SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

With Easter fast approaching down the blind-side my thoughts wandered back to Easters in the late 40's/ early 50's and the subject of Easter eggs. In the days before all singing and dancing, sparkly wrapped Easter eggs ours', in those far off days, were made by the local baker. Sometime before Easter, "Our Mam" would order "us egg", leaving our Christian name which was to be printed in icing sugar on the chocolate egg. A couple of days before Easter the word would go out that the eggs were on display in the baker's window, whereupon we would make our way at breakneck speed to press our noses against the baker's window in an effort to spot our very own egg. A lot more exciting than walking down a supermarket aisle and having to decide which one to pick. The chocolate on ours was wafer thin, it was after all just after the war but as the "Four Yorkshiremen" would say, 'They were sheer luxury to us'. Does anyone else have any Easter memories or did what I have just described occur only in my part of Harehills?

we used to pick up similar "non-branded" Easter eggs from a place on Galloway Lane, Pudsey, in the sixties.

I seem to remember getting Thornton's Easter Eggs with my name on way back in the 60's .... but I think they were made for many a long year after .. may be they still do!And as for the 'commercial' eggs like Cadbury's and Rowntrees - I'm sure they were bigger, thicker chocolate and more things inside etc etc!!!!Ok need a chocolate fix now!    

My Auntie used to get us easter eggs with our names on made from very shiny chocolate that was more like candle wax. Our local sweet shop used to have a huge easter egg in the window and ran a raffle to win it,it was made of the same "chocolate" so not too dissapointed we never won.

Patexpat wrote: I seem to remember getting Thornton's Easter Eggs with my name on way back in the 60's .... but I think they were made for many a long year after .. may be they still do!     My nan used to buy us those in the 70's from Thorntons "in town". I'm fairly sure you can still get them, with the names done to order in store. I'm in Leeds tomorrow so I'll have a look if I remember (sounds like a cunning plan to visit a chocolate shop to me...).

Yes Thorntons will still write a name on an Easter Egg for a small charge

I really, really miss Happy Easter Card from Great Aunt sadly passed away coupla yrs back.It's the look and colours of them I like, 'we' don't seem to do them any more.Hopeful time [so stop moping jogon:Ed]

Cue for another "Private Eye" cartoon caption:Couple in supermarket passing dispaly of Easter eggs. Husband says to wife, "Good Gracious! Is it October already?"

I think my Easter chocolate bunny was a tougher nut to crack than the wafer thin eggs you used to get Johnny! Look at the thickness on this thing, I had to resort to smashing it with the hammer in the end. I have to admit it really was quite satisfying doing so, I think it must be my hunting instincts from our Neanderthal caveman days perhaps             

Phill_dvsn wrote: I think my Easter chocolate bunny was a tougher nut to crack than the wafer thin eggs you used to get Johnny! Look at the thickness on this thing, I had to resort to smashing it with the hammer in the end. I have to admit it was really was quite satisfying doing so, I think it must be my hunting instincts from our Neanderthal caveman days perhaps          Golden paper an' all, "That wor sheer luxury to us". Hope you enjoyed it Phil. "Gi' us a bit, go on gi' us a bit, al be ya best pal.