Watson's Bakehouse

Photograph of bakers working at Watson's
By Laura Matthews

Morris Jackman donated a copy of this photograph, which shows his father Ernie Jackman working as a baker at Watson's Bakehouse on Howard Street, Great Yarmouth in 1953. The photograph shows the following people from left to right: Bert Watson (the owner of the bakery), Ernie Jackman (baker) and Edward Vincent other wise known as 'Lollie' (baker).

Did you work at Watson's? What was it like?

Photo:Bakers at work at Watsons Bakery, c. 1953

Bakers at work at Watsons Bakery, c. 1953

Courtesy of Eastern Daily Press

This page was added by Laura Matthews on 14/12/2007.

Comments about this page

I am currently researching my English ancestors and was so pleased to see this photograph. "Lollie" was my uncle, Edward Reginald Vincent, the brother of my mother, Selina Annie Mancini (formerly Vincent). Lollie was born in 1906 and I last saw him in the late 1940s when I was a young child and he was then living at 1 Walpole Road with my grandparents, William and Elsie Vincent. My uncle, Hubert Hastings, who married Lollie's and my mother's sister and my aunt, Alice Maud Vincent, also worked at Watson's.

By Peter Mancini
On 14/01/2008

I remember there was a bakery called Matties somewhere in Great Yarmouth in the the 70s. They had shops called Matties also I think there was a resturant where people had functions one of the shops was at the top of Gorleston High Street

By kathleen kennedy
On 07/11/2008

i worked in Watsons Bakery 1986 straight from Yarmouth High, I remember a few people, Karen in the office, Joyce in the shop. Neil, Aidy, Fred , Reggy, the owner Val Watson and his son Grant,and of course Percy Bowles and Sid Travellyan both now sadly no longer with us my whole working life I owe to the knowledge Sid and Percy gave me, thank you so much you will always be remembered.

By paul ewing
On 09/02/2009

Reference the article about
Matties  I. think she means Matthes. They had several shops, the main one being in King St  Above this shop was a function room. I can remember the Blue Bus social club hiring it for one of there dances ,probably in 1969. One of the sons of the founder went on to have a ward at the Northgate Hospital named after him, the Herbert Matthes ward. Their main bakehouse was in Englands Lane, Gorleston.

By Keith Banner
On 25/10/2010

Ii think you will find that Grant was Ivy's son ,not Vals and Ivy is Vals sister who also worked in the shop.

By jayne harrison
On 14/01/2011

As far as I know the head baker at Watsons when I was there was Sid Travelleyn, who also worked at Matthes in England Lane. He lived at 9 Bells Rd which used to be the bakery dairy I believe.

By Paul Ewing
On 14/01/2011

yes you are correct Val was Grant's Uncle I forgot that

By paul
On 28/01/2011

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