Then and Now: In November, 1928, Mrs Sarah Ann Wilson placed an advertisement in the Grantham Journal for her cake shop

In November, 1928, Mrs Sarah Ann Wilson placed an advertisement in the Grantham Journal, writes Ruth Crook, of Grantham Civic Society.

It said ‘Mrs S. A. Wilson, 10, North Street, Grantham begs to notify the public of Grantham and district that she has opened a shop at the above address for the sale of Home-made cakes, pastries, jams, lemon curd, mincemeat &c. all orders entrusted to her will receive careful and immediate attention’.

The shop was situated on the corner of North Street and Union Street (formerly Blue Lion Lane),and until the previous year, it had been her late husband’s blacksmith’s shoeing shop.

Following his death, the contents of his well-equipped shop were sold and the shop had been cleared. The shop had been a blacksmith’s shop from at least the early 1800s and was popular with travellers on the Great North Road.

Mrs Wilson and the youngest of her four daughters, Blanche, later Mrs Harrison, and then 26 years old, worked in their shop.

The shop was one of many cake and pie shops in the town, and was remembered fondly by people who used to trade there.