Minnivale Bakery (Oven)

Statement of Significance

• The place has the potential to comprise archaeological artefacts associated with the operation of the place as a bakery and residence between 1925 and 1970. • The place is associated with the Lynn family well known and respected in the Wheatbelt region as a family baking dynasty. • The place is associated with the small town of Minnivale and valued by the local community for associations with the bakery business previously conducted there, which symbolise a past way of life. • The place is representative of small bakery ovens operating in regional areas in the interwar and post-World War II periods. The oven demonstrates the common construction and design technology developed at the time.

Physical Description

The place is located on Hewitt Street, opposite the Minnivale Rail Station and wheat silo. It comprises the remnants of a bakery building and oven within an otherwise vacant lot. The bakery oven is clearly visible from Hewitt Street, flanked by two large pepper trees. The oven is constructed in local stone with an intact square chimney of faced red brick. The interior of the oven is also constructed with faced brick, and steel framework. The doors of the oven were removed in the 1990s and are stored elsewhere. The residence and shop that adjoined the oven were removed in the 1970s, and two concrete pads and a circle of bricks are all that remain of the structures and a domestic rainwater tank. A dilapidated brick toilet building is located at the southern boundary of the lot.

History

In 1927 the Minnivale Bakery was established in its current location by Stokes Ulysses Stubbs, the son of an American-born greengrocer and eating house proprietor from central Perth. Stubbs previously owned a successful bakery business in Wongan Hills and lived in Dalwallinu when he established his premises in Minnivale. However, he transferred the business and property to ‘Minnivale Baker’, Thomas Tait in 1928 , which suggests that he may not have actually operated the bakery himself, but simply bought the property to be managed by Tait prior to selling it to him. In 1934, the Minnivale Bakery was bought by Sophia Lynne of Goomalling. The Lynn family, headed by Samuel and Sophie, were owns of a successful bakery at Goomalling. All four sons also learnt the baking and pastrycook trade, and Samuel Lynn was renowned as owning ‘one of the finest baking plants outside the metropolitan area, specialising in cakes and small goods’. The business was so successful that the sons opened branches in Lake Brown and Dowerin, and on selling the Goomalling bakery, Samuel Lynn moved to Minnivale to manage that bakery with his son Alan. It appears that both the bakery and a residence were located in the lot (Minnivale Lot 29), so presumably Sophie, Samuel and Alan all resided there. The property was transferred to Alan’s ownership in 1964, by which time he was designated Baker and Confectioner. The bakery was reportedly abandoned around this time and the oven fell into disrepair. The property, and presumably the residence, was sold to Maisie Heelander, Married Woman of Minnivale in 1967. The residence and shop that adjoined the oven were reportedly removed in the 1970s. The property changed ownership five times, between 1975 and 1989, before it was acquired by the current owner. The doors of the oven were removed in the 1990s for safe-keeping, and are stored ready to be replaced when the structure is secure. No other changes have been made.

Archaeology

There is some potential for archaeological features and or artefacts to be present across the site, particularly in the vicinity of the bakery oven structure and the concrete pads. Although potential archaeological features or artefacts may provide some information regarding the operations of the bakery, such archaeological elements are unlikely to provide any additional information that is not already available from other sources.

Condition

Fair

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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