There can’t be many more famous Cumbrian products than Grasmere Gingerbread and 2024 marks 170 years since Sarah Nelson began the business in Church Cottage, next to St Oswald’s Church, in the picturesque village.
For more than 50 years, the shop and bakery has been run by the Hunter family - latterly Joanne and Andrew, with help from the eldest of their three children, Yasmine.
Sarah is revered as an early example of a female Cumbrian entrepreneur and her legacy is still felt, with customers entranced by her story.
While Joanne and Yasmine are stepping back from their roles, they hope the magic will continue.
Our first picture shows Joanne in the quaint looking shop in 2012 surrounded by traditionally packaged products.
In another image, Laura Wyatt from Grasmere Gingerbread attends Grasmere Show in 2014 dressed in traditional Victorian garb.
Richardsons of Whitehaven became a stockist for the gingerbread in 2016 and pictured again is Laura Wyatt with owner Gerard Richardson on a delivery bike.
To mark the shop’s 160th anniversary 10 years ago, staff posed outside it with the numbers in gingerbread.
When a customer from Edinburgh was unable to visit during opening hours, the Hunters laid a treasure trail of clues to find hidden products in the village. Pictured is Joanne looking sneaky.
And Hannah Forsgardh looks sweet on the Grasmere Gingerbread stand in the Taste Cumbria tent at Lowther Show in 2013.
Dressed similarly for the 2010 Whitehaven Festival are Yasmine Hughes and Diane Leigh.
An image from 20 years ago shows Grasmere School pupils Molly Kenyon, Katie Magennis, Eliza Hodgson, Thomas Maloney and Haydn Barnes.
To mark the shop’s anniversary, they each received a gingerbread letter spelling out Sarah and a penny - the fee required to attend school in her day.
In the final picture, Jayne Varty is painting an exclusive model of the shop for the Lilliput Lane Collectors’ Club Annual Fair in 2007.
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