Mouthwatering memories of a Hartlepool bakery - ginger cake, rum truffles and all

Crawfords Bakery pictured in Middleton Grange in 1983.

We wanted to know who remembered Crawfords which was a big hit with food lovers in the Middleton Grange Shopping Centre.

But you all went further and even told us which cakes you loved. Thanks to everyone who gacve us tasty reminders of Crawfords favourites including Sharon Iddon who said: “My mam loved the rum truffles from here.”

A busy scene at the Hartlepool Co-op bakery where workers are filling trays with buns.

Ann Randall told us: “Loved the ginger cake from there” while David Wheelhouse remembered: “Used to sell big cream buns.”

Jayne Gray posted: “Devonshire splits!” while Julie Hanson recaled: “You always got your cakes in a cardboard box tied with string x.”

We reached more than 7,000 people with the photograph when it was posted on social media. Caroline Callaghan loved it while lots of others liked it including Joanne Bell, Peter Chamberlayne, Joyce Crawford, Susan Dobson, Ann Robinson, Karen Bullock and Margaret Taylor.

So did Wendy Mudie, Jill Boagey, Dorathy Landin, Suvaissan Savari, John Turnbull, Colin Ainger, Susan Lees and George Hare.

Laura Johnson was a big fan of banana cake. Stephen Tadeo said his mother Betty Tadeo worked there in the café while Gary Powell commented: “I remember a girl called Karen French who had a Saturday job there in the late 70s.

“There was also a cafe in the back.”

Sharon Bartram said: “I don’t remember this but I remember Sparks. Best vanilla slices in the world.”

Others also liked the social media post and they included Sylvia Liddle, Lee Hardwick, Leanne Harrison, Angela Pounder, Mavis Davison, Andrew Povey, Sue Duffie, Ian Simo Simons and Bernie Dorrian. So did Nichola Fleetham-Reid, Sue Taylor, Caroline Rae, Pauline Appleby, Kirsty Wells, Brenda Farmer, Philip Macalister, Paula Pulley and Janet Kinsella.

Thanks to everyone who responed and we’re sure many of you remember other equally popular bakeries. Which was the best in Hartlepool’s bygone times and which others do you remember?

There was Balmer’s which was in Murray Street and always had wonderful aromas to greet the passer-by with. How about the Co-op bakery which is pictured here.

There was the Oxford Street Bakery on the corner of Oxford Street and Durham Street, and the Andersons Bakery which used to be in Ashgrove Avenue and is now on the Park View Industrial Estate.

Perhaps there are others which we havent included but are worthy of a mention.

If so, email [email protected] and tell us more.