I wonder if anyone can help.I am looking into my family tree and have found my great grandfather David Vogt(born 1872) worked as a master baker at Blackledges bakery on Derby Road, Bootle.
David was the son of Philip Vogt born in Prussia, Germany, also a master baker and Elizabeth Edwards.
The family changed their name to Edwards during the first world war.
Has anyone any information on the bakery, when it was up and running etc, or point me in the right direction to obtain photos of the place.
I have been looking on Liverpool Records Office website, nothing there for Blackledges, I am sure some of our members will know something about Blackledges, come on lads and lasses.
Going by the 1911 Directory, Blackledges Mills & Office was in Princes Street Bootle, and there was a shop in Derby Road 323, so I wonder if they baked on the shop premises back then? There were loads of other shops, too many to name on here!
James Blackledge was born in 1822 and he died before the 1901 census, his wife Rose is living with their son John, listed as a Baker/bread maker, in 1901.
I'll have a look at whereabout on Derby Road that address was Marie. Not being from the area, I'll check how far away from where my ancestors lived etc.,
I'll also have a look at the other address where the Mills & Offices were in relation to it all.
Do you have the address for james Blackledge and his son John??
Just had alook at Google maps. Princes Street is the nest street parallel to Bedford Place, so the bakery was just around the corner, ensuring fresh produce into the shops.
My great grandfather must have travelled to work on the public transport system as he lived in Pendleton Road about 2.5 miles away, although he may have walked if they baked all night.
Hi Denise, I hope you are well. I was a van lad in Blackledges for a year 1948 - 9 . I don't know a great lot about the firm except that it employed very many people. It was the main rival to Scotts, and Sayers Bakeries. There were shops all over Merseyside and was a very reputable firm. They did all the baking on the premises and distributed it to their outlets. The firms address was in Princes Street, which was next to Dacre Street which in turn led over the canal into Bedford Place.
We lads weren't on the premises long enough to know anybody. We were out on the roads almost after starting work. As I remember, it was a decent firm to work for. Sorry I can't be of more help. R R
I remember Blackledges Bakery pretty well.My father-in-law,Bill Stephens,worked there as a baker from about late 1930's to early 1950's I think it was.
He is now 97 yrs old,had a birthday last weekend.We will be visiting him from Oz for a couple of months from this weekend,so will see if he still can recall much of those days.
Thanks for that info. Best wishes to your father-in-law on reaching such a tremendous age.
My great grandfathers name was David Edwards (He changed his name from Vogt during WWI). I believe he worked there as a master baker until his retirement, sometime in the late 30's early 40's.
Hopefully he might even remember him, although I believe it was a large employer.
My Dad worked for Blackledges (Blackie's as it was known) for donkeys' years. In fact, if I remember rightly, that's where mum and he met.
He was a baker but, one night they were short staffed, I think through a flu outbreak or something, and he was asked to go on the slicing machine.
Anyway, he had an accident and lost the top of his little finger. He was taken to hospital for treatment then brought home. I can still remember how white he looked with the shock of it!
They couldn't find the top of his finger and had to scrap that whole batch of loaves that night!
As far as I can remember, after Blackies shut down, Dad was transferred up to the other site somewhere near Walton Hospital, Rice Lane area. That was Spillers.
Thanks to everyone for the information. The photo although of a different shop is superb, and gives a real taste of what things were like in those times.
Just been browsing and saw the chat about Blackledge's. I'm a Blackledge, my grandfather was James Blackledge. The Bakery was sold before I was born in the 1950s to Spillers. It's lovely to hear people enjoyed working for them. Not sure if the bread trays are on ebay but might be interested in them?
I remember Blackledges bakery on Derby road. They would let you take a cake , now and then, from the rows that they cooled outside.If memory serves me, they had a retail store at the corner of Irlam road and Church Way, just by the canal at Coffee house bridge.
I'm delighted to have found this thread, I stumbled across it as I am scouring the web for info for my family tree.
My grandfather, John Smith was a manager at one of Blackledges shops and his sister (my great aunt) Kay, was the company secretary.
Blackledges had a great reputation and they both loved and respected working there.
My grandmother, Margaret Smith was a nurse at Bootle General until the late 1950s I believe they met at the store where my grandfather worked.
Any further snippets of info on either Blackledges or Bootle General would be great, please keep posting !
Thanks for all the information, I came across this thread because I was trying to find the location of a photo of my great great grandad. He's driving a cab outside a Blackledge shop. I don't really know Liverpool but looking at the list of shops above I reckon it could have been the Picton Road one because he lived near there. Anyway I thought I'd share the photo, in case anyone found it interesting. If you know which shop it is let me know, but my money is on Picton Rd.
Yes that’s right. He was at 256 Picton Road when he died in 1937. The only other addresses I’ve got are from much earlier: 29 Powis Street (1891) and 10 Wells St (1901). They came to Liverpool from North Wales like a lot of people. Really appreciate your help - many thanks.
Also Admiral grove no 9
the photo looks really early must have been an important job coachman
did he work for a promident family or livery yard
i am still going through alternative streets for the shop
another welsh family
bobhamo
I’m not sure Bobhamo, but I’ll try and contact the person who gave me the photo and ask. I only made contact with them about a year ago. They had all these incredible photos. Thanks for the Admiral.Grove address too, where did you find that - census?
Steve i am lucky enough to have all street directories from 1860 to 1900
and later ones these are a good help for finding people
i searched carrage owners for the period there are so many
i have got some of the shops off the list getting the numbers to match current streets
the problem is lots of buildings demolished
My great, great grandfather was a master baker for Blackledge's in Bootle in late 1880's - Edward Kelly. A Manxman. If that stirs up any connections I'd be interested to know more. Married to Anne Kelly who ran the haberdashers/tobacconist on Celia St.
Welcome Celia st girl
the shop was between Stanley road andJessica st
your Grandfather got round alot
1881 Scarborough
1891 Warren st liverpool
1901 Soho st
1911 Twiss st
did he have his own Bakery shops later on
Walton Rd
Prince Edward st
Stanley rd bootle
bobhamo
