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23 City Road

History of 23 City Road

W H Bennett, baker

1913

John H Summerlin, baker

In 1984, Down Your Street, 0123f, recorded: Mrs Hilda Desborough’s father, John Summerlin, kept the bakery at 23 City Road at the turn of the century ….. Hilda Desborough was born as no.23 in 1910. “I had a wonderful childhood there. My mother was Miss Mary Louisa Start of Thompson Lane. She married father who was an apprentice baker to Mr W H Bennett of 23 City Road. Father took over the baker in 1894.” Mr Summerlin was a good baker who used to win prizes for his Hovis. Mrs Desborough remembers that the bakehouse was round the corner in John Street. “The bottom half of the bakehouse window was whitewashed to stop people looking in. Fourteen steps led down to the cellar.” Mr Summerlin’s ovens were always full. The people of City Road used to take their meat, their turkeys at Christmas, their hams and any other special meals over to him to cook in his ovens. He had his special orders too. “My father baked all the bread for Clare College and also made bread for royalty,” says Mrs Desborough proudly.

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