History of Baking in Britain

Overview

• Britain's baking industry is worth four billion pounds a year.
• Four professionals explore the evolution of baking over 63 years, focusing on the Victorian era.
• They experience the challenges and evolution of baking, from rural to urban settings.

Rural Bakeries of the 1840s

• Baking had changed little for centuries in rural areas.
• The local bakery, usually staffed by 3-4 people, was central to a community.
• Bakers were crucial to survival as bread was a staple in the diet.

Baking Techniques and Ingredients

• Victorians used methods and equipment vastly different from modern ones.
• Ovens were primitive, wood-fired and required manual heating.
• Yeast was obtained from beer froth, a labor-intensive and costly process.
• Wheat was locally sourced and varied by region, affecting the bread's taste.

Bread Types

• Two main types of bread: Household (standard) and Wheaten (premium).
• Bread was heavily regulated by law.
• The cottage loaf was a common rural bread shape.
• Barley bread was a cheaper alternative during grain shortages.

The Baker’s Role and Challenges

• Bakers lived simple lives but played a vital role in their communities.
• The work was physically demanding and included tasks like selling door-to-door.
• During poor harvests, bread prices soared, leading to famine in parts of England.
• Barley bread and even chicken feed (crammings) became food for the poor.

Economic and Social Context

• The 1840s saw high bread prices and rural hardship.
• Bakers, though crucial, also faced economic pressures.
• Industrialization began drawing rural populations into cities, threatening rural bakehouses.

Celebration and Cultural Practices

• Harvest festivals were one of the few breaks, marked by baking special celebratory loaves and cakes.
• Bakers contributed to community events, emphasizing their integral role.

Transition to Urban Baking

• Industrialization and urbanization would soon transform the baking trade.
• The rural baking way of life was facing extinction as Britain urbanized.