to bring back these very personal memories??
paul
 
Here's photo of scribbans horse drawn vehicles in a horse parade in the 1950's
The horses were L-R Verity,Odelle,Muriel and Regent.

This photo is from a lovely book by Bryan Holden entitled Birmingham's working horses.

Scribbans_Bakery_1906_001.jpg
 
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Fantastic pic Topsy, we used to chant after the delivery men " Scribans bread, just like lead, eat one piece and ya drop down dead " they didnt like it. Max
 
great picture Topsy I am sure I would have had one in our house at that time, and a very belated "Happy Birthday" sorry never saw original thread, but well ment.
paul
 
Re Scribbans's Bakery
In my post Aug 13 2009 I referred to the Scribbans's horse and cart that my Dad used for his deliveries around Edgbaston and Smethwick. I am attaching a photo of a similar horse and cart which was given
to me by local artist Smudge Smith, who had also worked at Scribban's
 
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Welcome to the Forum, Terry.

It looks as though you have quoted a recent post (which for reasons unknown has since disappeared) but have omitted to make any comment about it. If you intended to say something on this subject, do please have another go at it!

Chris
 
Loved the Cherry Genoa slab cake that Scribbans delivered. Most of their biscuits were made by Elkes, was that part of the same group?
 
I seem to be a bit late joining this but as a lad I did a Saturday with Ken Tromans in Quinton around 1956, We had the Morrison electric van. The firm were in Lodge Road then. We later did the Solihull round with the first walk through van - Mr Scribbans lived in Solihull at that time. I had my own rounds in 1960 in Shard End and Sparkhill with a J2 van, the firm was taken over by the Sunblest group aqnd I used to take a 15cwt van to Nottingham on Sundays with Malcolm Chase in another 15cwt. We also 'swapped' bread and cakes with Bradfords, West Bromwich. who supplied us with the best pineapple creams ever.
 
GeoffCrofts said:
I seem to be a bit late joining this but as a lad I did a Saturday with Ken Tromans in Quinton around 1956, We had the Morrison electric van. The firm were in Lodge Road then. We later did the Solihull round with the first walk through van - Mr Scribbans lived in Solihull at that time. I had my own rounds in 1960 in Shard End and Sparkhill with a J2 van, the firm was taken over by the Sunblest group aqnd I used to take a 15cwt van to Nottingham on Sundays with Malcolm Chase in another 15cwt. We also 'swapped' bread and cakes with Bradfords, West Bromwich. who supplied us with the best pineapple creams ever.
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My mum used to treat me to a pineapple cream on a Friday when she had done her shopping at the co-op in Bucklands End Lane ,not sure where they came from but they were the best, thanks for the memory
 
Dont live in uk now, but been over a few times over the years, could never find pineapple creams Greggs used to do them , does anybody make them anymore ¿
 
thanks carolina....what year was that......i have a local greggs will ask if they still sell them...just fancy one with a cuppa:)

lyn
 
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