This week’s offering derives its origins from a very observant Joseph Solowyk, whilst heading up Trinity Street from Broad Street towards the junction with High Street. He noticed this gravestone-like feature on concrete on the left side of a brick building in Trinity Street. Some interesting comments were made on our page in response to Joseph’s image.
I could not resist but investigate. On the corner of Broad Street with Trinity Street is the tool hire company called RAN house, then after a lane, we find a gable end containing this strange writing with the lettering below a window: MOON BAKE HUS. Beyond this, heading up the hill that is Trinity Street.
But, more context first, on the 1877 Ordnance Survey showing at our location this week in the Barry and District, this was arable land with a few trees forming hedge lines. By 1898, the houses at High Street meeting the junction with Trinity Street had been completed, and so had our building of the ‘Moon bake’.
Is this a blocked-up serving hatch, as it’s not a doorway – it doesn’t reach ground level? One of our Barry and District Museumeers believes so. The Moon Bake Hus, is not an old sign. According to Michele Evans, the sign derives from the name of the builder called ‘Moony’ who converted the former bakehouse into a domestic house.
According to Peter Wharton of the Barry and District Museumeers a Mr. Kerslake owned two bakeries back in the 1960s. One was the bakehouse for bread, its front shop was in High Street, and the side entrance was in Lower Trinity Street, where the ovens were, now called the Moon Bake Hus.
Lots of names of people were discussed on the Barry and District Museumeers page of people who worked at both the Kerslake bakeries and other locations where they had expanded to. But, we have thus a sketchy timeline at the present, and Barry and District readers are welcome to contact me to fill in the blanks: karljlangford@hotmail.com. Do you remember Reg Kerslake, Tom Whyman, and Ken the baker?
Susan Trepleton tells us: “I remember when I was under 20, I went to help out in the Kerslake’s bakery at the top of High Street. I helped with cleaning in the back. I was only there a short while.”
What mystery awaits us in the Barry and District?
