Billington'S Gingerbread

Exotically spiced, crisp gingerbread fingers, irresistible when dunked into Port, tea or coffee. Revered for its 200 year old secret recipe dating back to 1817. On sale soon!

Billington’s Gingerbread was made famous by a Mr. Thomas who baked the gingerbread in the basement of his bakery and shop which still stands on the corner of Church Street, Market Drayton, Shropshire.

In 1829 Mr. Thomas passed the recipe down to his nephew Mr. W. Harper who continued the production of gingerbread until 1854 when the business was handed over to his son Mr. E. H. Harper. In 1864 the business was once again passed down this time to Mr. Harper’s cousin Richard Billington and hence the “Billington’s Celebrated Market Drayton Gingerbread” brand was created.

In 1937 the original Billington Family sold the rights to produce the gingerbread and trade under the name “R. Billington & Sons” to a Mr. S. T. Hayward Hughes. Mr. Hayward Hughes had once worked as a former apprentice for Billington’s and continued the old tradition of making the now “Celebrated Gingerbread” in his bakery just outside Market Drayton. Mr. Hayward Hughes retired in 1964 and the business was passed over to his son Mr. John Hayward Hughes who subsequently sold the rights to the product to The McCarthy Family.
The gingerbread is now being made by Image on Food in Market Drayton.

The Timeline: -
Mr Thomas • 1817-1829
W Harper • 1829-1854
E H Harper • 1854-1864
S. B. Billington & S. P. Billington • 1896-1937
S T Hayward Hughes • 1937-1964
John Hayward Hughes • 1964-1995
Terry McCarthy • 1995-2004
Mark McCarthy • 2004-to 2016
Image on Food . current