W.A. Broom bakers.

[old tup 30]

On ‎10‎/‎21‎/‎2017 at 9:06 PM, zakes said:

W.A. Broom bakers.

 

Does anyone know when Broom bakers ceased trading, or when they were bought out. Any anecdotes?

 

Also, one for the ever entertaining Old Tup…he always succeeds in making me smile (laugh).

One thing remembered the dreaded initiation ceremony ,every new employee went through it!.It wasn,t very pleasant for the poor sod on the receiving end though highly amusing to the swines dishing it out!.In my case I had been working there for quite a while and mistakenly thought I had been overlooked,not a hope!,all the time in the depot I avoided dark corners looking over my shoulder every time I crossed the floor to and from my wagon and the office!.One day my guard was down and I was jumped on by around half a dozen hulking great so called mates who appeared out of nowhere,I fought and struggled with all my might to no avail,my trousers and undercrackers were dragged down!.Then one of them produced a couple of handfuls of jam and lemon tarts that he crushed into my meat and two veg,then pulling up my scanties and trousers zipped me up and patted everything down nicely!.To say that it was uncomfortable was an understatement,they all ran off and I retreated to the Gents and tried to clean myself up with those very rough paper towels which made things worse!,any way I could relax a bit now I had been through the initiation the only problem was explaining to my mother why I was covered in jam and lemon tarts round my wedding tackle and all over my trousers!.

[Redbutnotdead 0]

On 14/11/2017 at 08:49, old tup said:

I remember the two Broom brothers quite well two opposites,the older one always dressed immaculately expensive suit,spotless white shirt,silk tie with pin,highly polished shoes in his late sixties!.Brother two you always saw him in an overall smock rushing about involved with the running of the bakery,not afraid to get his hands dirty,always had a worried expression on his face!.I worked for the firm almost from leaving school up to the sell out and I enjoyed every minute,like every thing in life nothing lasts forever!.

 

---------- Post added 14-11-2017 at 09:13 ----------

 

An incident has just come to mind about W A Brooms,it was the yearly audit of accounts,the accountants came in the office to proceed the audit!.Brooms chappie in charge of them calm as a cucumber said"I have embezzled a substansial amount and I confess!".One of his family was in money trouble and he had used the firms cash to sort it out,needless to say he was prosecuted I never knew what sentence he received,he must have been desperate to have done the crime!.

My godfather and great uncle was Arthur Broom - was he the immaculately dressed one? My great grandfather was W A Broom but I'm assuming no-one remembers him?

[dateydorgan 0]

On 29/05/2019 at 23:59, Redbutnotdead said:

My godfather and great uncle was Arthur Broom - was he the immaculately dressed one? My great grandfather was W A Broom but I'm assuming no-one remembers him?

Hi - is that you Scott?! :-) Kate here. x

[mikeG 16]

One of the Broom employees who paid in at the Bank where I worked was A E Blackwell (I think).

[old tup 30]

I have just remembered a funny incident at Brooms (Don Bakery),in those days all the salesmen received their wages on a Saturday dinner after finishing their stock sheet and cashing in the takings!.Any money short was deducted from their wages or paid back if they were over,any way two mates of mine both salesmen had booked a holiday to Blackpool with their girlfriends and were expecting a weeks holiday pay!.One received his and waited for the other,now the second one was famous for being a tight get always the last to get a round in the pub,producing cigs from his pocket lit never offering them round,in fact he would skin a trump!.He crept over to us with a sly look on his face grinning he told us they had paid him two weeks holiday instead of one,off they went to Blackpool where he spent money like a sailor,blowing it all in on beer and fags which he delighted in telling me about!.Come the Saturday on their return stood at the cashiers window waiting for his weeks wages he was informed there was nothing for him,zero,zilch as he had been overpaid his holiday pay!.His face was a picture I thought he was going to commit suicide,we all nearly wet ourselves laughing,tight arse had reached his Waterloo!.