| Memories - In the early 1970s I worked for Mr Keys at Court Stores. I used to work in the shop stacking shelves and serving, but also went to Miller's Cash and Carry warehouse in Albert Road, and to Mr Keech's to pick up the bread order. I then delivered grocery orders, bread, newspapers, to customers in the local area. I drove Mr Keys' Fiat estate car which I thought was nice to drive. I had learnt to drive in 1963 at Palace Motors School, under George Valentine - an excellent teacher - in a Fiat.
Keech's began preparing the dough from 3a.m. each day. If something wasn't quite ready I would stand in the bakehouse and watch! I saw cakes being prepared for the day. Bread being kneaded, and put into the ovens, loaves taken out, discharged from the tins, and the tins greased, and then stacked ready for the next morning's bake. Filling pre cooked tarts with jam and cream, or icing cakes, ready for the day's customers. Ray Osborn was the assistant baker.
Mr Keech's cream was the best in town. I knew this, as I had worked at the TSB in 1962-67, and at coffee time I was sent to Mr Keech's for buns - cream buns. Often I waited a few minutes for the buns to cool enough to have the cream added, so when we ate them, they were as fresh as they could be. Yummy!!! Or I might have to wait for the doughnuts to be finished - freshly fried and cooled ready for the cream - still a little crisp at the edges. Delicious! All the bank staff liked Mr Keech's synthetic cream! KC (written in 2018)
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