Wainmans Bakery Mansfield

The Bakery

The bakery was know as Gilcroft Bakery as well as Wainmans Bakery, at the back of the bakery was Midworth Street, it is the Bingo Hall now so would have been Brunts Street in those days before the bypass was built. The front was on Albert Street, (John Sankeys now).  The Wainman family lived above at that time and they also had a house on Rock Hill.

Bill Wainman was the owner, he had a brother Arthur and Harry who had a chemists shop on Pecks Hill.

Bill  Wainman had sons Bill and Jack, Jack took over the bakery  sometime in the 1940s he had a son Peter who also worked in the bakery trade. By the 1960s small bakeries where dying out and Wainmans closed, Peter then went to work at Landers..

Memories of a Van Girl

Audrey now in her 80’s had happy memories of working at Wainmans from the age of 14 until she was 26. ‘The bakery was at the back on Midworth Street, and you went through living accommodation to the shop that was on Brunts Street.’

She was set on as a van girl and learnt to drive., She wore a brown overall and enjoyed delivery to the rich people of Mansfield. Deliveries were also made to Hardwick Hall camp to supply the Paratroopers in WW2 with cakes. They also delivered to the hospitals, the Victoria, Newstead and Harlow Wood. A 4 pound square bread loaf was made specially for the hospitals.

Mr Wainman always made Easter Eggs for the children at Harlow Wood and gave presents for them at Christmas.

Once on the Shirebrook Road it was snowing heavy and the van got stuck in a snow drift, along came a bus and the men got off and lifted the van out of the snow!

Other people who worked at Wainmans when Audrey was there were Miss Cook who worked in the shop, Walter Fisher managed the bakery side while Jack and Marian Coup and Phyllis Morton were drivers. They were happy days.

Memories of a young lad

Alan C recalled –  ‘ As a young boy, probably in the late 1930’s, I remember we used to buy the family bread from Wainmans, Someone came around Bradder Street on a three wheeler bicycle, with the two wide wheels at the front and a large red box attached to the front of it. The box opened at the top something like an ice cream fridge. Inside was lovely fresh bread, and the most gorgeous cream cakes I have ever tasted.’

Comments about this page

  • My Mum and Dad met at Wainmans where they both worked. I also believe my aunt and uncles worked there too. My Dad did his National Service 1952-1954 and I have recently found letters from Bill Wainman to my father while he was serving in Germany, so they must have been friends too. My father is no longer with us and my mum is 88 so cant remember too much.
    Dad was Alan King and Mum Sylvia Wilson. I also think my aunts Jessie and Muriel worked there and my Uncle Derek.

    By D.C (09/11/2023)
  • Very interesting. I am Paul Wainman of Tamworth, formerly Birmingham. James William Wainman was my 1st cousin 4 x removed. Ive recently been exploring this side of my family from the Notts area.

    By Paul Wainman (31/01/2020)
  • Hi Nick Hemphill

    I have some documents and history related to Wainman’s Bakery, it was my Great Grandfather and then Grandfather who had the bakery. My father was Peter who is mentioned on this site.

    By Andrew Wainman (01/01/2020)
  • WE ARE THE RELATIVES OF THE WAINMAN’S WHO RAN THE BAKERY FROM THE START. FAMILY RECORDS OF THAT PERIOD WERE DESTROYED/LOST SOME YEARS AGO AFTER THE DEATH OF IRENE WAINMAN WHO WAS HEMPHILL AT HER DEATH. SHE WAS THE DAUGHTER OF ARTHUR WAINMAN. IF ANYONE CAN HELP , WE WOULD BE GRATEFUL.

    By NIC HEMPHILL (02/02/2019)
  • ref. the Gazateer, 1957 the properties for the Albert St area from the Midworth St. corner are,39 Albert St, F. King, chemist,41a Road Tansport and General Insurance, 41, E Shepperson, confectioner and tobacconist, 43 JW Wainman, Bakers, 45, CA Ripley, Pork Butcher, no street number for North Notts Farmers, Corn Merchants, again North Notts Farmers, Farm Appliances. The next property is a Brunts St address 3-5 Brunts St, Fred Dodsley, tool shop which was situated near the corner of Brunts St and Gilcroft St. On the opposite corner, Nottingham Rd and Brunts St was Frank Hardy, Ladies and Gents outfitters at 1-3 National Savings Centre at 5 Bainbridge Cafe at 9 When I started work in 1952 I used to catch the works van outside Hardys and spent my waiting time staring at the tools in the shop and the owner then was a Mr Harris dressed in a raincoat and always wore a Bowler Hat This area is now under St Peters Way Looking at the 1913 Mansfield Map all these properties were built so they all over 100 years old.

    By Tom Shead (26/11/2012)
  • I agree Angela, it doesn’t fit. The confusion could be down to Audrey thinking the bakery shop front was actually on Brunts Street, to be fair the junction was quite spread out in the days before the ring-road and it could have looked as though it was at the top of Brunts Street, however, the address was/is 43 Albert Street, which today is occupied by Harmans Solicitors, not John Sankey. Worboys took over the premises in May 1960.

    By Berisford Jones (18/11/2012)
  • I agree with Angela, albeit close to Brunts Street, the shop was at the top of Albert St… The rear of the bakery did I believe came out near to the Hippodrome Cinema . I remember Peter Wainman coming to Landers as a salesman. I’m sure he was on one of the Leicester Rounds.. He had black hair and used to wear a black leather jacket. Not quite sure which street was Gilcroft, but Gilcroft Chambers was I believe on St. Peters Way and the corner of was it Midworth or another?. Worboys was another very good customer of Landers.

    By alan curtis (18/11/2012)
  • I am a bit confused with the description of the whereabouts of this bakery. The back of the bakery was Midworth street, and the front was Albert street, I get that bit. But where does Brunts street come into it? I remember the shops at the top of Brunts street and onto Albert street. And I remember the bakers shop, which in the 60’s was Worboys (which is now Sankeys estate agent). So I’m assuming that Worboys would have been Wainmans Bakery? Below this was Ripleys buthchers shop and another 3 shops including Fred Dodsleys on the corner of Gilcroft street and Brunts street.

    By Angela Roche (17/11/2012)
  • One small saying or reading can jog ones memory to distant times and happenings of something that is hidden in the mind and memory of the years gone by. And so it was as I read the article that told of Wainmans Bakery that was situated on Albert Street. We have all heard of big Fish swallowing up little Fish - in the early 1960’s it was Landers, the big Fish, swallowing up the likes of Whileys and Wainmans I don’t think it was a straight purchase in the beginning, it was a case of Landers supplying the bread to them in their wrappers bearing their brand name.. This was very big business for Landers, as we supplied bread to many small bakers throughout the area. It was the job of the Duty Supervisor to, when all the vans had left the bakery, to deliver the bread and cakes to the shop of Wainmans on Albert Street. Many is the time I did the delivery, where there was a very nice lady manageress who after unloading the trays, gave you a nice cup of tea – happy days.

    By Alan Curtis (17/11/2012)

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