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The earliest title deeds in our possession name John Smith, elder and merchant as the owner who, in 1768 passed the ownership on to his sons, David and James. According to local historians the family of Smith had a scion in the Council in 1779 and 1784. John Smith, elder, appears as a bailie and continues so until 1789 when he was made Provost, a post held until 1800 when he died. Black's History of Brechin mentions that around 1741 the first tea kettle seen in Brechin made its appearance, specially commissioned from Aberdeen by the lady of one of the principle merchants, Mr John Smith. The carrier who delivered the kettle declared it was the greatest curse ever brought to Brechin by him or any other person. Colin Smith, the famous portrait painter, was a descendant of this family which is now extinct in Brechin. The ownership passed to one William Buchanan and then to Magdalene Blair, later Scott. The Brechin Baking Co. was formed around 1856 at this address and was subsequently taken over by Alexender Belford. The ovens belonging to the bake house are situated to the rear through the close and are still in place today. One old print hanging on the wall shows Mr Belford standing outside the shop with a horse drawn delivery cart bearing his name. The building was bought in 1921 by James Gellatly and Sons, Bakers and Confectioners who sold it on to Jim Shepherd who ran a shoe shop and cobblers business. It was bought by the present owner John Ritchie in 1993. The timber beams are reproduction but lie directly under the original beams which have had to be encased to conform to modern building regulations. The wooden beam above the entrance to the kitchen is original as is the wee window which gives an idea of the thickness of the walls which were originally built with stone and clay. The kitchen range was rescued from a Glasgow tenement and is built into the original fireplace. We have reproduced the green wall linings, the original being beyond saving. The floor levels are also original and correspond with the High Street levels which were stepped at one time. The High Street was levelled and Macadamised following the Municipal Reform Act of 1838. During the restoration, the workmen found a child's shoe, and an order book handwritten and stamped by Mr Belford. These items are on display on the mantelpiece. There is a reference to this property in "The History of Brechin" by D D Black which dates the building as old as 1633. A quote from the book reads as follows - "Adjoining the Court House is a property which formerly belonged to the Earl of Airlie and which the noble Earl is still the superior or overlord. The Airlie family were proprietors of the house in 1633 as appears from the title deeds of that date. The children of Brechin play a game where one sets aside for him or herself, a small space, which is termed the green and the others trespass more or less upon this space singing at the same time.
This game is said to have reference to this property which was exempted from the jurisdiction of the magistracy, and was solely under that of Lord Airlie who exercised the power of constabulary vested in that noble family on all who intruded upon his green." |
Old
Bake House History