Tithe 1130/1: 1187 C/R
29
A Bakehouse is first recorded
(in the Church Rates) in 1766, held by Martha
Dench. The house, which appears to be originally 2
cottages was probably built in the early 1700’s.
The left hand cottage has an axial stack, which
might suggest of 17th. century origin and the
right hand later. They were both 2 room
cottages.
The 1779 Auction Prospectus
lists the leaseholder as Matthew Goodyear Palmer,
Messuage & tenement & 14 ˝ acres Rent 6/-.
His wife, Nancy, was a member of the Venn family
who may have been Bakers and holding the Lease
earlier. By 1790 Survey the lease was held by
Nicholas Ellis. Nancy Palmer is still named as a
Life, as is Nicholas’ wife Grace (nee Hollett). He
was baker and a Churchwarden at Otterton Church
from 1795 to 1809. He died in 1825. His wife Grace
continued with the lease to her death in
1837.
In 1839 Henry Roberts, White
Bread Baker, took out a new 99 year lease Rent
6/6d, Dwelling House, bakehouse, offices. Garden,
orchard “all corn, grain & malt to be ground
at Otterton Mill”.(CDE 20045) He had probably been
working for Mrs. Ellis before her death. Does this
indicate that the old lease had expired and the
building was erected in 1740? Henry, Walter and
Charles Roberts were baking there until 1870 James
Bridle took the lease in 1871 and died 10 years
later. He had previously been running a bakehouse
in premises between Goslings smithy and Spinning
Wheel cottage (Tithe 1049) and was from Newton
Poppleford. On his death his widow Charlotte with
her son Arthur, continued the bakery until she
went out of business caused by her other son
Walter and just before her death in 1890.
Walter Bridle “had for years
delivered bread to the Barley Mow, (Inn in Colaton
Raleigh), receiving liquor in return and never
having a settlement of his bill” . “By his
profligacy nearly ruined his mother and sisters,
ultimately compelling them to sell the goodwill of
their old established trade of bakers……to make a
living dress tucking” (Letter d/d 17.03.1891
Lipscombe to Frere London Solicitors CDE Letter
Books)
By 1894 Rentals Mrs. Jemima
Snow, dgt. Henry Roberts & life on 1839 Lease,
Is holding it. Later in the 1890’s Thomas Brewer
moved from Exeter to Otterton and took the bakery
over. He is still there in 1914.
By 1921 Arthur Payne is running
the business. By 1946 he and his two sons Harold
& Ernie are baking “ Charlie Fisher in his
reminicenses writes” They made beautiful bread
here and numerous cakes and other confectionary
matter, Sundays they would cook the Sunday joints
for those without ovens”.
1946 Arthur
Payne, family and staff.
Front
row from the left:- Mrs. Alice Pile (nee Payne),
Mrs Ancill, Mrs. Morton (housekeeper), Mr Ancill
(from Honolulu), Arthur Payne
Back row from left:- Harold Payne, Mrs Jane
Payne
By 1957 the brothers had moved
on. A Mr. Les Williams (John Leslie Williams) of
East Budleigh and Sam Pitman ran the business for
several years delivering as far as East Budleigh
& Yettington. They would make a cottage loaf
if required.
Les Williams (John Leslie
Williams) of East Budleigh was born in
1920 and died in 2016. He worked in the bakery
in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s when he moved to
Exmouth. He worked in the Lawn Bakery in
Budleigh from then, alongside my Grandmother Rae
(nee Pengilley, an Otterton native whose mother
Bessie and father Albert lived in Fore St in a
house my Auntie now lives in). However, they
returned to East Budleigh in later life and Les
worked once again with Sam on and off right up
until the bakery closed in 1994 I believe, or
thereabouts from memory. We have family
stretching back several generations before them
from Otterton, East Budleigh and Budleigh.
(info. provided by Stuart Williams Feb 2024)
During the 1970’s (1979?) Mrs.
Eleanor Payne bought the Bakery and House. Samuel
Pitman continued as her tenant.
By April 1994 his lease had run
out and Mrs. Payne wished to close the Bakery and
applied to change the use of the premises to
residential purposes.
At that time Sam Pitman with Les
Brown had built up a thriving business employing 6
villagers and supplying bread etc. to Colaton
Raleigh, East Budleigh, Newton Poppleford,
Woodbury Budleigh Salterton and Otterton.
A petition signed by about 1000
people was presented to the District Council, but
Mrs. Payne refused to change her mind and the
Bakery was closed in November 1994.
© Gerald Millington 2012
SOURCES:
- Clinton Devon Estates
Archives
- Directories
- Exmouth Journal
- Charlie Fishers Village Story
1947 – 1962
