Delia Daws, nee Towers, recalls cake shops in Kendal in the 1930s

On entering Kirkland Kendal in the late 1930s, we were always met with a delicious smell of baking, as there were four cake shops and bakeries in close proximity to each other.

Opposite Kirkland school was Keats, noted for their beautiful ribbon sandwich cakes.

Round the corner was Geldards. One day when I was about three, to stop me running away, my mother very unwisely sat me on the counter next to a large jam sandwich cake.

Unable to resist, my thumb went in the middle and my mother was obliged to pay for it. We never went in again!

Further along was Riggs – everything was good including ice buns and their own type of bread. Around the road into Highgate was Gibsons. They had their own recipe for vanilla slices, which they never revealed.

Another good smell came three doors away from Hanratty’s fish and chips.

In those days 6 old pence could buy a good portion for a family supper.

Occasionally my brother liked to go himself. One time he took longer than usual and my mother went looking for him, and found him at the head of a queue of impatient customers.

He had become tired of waiting and had thrown his silver sixpence into the boiling fat.

All frying had to stop. He was marched home and that was the end of our fish suppers!