Bakers and Millers of Stratford at
Bow
William Poggere, a miller at William of Tudenham's (wheat) mill at Stratford le Bow
in 1351, tried to prevent the bread assessors from their
inspection and was charged with contempt. Only his old
age prevented him being pilloried. Christine was possibly
his widow and she left her property to her son Richard
and another relative, William Poggere.
In 1456 John Passemore, a Stratford baker died and was
buried at Stratford at Bow. His daughter, Matilda, was
left 40 pounds in his will. Their servants, Richard Bertram,
John Wyche and Gerald Cresset all aliens, were also left money.
The highway between
Stratford and Aldgate was to have work carried out on it
for which work he left money. Perhaps he had found the
ride on the bread cart into London rather uncomfortable.
He also remembered the
Stepney poor, leaving them 5 pounds for coal. The
executors of his will were his wife, Ellen and his son,
Thomas while Thomas Barton was to be supervisor of the will.
The City of London's bread
came from Stratford-le-Bow in carts. Sometimes, as in
1680, shortages occurred and at such times people
sometimes pressed so closely around the carts to buy
bread that they started fighting to be served.
(Bib: A History of London
by R J Mitchell & M D R Leys)
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