Forum Topic

Parkers the bakers, and its history.

Yesterday, I was talking with an octogenarian friend of the family, and she said that Parkers used to have a shop in Southall, as well as West Ealing and Northfields.  I remember the West Ealing shop, but not Southall.  Also, she said that she remembers being served by Mrs Parker in West Ealing, but can't pinpoint the decade - must have been the 70's, at the latest? And she recalls the Parker family living in Church Road, Hanwell - a house with an impressive wisteria in the front garden.  Has anybody else got any recollections of the Parker bakers 'dynasty'?  What became of the family?

Andy Horridge ● 4989d3 Comments

It's a shame they closed the other outlets but understandable as we all made the big mistake of turning to supermarkets for bread for the last 20-30 years. Thankfully they survived and now we realise how stupid we were and how valuable local/expert/family businesses like this are I'm pretty sure they could open one (or an outlet) near the broadway in Ealing and it would do well. I for one would use it every day, at the moment we can only make it once or twice a week when we have time to get there,

Ali Moshref ● 4979d

I remember the west Ealing shop well (now Santander I believe). It used to have big 'model' cakes in the window.If I recall the Parker's in Southall was on the corner of King Street but I cannot recall ever going there.

Nigel Brooks ● 4989d

I went Parkers in 1988 to order a cake for my son's 21st birthday.I collected the cake on the day of the party and it was beautiful. However on the way home it slipped off the car seat and got fairly damaged. I turned straight around and headed back to the shop in tears.Mrs Parker saw me and in a short time had another identical cake ready. She would not take money for the new cake and even let me keep the remains of the first one..which  was still usable. This was totally amazing service and I was so glad I finally found a good baker for forthcoming occasions ... so I was devastated when I needed another cake later  only to find that the shop was closed down. A good service sadly missed and I will never forget how they saved the day for me...never found a replacement as good.

Marie Anne OConnell ● 4989d