SC - trencher history guesses

[Decker, Terry D.]

> 	I'm afraid I can't make such sweeping statements. As usual, it
> depends on where and when. There are too many documents regarding the
> weights of bread and reporting the thievery of bakers, in 14th-15th c.
> England in particular, for me to say that most poor people didn't have
> bread. 
> 
The Assize of Bread originates in 1202 and becomes thoroughly established by
1266.  It establishes the price of a specific weight loaf of bread of a
specific type and quality of flour in relationship to the market price of
the grain.  There were a few modifications over the years to ensure the
baker a profit, but the law remained in effect until 1815.

Oven fees were set by the baker on the basis of a fee scale established by
the guild.

The problem with the Assize of Bread is that no baker can guarantee the
precise size and weight of any loaf.  You lose approximate 25% of the weight
during baking.  You may lose more and have an underweight loaf.  If you put
more dough in the loaf to ensure a legal loaf, you cut into your slim profit
margin.  

> Village women took their bread dough to the baker to be baked in
> the communal oven. Sometimes he stole their dough, in little bits so as to
> not be noticed, and turned around and sold it, baked, to the retail
> market. We have pictures of bakers in the stocks with short-weight loaves
> hanging around their necks. 
> 
Communal ovens are generally found in villages too small to have a baker.
When you had a baker, he commonly owned the ovens.  You didn't have much
problem when dealing with a communal oven, but baker's were known to steal
dough.  Short-weights apply only to loaves produced for the retail trade.
They did not apply to dough presented to be baked for fee.

> No, I rather think that a) in some places,
> some people ate less bread because of the concerns of oven availability
> and affordibility. But I also think that b) a great many had a
> village-based lifestyle that included taking the bread dough to the baker
> like we might go to the corner store to pick up the newspaper, our
> clothing to the dry-cleaner, our car to Minute-Lube for an oil change.
> 
> 'Lainie
> -
In general you ate less bread because you couldn't afford it.  Most places
had some means of producing bread.

In the towns, the average bread use was about 2 pound per person a day.  Of
course, the poorer you were, the less of that average you got.  Bakers have
been making a living since about 170 BC, so someone is going into the bakery
to buy their wares. 

Bear
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