大象传媒

In the early part of the 20th century, the small town of Market Drayton had four gingerbread bakers. The smell of the spicy little finger would have wafted around the town. The first recorded mention is Roland Lateward, maltster, who was baking gingerbread in 1793.

It was probably made earlier. There were already large stocks of ginger in High Street businesses in the 1640鈥檚 and 1680鈥檚. Gingerbrede, the oldest cake bread in the world, arrived in this country with the Crusades. The earliest recipe dates from 1390.

Billington鈥檚, from 1817, is the oldest surviving brand. Its history is displayed on their packaging as an unbroken chain of bakers around the trunk of a tree, whose branches extend to markets all over the world.

In 1987, John and May Hayward Hughes of Cheswardine celebrated 60 years of their family making the gingerbread to the secret recipe. They turned the handle of the antiquated iron African Biscuit Machine for the umpteenth time.

From 1850 to 1937, Chester鈥檚 made a similar gingerbread. Boughey and Cox carried on the Chester鈥檚 Prize Gingerbread until 1964. Their recipe and machine alas are now lost. Griffith鈥檚 strong men who piped the gingerbread dough through forcing bags are no longer, and the business was sold by Mr Hiscock in the 1980鈥檚. Joseph Master鈥檚 of Longford (once a Billington apprentice) sold his gingerbread under the Buttercross. Until her death in 1986, you could buy her father鈥檚 creation from May Martin at the W.I.

It was not until 1985 with the publication of Under the Buttercross that the town again became famous for its spicy biscuit. Once more the traditional product was being "dunked".