Queuing for their sweets

WHILE researching her family tree, Alison Harpur, nee Wakes was going through her grandparents’ photographs when she found the wonderfully evocative picture published here.

The children are queued up outside her grandparents’ shop, which was A.Wakes at 20 Hitchin Street, Biggleswade. The back of the picture has been stamped The Bedfordshire Times showing that it must have featured in a news article.

“I did wonder if it could be to do with the end of sugar rationing, as the shop sold not only bread and cakes but sweets too” says Alison.

We showed the picture to Ken Page of the history society and he believes it was in fact taken just before sweet rationing started in 1943.

Says Ken: “I recognise the late Wally Jermy who would have been about 12 at the time. The building opposite was Doulby Brothers Carpenters and Funeral Directors. The pub was The Elephant and Castle and is now the Whistle and Flute.”