When the Maldon Historic Bakery business went up for sale last month, landlords Mark and Valentina Tansley decided to do some research into the bakery’s history.
“We know that the bakery was established on this site in 1854 and that the wood-fired brick scotch oven is one of the oldest brick buildings in town,” said Valentina.
Mark and Valentina engaged the services of a local researcher, who was able to go through old rate books and other documentation, to track down operators of the bakery. As it turns out, they discovered that the bakery has indeed been operating on the site continually since 1854 – an amazing 168 years of service to the Maldon community.
The claim of the oldest bakery in Victoria is currently held by a business in Willaura established in 1901, and the oldest in Australia by a business in Gundagai established in 1864. So it seems clear that Maldon Historic Bakery is older than both of these.
Evidence of continuous operation of McArthur bakery, Maldon, from 1854 to 2022
(For more detailed information, see historical records retained by Maldon Museum, including Electoral and Rates Registers and past issues of the Tarrangower Times).
1854 – George McArthur Sr. (c. 1809-1890) establishes the bakery in Main Street.
1870 – George McArthur Jr. (1842-1903) takes over the operation of the business.
1886 – George Jr. sells to brother Alexander McArthur Sr. (1841-1905), who runs the business until his death.
1905 to 1937 – Alexander McArthur Jr. (1871-1937), Colin McArthur (1881-1956) take over. Various family members, including their sister, Agnes McArthur (1869-1944), run the bakery and adjacent tearooms.
1937 – Colin McArthur retires. Bakery ownership passes to William Wood.
1937 to 1938 – Bakery owned and run by William Wood.
1939 to 1968 – John Alphonse Friedrich (1895-1972) owner and operator of the bakery.
1968 to 1972 – Leslie Harrop operates the bakery business as lessee of Friedrich.
1972 to 1980 – Bakery business owned by John Frederick and Joan Elizabeth Broad.
1980 to 2000 – Bakery business owned by Peter Cole.
2000 to 2005 – Bakery business owned by Dwayne McKinnon and Wilden Hopkins.
2005 to 2022 – Bakery business owned by Damien Bayliss.
This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 18 March 2022.
