Ornamental
Department
The
Ornamental Department was part of the
Bakery Department and they specialised in
making wedding, christening and iced cakes
for special occasions. Their motto must
have been quality and not quantity as
there was no belt conveying an endless
stream of cakes from one end of the room
to the other. Experiments on these lines
had been attempted but the intricate
workmanship required for the decoration of
a wedding cake calls for a skilled
craftsman, even an artist. Neither could
the work be shared for it was found more
satisfactory for each cake to be decorated
by one person. Where other departments
impressed their visitors with thousands of
cakes and loaves and miles of Swiss rolls,
the Ornamental Department claimed only to
make about twenty completed cakes each
day. A modest claim until one inspected
the finished products.
Their
cakes had real beauty, large or small,
their design was proportionate to their
size, and there was a choice of design and
price to suite all tastes and pockets.
They ranged from a single tier cake at
£2. 10s.(1951 price) to magnificent
three tier beauties costing very much
more. The large cakes were often in two
colours, with tinted plaques bearing
Wedgwood figures. These plaques were all
made from icing sugar, the figures moulded
separately and laid carefully on the
plaques, a job involving great care and
delicacy of touch. Some of the tracery
which edged the cakes looked as fine as a
frosted cobweb, and the finished work was
worthy of a lengthy and admiring
inspection.
Christening
cakes were also produced here although
they were of a less elaborate design in
keeping with a more homely occasion. The
fruit cake for wedding and christening
cakes were mixed and baked in the Cake
Bakery, and only came to the Ornamental
Department for icing and decoration. The
skilled decorators of the department were
only about five in number, and their skill
had been acquired during long service with
the company, all having over twenty-fives
years service. An apt pupil may have been
able to pick up the rudiments of the art
in about three months but it took many
years to acquire the artistry of Frank
Jacobs, who led these craftsmen. He
designed most of the works himself in
sugar. Among the photographs of cakes made
in the department was one of a birthday
cake with a sugar round-about on top that
actually worked. There was a model of a
cinematograph with pictures of Mickey
Mouse and Donald Duck and another of a
golf course, complete with golfer made for
James Braid, the foremost golfer of his
day. One of the most amusing was a model
of a Swiss Roll factory built on Heath
Robinson principles with the sponge
mixture being put through a mangle.
The
Ornamental Department was proud of its
royal connections. It had decorated cakes
for four royal weddings, those of Princess
Elizabeth, Princess Mary, the Duchess of
Kent, the Duchess of Gloucester, Princess
Margaret and Princess Alexandra. One of
the finest pieces produced was the wedding
cake for Princess Elizabeth. It was in
Wedgwood blue and white with Wedgwood
vases made specially by the pottery firm.
During her visit to Cadby Hall she had an
interesting conversation with Frank Jacobs
on cake decoration and was particularly
delighted with his model of HMS Vanguard,
made just before the royal family left for
South Africa.
Wedding
and christening cakes could be bought by
staff who received generous discount, more
so if both man and fiance worked for the
firm. Birthday cakes were also made for
all Nippys and each was presented with one
on the anniversary date of their formation
(1 January 1925).
©
Peter Bird 2005
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