History of the Old Bakehouse
1 - History of The Old Bakehouse and the Trafford Family in Kirtlington:
The bakehouse was built in the early 1700's or possibly the late 1600's. It is first mentioned as one of several properties of Thomas Symonsa. Thomas lived in Kirtlington through the first part of the 18th century, and died in 1753. John Traffordb (born 1706 in nearby Wendlebury) married Thomas' daughter Mary Symonsb in 1735. Some historical records hint that John and Mary may have lived at one of Thomas' properties. Thomas and John were both farmers of significant acreage in Kirtlington [according to St. John's College survey - 1750].
At left is an image of a portion of the large map that accompanies the St. John's College Survey of 1750. The original map is quite large (about 4 ft across). Together with the map, the survey also includes a number of ledgers listing the amounts of land owned or farmed by various tennants.
This image shows the location of the bakehouse, though it was not likely used primarily for baking (more likely for brewing) at the time of the survey. Also shown are the possible locations of the properties of Thomas Symons mentioned in the survey (a homestead and an orchard).
In his will, Thomas Symons left a number of properties to his daughter and son-in-law, Mary and John; but he also left certain properties to his grandsons. The building that would later become the bakehouse was left by Thomas to his daughter Mary, with provisions for Thomas' housekeeper Hannah Wheeler to use part of the house. Further provision was made that in the event of Mary's death, the property was to be rented for the maintenance and education of Thomas' grandson (John and Mary's son), John Traffordc (born 1741), becoming fully his upon reaching the age of twenty one.
From the Will of Thomas Symons, 1753:
... unto my Housekeeper Hannah Wheeler ... Passage Room or Parlour and ... my new Erected part of a Messuage Cottage or Tenement with the Room over ... in Kirtlington ... part of the Premises which I lately purchased of Robert Venemore and Also the little Garden and Necessary house standing thereon and Also the use of the Brewing Vessell Kitchen or Brewhouse ... [etc.] ... during the Term of her natural life ...
... unto my said daughter Mary Trafford All that my Messuage Cottage or Tenement Quarter of a Yard-land ... [etc.] ... which I Purchased of the said Robert Venemore ... in Kirtlington aforesaid and the ... Passage Room or Parlour new Erected part of the said Messuage Cottage or Tenement with the Room over Little Garden Necessary house Use of the Kitchen or Brewhouse ... after the Death or Marriage of the said Hannah Wheeler ... unto my said Daughter Mary ... for and during the Term of her natural life
and then immediately after her Decease then I do herby Give Devise and Bequeath ... In Trust ... [the executors to pay and apply] ... the Rents Issues and Profits ... to and for the Use Maintenance and Education of my Grandson John Trafford until he shall attain to the Age of One and Twenty Years
And from and immediately [after] he shall have attained to his said Age of One and Twenty Years then I Give and Bequeath the said last mentioned Premises with the Appurtenances to my said Grandson John Trafford his Heirs and Assigns forever
[subject] nevertheless ... with one Annuity or Yearly Charge of Four pounds ... to be paid to the said Hannah Wheeler ... during the Term of her natural [life] ...
Thomas' daughter Mary died in 1754, only a year after her father's death. We can assume that Thomas' instructions were followed, and when the younger John turned twenty one (in 1762) the property became his.
It is not known when the home began being used for baking, other than it must have happened at some time during the younger John Trafford's tenure. John married Mary Curtisc (of nearby Weston-on-the-Green) in 1766. Mary appears to have descended from the Drake family of Weston-on-the-Green, who had been bakers there. Perhaps it was her influence that brought the baking tradition to our family.
The younger John Trafford held several properties; which included the bakehouse inherited from his grandfather; and a malt-house inherited from his father (who died in 1768). John died in 1819. In his will, he left the bakehouse to his eldest son, Thomas Traffordd (born 1767). Thomas had married Sarah Halld in 1788, and they were already living at the bakehouse, raising their own family when he inherited it. The malt-house was left to John's other two sons, John Trafford (born 1769) and Richard Trafford (born 1771).
From the Will of John Trafford, 1813: [proved 1819]
… I give and devise unto my Son, Thomas Trafford his heirs and assigns all that myMessuage or Tenement and those Bakehouse Outhouses Barns Stables Buildings Yards Gardens and Orchard thereunto belonging situate and being in Kirtlington aforesaid andnow in the possession of this my said Son Thomas Trafford … [etc.] … were given anddevised to me and my heirs and assigns for ever in and by the last Will and Testament of my Grandfather Thomas Symons …
above: snapshot from 1841 census image showing the family of John and Maria Trafford, with Thomas (age 74, Baker)
The 1841 UK census for the parish of Kirtlington shows Thomas Trafford, age 74, profession "Baker", living in the home of his son and daughter-in-law, John Trafforde and Maria (Walker)e, with their children. Presumably they were living at the bakehouse at this time, though the census does not elaborate on their dwelling. The same census also shows John Trafford, age 70, profession "Maltster", living perhaps just a few doors away.
Thomas Trafford died in 1843 (age 76, profession "Baker"). He does not seem to have left a will, and by the time of the 1851 UK census, none of Thomas' children had remained in Kirtlington. Many of Thomas' children in fact moved to the city of Oxford some time in the 1840's; and a number of these were running baking businesses in Oxford. Through the 1860's and 1870's, a number of Thomas' grandchildren were working in the baking business in Oxford, London, and further afield.
It can be assumed the the old bakehouse started out handling the baking needs of the Symons/Trafford families. However, given its size, its location adjacent to an important inn, and the emergence of a number of bakers in the Trafford family; it almost certainly began serving the baking needs of the small community of Kirtlington during Thomas Trafford's tenure or before. After Thomas' death and the disappearance of many of the Traffords from Kirtlington, the bakehouse ended up in the possession of the Wakefield family.
[Read below for this part of the history of the Bakehouse.]
Notes:
a - my 7th great grandfather
b - my 6th great grandparents
c - my 5th great grandparents
d - my 4th great grandparents
e - my 3rd great grandparents
2 - The Old Bakehouse and the Wakefield Family:
Contributions from Claire Carpenter and Jackie Huges
I have been in touch with fellow researcher, Claire Carpenter, a descendant of the Wakefields of Kirtlington. Claire has provided me with some of her recollections about her Wakefield roots and her own visits to the bakehouse. The photo at left shows her ancestor in the back yard of the bakehouse.
Some time in the mid 1800's, the bakehouse came into the possession of the Wakefield family. This of course fits in with the timing of Thomas Trafford's death and the disappearance of his children and grandchildren from Kirtlington. The bakehouse stayed with the Wakefields until the early 1900's, when they too moved on. J. D. Wakefield moved the family to Aylesbury, Bucks., where they ran a confectioner's shop for many years.
In 1986, local historian, Henry Shellard wrote some of the recollections he had from his childhood (roughly the 1920's) in Kirtlington. I show here two excerpts from his book that relate to the bakehouse and the Wakefield family [I received these excerpts from fellow researcher, Jackie Hughes]:
From the book "Kirtlington: An Historical Miscellany", by Henry Shellard: [pp 82-83]
The lack of a recognizable address on Census Records of the 19th century make it impossible to say when the Old Bakehouse was first used as a bakery. The oldest map of Kirtlington dated 1750 rev: 1803, certainly shows a building in the location of the Old Bakehouse (corner of Dashwood Mews – Heyford Road) but not, of course, what it was used for.
The Census Records list more than one baker in the last century – in fact the 1851 Census records four of them.
In 1871 the addresses of the bakers in the village were: James Wakefield, Main Road Cottage; Ann Ball, Baker's Shop; Charles East, Cottage; Frederick East, Cottage. Not very helpful except that it is possible to think the Main Road Cottage was what is now the Bakehouse, particularly as in the 1920's the Old Bakehouse was occupied by the Wakefield family.
I must thank Ron Hammond who allowed me to inspect the Deeds of the old Bakehouse, but they did not have any information which might have been helpful in finding out when the place was first used as a bakery.
From the book "Kirtlington: An Historical Miscellany", by Henry Shellard: [pp 83-84]
Bread was, of course, baked in the Old Bakehouse but meals also used to be cooked in the ovens on Sundays. Joints were taken in large tins or something which could be fitted into the large oven. Some were delivered before the Church service and collected afterwards.
The Wakefields lived there at one time. Old Mrs Wakefield was very stout and would never appear in the bakehouse. If there was no-one there she would come to the door and you would have to call out what you wanted. We always thought she was too fat to get along the passage.
The joints had to be there at a certain time. They were not all joints. You could take Yorkshire puddings.
They made other things than bread. Lardy-cakes were absolutely beautiful. If Mother wanted one she would send down one of her biggest meat dishes and they would make one in it. It was so lovely because the whole of the top was sugary and crusty, not a bit the same today. They would last a day or two.
Mother was once called away to Granny. We had nobody except Father – and he didn't know much about cooking – so he said we will send the meat down to the Bakehouse. We got the carter or one of his sons to take the meat there and it was a beautiful meal.
I believe it would be a worthwhile pursuit to try to track down the Deeds mentioned by Mr. Shellard in the first excerpt. Although they did not answer his particular question, they may well answer the more fitting question as to how, and under what circumstances the bakehouse came from the Traffords to the Wakefields. I hope some day to include those finding here.