Businesses on Main Street - Bakeries

Laing & Knighton Bakery ad Otautau Standard, 1923.

Whilst looking for information for our next display - businesses on Main Street - I found these advertisements from bakeries from the Otautau Standard on Papers Past. We probably won't be able to include all of them in our display, so here are a few.

The first bakers mentioned in the paper in 1905 are T.A. Chilton and H.J.P. Culling who each ran their own business. Culling went bankrupt in 1907. McAfee & Sinclair started the X.L. Bakery in 1910 specialising in wedding cakes as well as the usual fair. They advertised into 1911, then seem to disappear.

Then there were the Flett Brothers. They had a thriving business and also catered community functions. They managed to remain viable even during the First World War when supplies were scarce and prices were raised to make ends meet.

In 1919, they sold to Charles Hinchcliff. He in turn sold to Laing & Knighton in 1921. They had two shops - one on Main Street and the other in North Otautau. Back then, everything north of the traffic bridge was 'North Otautau.'

Their ads were fairly standard - only text and no graphics. In fact, most ads were like that. At some point, H. Laing took over the business. From the 1930s onwards, his ads had a stream of interesting graphics which I've included here.

These are from 1930-32 promoting the benefits and good taste of their breads, cakes and pastries.

Compelling advertising from 80 years ago.

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