Bakers Biscuits: The History Of South African's Bakersman

The first of the Baumanns to come to South Africa was John Frederick Baumann (born in Wurttemburg in Germany in 1824). He boarded a ship at Hull on the eastern coast of England at the age of 26 and sailed to South Africa. On his arrival in the village of Durban three months later in 1851 he opened business as a bread baker and grocery store. It is interesting to note that he placed an advertisement on the front page of the first ‘Natal Mercury’ (Issue No. 1) published on Thursday, November 25, 1852. In 1879 Baumann visited London where he met with his nephew, John Michael Leonard Baumann, suggesting he emigrate to South Africa. J M L Baumann was born in Niederstetten in the independent Duchy of Wurttemburg, and was apprenticed as a baker. At the age of 16 he left Germany and travelled to London, where he gained employment in the bakery business. Within a few years he owned his own bakery business in the east end of London. The uncle suggested to his nephew that he should come out to South Africa and join him in business. J M L Baumann sailed with his wife in April 1880 and the arrangement was that the uncle would look after the grocery side and the nephew would take care of the baking side. A few years later the lease on their premises expired. It was then decided that J M L Baumann would buy out the bread side from his uncle. He bought a site at the corner of Brickhill Road and West Street, where he erected a small building. In 1885 Baumann purchased a hand-operated biscuit machine for £65 from another baker, Plowright. The machine produced 'dry' biscuits for sale to ships and army garrisons. In 1895 Baumann purchased an advanced biscuit machine and commenced manufacture of more 'fancy biscuits' such as Ginger Nuts and Marie. He printed his first price list and operated under the name L. Baumann & Co The factory survived the anti-German riots of 1915 when the shop and bread and cake premises were burnt down. At the time, the biscuit factory was producing biscuits for the army, and two of JML Baumann's sons were fighting the Germans in the then German colony of South West Africa (now Namibia). The factory was put under government protection to prevent further damage. Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bakers_...) http://www.teriton.co.za/10early%20ba... https://www.fad.co.za/2021/03/20/baum...