Bridgnorth’s former family baker celebrates her 103rd birthday
Joan Whitney worked at the family business Whitney’s Bakery
A Bridgnorth woman who was a familiar face behind the counter of a bakery in the town has celebrated her 103rd birthday.
Joan Whitney marked her 103rd birthday with family at the Danesford Grange Care Home on Kidderminster Road, last Thursday.
The mother of four, grandmother to 10, great grandmother to 13 and great-great grandmother to two was born in Bridgnorth and lived with her late husband Derrick in Wellmeadow.
But she is perhaps most well known for being the familiar face behind the counter at Whitney’s Bakery.
The bakery, which closed in 2007, was one of the longest-running family businesses in Bridgnorth, having been founded in 1922.
Joan spent much of her working life at Whitney's Bakery, although she started off running a pet shop in St Mary’s Street before moving to the bakery where she spent her time decorating cakes for other people and applied the “posh piping” to wedding cakes.
On Thursday, Joan was presented with a bouquet of flowers from staff at Danesford Grange, and a cake - piped by somebody else - as daughter Ellen and family member Paul helped her celebrate her birthday with staff.
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