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Inverness Bakers


rytenuff

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My grandfather, F. Gordon Harper, used to own and operate a bakery on Telford Street in Inverness, not very far from the old Inverness Caledonian football stadium. It was either named "The Telford Bakery" or "The Highland Bakery", although I must admit I'm not sure. This was long before I was born, and all of that I know has been told to me by my mother, Helen, who was Gordon Harper's daughter.

I believe my grandfather bought the bakery in 1930 or 1931 upon his return from Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada. In 1937, he sold the bakery to an Englishman named Commander Vyner, who had come north to invest in the Highlands.

Gordon Harper became Vyner's GM, and continued to oversee the bakery's operation as part of his duties. 

After the Second World War - in about 1947, I believe - my grandfather bought the bakery back from Vyner, and went into partnership with his younger brother, Jim Harper, who had returned to Inverness from New Zealand in 1934.

In about 1953, my grandfather sold the bakery again (this time to his brother, Jim), and bought the news agency "Bowes" at 32 (?) Young Street on the west side of the River Ness just across the road bridge, and subsequently acquired another news agency "Wards" in Eastgate.

Grandad died in 1965, and my grandmother - Mrs A A 'Ina' Harper - continued to run both news agencies. Wards disappeared during the first redevelopment of Eastgate, but Bowes continued in the family until my grandmother sold it, too, in about 1977. Ina Harper died in 1980.

My grandparents, Gordon & Ina Harper, lived on Island Bank Road, owning two houses there - 'Valleyfield' at no. 27 and 'Maybank' at no. 20. Neither house has been in the family for decades, with Maybank being sold off in 1978 and Valleyfield in 1984.

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airgweilo

I remember "Valleyfield" very well.  It was next to the Carol nursing home where my old Dad was head gardener in the late 1940s/early 50s. We lived in the gardener's cottage which was at the back of the nursing home fronting on to Drummond Crescent.  Valleyfield's large garden backed on to Drummond Crescent also.  It contained a large open field at the back with a set of goalposts in it which all us local kids were allowed to use.  The Harper's had two boys, Frank and Sandy.  If I'm getting my generations correct you must we the son of one of these two.

Sandy Harper was closer in age to me than Frank. He was 3 or 4 years older than me.  He was brilliant with us younger kids, always arranging games for for us, like football, cricket and athletics.  Well do I remember the "Drummond Crescent Olympics" he organised.  Sandy also took me to my first Highland League game, Clach v Caley at Grant Street.  I became a Caley fan immediately, and remain so to this day (ICT of course since 1994).   We moved to Hilton in 1951 and I lost touch with Sandy.  Last I heard he was a doctor in Canada.

I guess he would be late 70's in age now, and Frank in his 80s.  I'd love to hear what became of them.  You can PM me if you prefer.

 

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  • 2 years later...

I seem to have two different memories of that bakery.

One - in the row of shops on the north side of Southside Road, diagonally opposite the Heathmount.  There was also a butcher, a Post Office, and a general store of some sort there.

Two - on the corner of Southside Road and Argyle Street, just across Argyle Street from the row of shops I mention above.  Maybe they moved across the road, or maybe my first memory is false.

 

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  • 3 months later...

The dining-room became a café, and my mother was a regular for a while when I was small.

Slightly related, I see from the Courier that my former dentist Ker Robertson, whose premises were also upstairs in Academy Street and must have been next door to Burnett's, has died at the age of 95.  I think that all the metal and porcelain that he stuck in my teeth has been replaced, but you never know...

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  • 2 months later...
On 1/26/2020 at 4:40 PM, IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER said:

Burnetts Bakery footie team circa 1964

burnetts (2).jpg

Rear left to right, Alex Mackenzie, Sammy Keith, Akex Howie, Sammy Sloan, Dave Macrae, Sam Gibson & Bob Jamieson.

Front left to right, Jimmy Irvine, Tommy Thompson, Alex................ & Hugh Maclennan.

From Mike a retired Burnetts baker.

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  • 3 months later...

A weeman sent me this a while ago, it has part of Burnetts Bakery at the bottom left of the photo but lots of other places as well.

Longman Road.jpg

Edited by IBM
forgot to attach photo
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  • 1 year later...
5 hours ago, IBM said:

If you had a cake in there it must have been pretty stale by now 😳

I have no idea where that one was. 

Queensgate, south side, two or three shops in towards the middle from the market entrance?   You walked through to the back past the retail counter at the front.  They also had a downstairs - stairs on the right as you walked through - but I can't remember if there were tables or just toilets down there.

Or was that another one entirely?

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Just now, weeman said:

Image 1 - Braemar Cafe Inverness Bakers and Confectioners

Another one Snorbens. With help from IBM and social media, it was on Margaret Street on the same side as Charlie's Cafe about half way down. It was there in the 70's but burnt down. I was around then but I have no recollection of it myself

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35 minutes ago, snorbens_caleyman said:

Queensgate, south side, two or three shops in towards the middle from the market entrance?   You walked through to the back past the retail counter at the front.  They also had a downstairs - stairs on the right as you walked through - but I can't remember if there were tables or just toilets down there.

Or was that another one entirely?

Think that was the Balmoral

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2 hours ago, weeman said:

Think that was the Balmoral

Balmoral, Braemar - same place innit?  :lol:

Can't remember the Braemar, yet I used to go to the East Church (including using their side door on Margaret Street), catch buses, etc. Maybe it was after the time I did all that.

I vaguely remember a fire around there, but I might have left town by then.  Honest, officer! 

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  • 1 month later...

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