Baker's Cart at Laindon Carnival

Full description

A baker stands I front of his delivery cart having won first prize at the town carnival in Laindon, Essex. The four wheeled cart has been decorated with flowers and has been harnessed to a steady trade horse with a plain set of leather harness. The traces are adjustable at the trace hook end and fixed at the collar and the horse wears a loose bearing rein, presumably used as a grass rein to stop him eating whilst at work.

In this photograph the baker wears the traditional attire for delivering bread post 1920, a white overcoat. Before this date day dress would have been worn by the delivery men and boys, a shirt and tie, tweed jacket, trousers and gaiters. Baker's wore white aprons in the kitchens and in the shop to prevent their clothes from being covered in flour.

Picture credit

Laindon and district archive, Peter Sloper.