Dodie ??? of Kelowna, B.C., Canada, is looking for information on Ben and Clara Rowe who ran a bakery, originally established at 64 High St. Harpenden. Mr. Rowe was my grandmother Edith Rowe's brother.

The 1949 Kelly's St Albans & District Street Directory lists Benj. Rowe and Son as a baker at 64 High Street, Harpenden. There will be further entries in other years - but I don't have immediate access to them.

Book V of the Wheathampstead and Harpenden series contains the following brief reference: "Richard Batchelor, one of four Harpenden bakers early in the century, had a shop next to Dr. Kingston's house. He appeared in directories from 1826 to 1874. Over the same long period John Missenden's bakery was next to the Cock [Inn] where he was landlord from 1826 to the late 30's; by 1871 John Irons, who had been Richard Batchelor's assistant, had taken over. It remained a bakery (Rowe's) until the 1970's."

In looking for people who were alive within living memory it is often worth contacting local newspapers, many of which are interested in publishing such requests. See Newspaper Web Sites. There may well be additional sites since I wrote the page - and Harpenden will be covered by St Albans papers.

If you can add to the information given above tell me.