PART 2

J. W. Thompson Ltd.

Modern Bread Making in Old Whittington

Introduction

While Robinson’s served New Whittington, another major bakery operated at Old Whittington.

J. W. Thompson Ltd. became one of the district’s most progressive food manufacturers, embracing modern machinery, hygienic production and nutritional innovation.

Building a Business

The company was founded in 1901 by Councillor J. W. Thompson.

Having trained under respected bakers in Bristol and worked in several major towns and cities, Thompson brought considerable experience to his new enterprise.

The business began with only three employees.

Within a generation it employed between twenty and thirty workers.

A Pioneer of Motor Delivery

The company achieved several local firsts.

It was:

• The first bakery in the district to deliver bread by motor vehicle.
• The first to use sealed bread wrappers.
• Among the first to adopt highly mechanised production.

These developments improved hygiene and increased efficiency.

A Modern Bakery

The bakery building measured approximately:

100 Feet Long

30 Feet Wide

It was described as:

• Large
• Light
• Airy
• Hygienic

White glazed tiles lined the walls and visitors were welcomed to inspect the premises.

Bread Making on an Industrial Scale

The bakery contained:

• Three drawplate ovens
• Four peel ovens
• Automatic bread-making machinery
• Electric dough dividers
• Electric moulders
• Bread wrapping machines

The principal bread machine could process:

Up to 2 Tons of Dough per Hour

Output reached:

1,000 Loaves Every Hour

Ultra Violet Technology

One of the firm’s most unusual innovations was the patented:

Ultra Violet Ray Vioroid Process

During mixing, dough was exposed to ultraviolet light.

The process was said to improve:

• Colour
• Texture
• Bloom
• Flavour

while also assisting yeast development.

Vitamin D Bread

Thompson’s also enriched bread with Vitamin D.

At a time when nutritional science was rapidly developing, this represented a highly progressive approach to food production.

The company claimed its bread contained Vitamin D levels comparable with the finest summer butter.

Beyond Bread

The bakery also manufactured:

• Brown bread
• Scones
• Tea cakes
• Doughnuts
• Cakes
• Pastries
• Pork pies
• Swiss rolls

Production of Swiss rolls alone reached:

10,000 Per Week

A Family Business

J. W. Thompson was assisted by his sons:

• W. S. Thompson
• Leslie Thompson

Together they helped develop one of the district’s most successful bakeries.

Legacy

The Thompson bakery illustrates how food production evolved during the early twentieth century.

The combination of machinery, motor transport, scientific methods and nutritional innovation helped transform the humble loaf into a modern industrial product.