The history of Chuck's bakery North Mymms

North Mymms Notes - No 5

Jonah Chuck starting his round from his Dellsome Lane bakery
Wife Beatrice looking on from behind the gate
Image c1900 by G. Knott gifted by P.Grant, from the Images of North Mymms collection

For almost 150 years, the Chuck family of Welham Green supplied the homes of North Mymms with bread, first from their cottage at the junction of Pooley's Lane and Huggins Lane, using a small wood-fired oven, and later from their bakery in Dellsome Lane, where they had installed a coal-fired oven.


According to research carried out by local resident, photographer and local history enthusiast, Mike Allen, the family worked hard to support the business.

In 1817, Elizabeth Chuck, wife of Richard the baker, faced an 11-mile walk to Garratt's Flour Mill in Hertford in order to buy the flour for the bread. She then had to carry the sack home on her head before her husband and their son, John, were able to bake the bread.

Chuck the bakers delivery trap 1900s
Image from the former North Mymms Local History Society
From the Images of North Mymms collection

The business closed in 1962, due to "the price of coal and not modernising the ovens" as well as the added pressure of running the local Post Office.

Mike has traced the recent history of the Chuck family in the attached document, which he has shared with this site. It includes some old pictures of life in the area at a time when bread was delivered by horse and cart.

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