Ice cream makers in Exeter 1900-1910. 

Domenico Forte. Mermaids Cottages Exeter.  (My grandfather)

R Morelli Ice Cream vendor. Summerland street Exeter. (My Grandmothers brother)

G Morelli Summerland Street Exeter. (R Morelli may have been a misnomer)

Demonico Mutti 31 North Street.  (Probably Domenico)?

Mrs Teresa Serpentelli 5 market Street Exeter. 

Alexander Amongrapre  12 Summerland street Exeter.  (I have not been able to trace this name)

THERE WAS IMMENSE RIVALRY AMONGST THE PURVEYORS OF ICE CEAM OR "HOKEY POKEY" IN EXETER.

On the beach

On the streets.

And from Ice Cream Parlours.  My Father Torquay 1952.

There were two ways of making Ice Cream.  One was from a Cold Mix of powder mixed with water called Meadow Cream or the other was to make it from a fresh milk and other ingrediants in a difficult Pasteurisation, Homonagising compaction or aeriation Mixing process using Creamery Package Machines.

R. MORELLI. ICE CREAM VENDOR operated from Summerland Street Exeter,  it is recorded that at about the same time G. Morelli operated from the same address leads me to believe that due to misspelling they are one and the same.

Domenic Mutti aged 60. from Italy. An Italian Subject. Exeter. Confectioners Shop Keeper. extract from 1901 census but also shown as a purveyor of Ice cream.  I do not know if he made Ice cream or bought it in.

WALLS  ICE CREAM. Apart from shop sales they relied upon "STOP ME AND BUY ONE"

WALLS ICE CREAM

The first ice cream bicycles in London were used by Walls in London in about 1923. Cecil Rodd of Walls came up with the slogan "Stop Me and Buy One" after his experiments with doorstep selling in London.

In 1924 they expanded the business, setting up new manufacturing facilities and ordering 50 new tricycles. Sales in 1924 were £13,719, in 1927 £444,000.

During the war years (1939-45) manufacture of ice cream was severely curtailed, and the tricycles requisitioned for use at military installations.

In October 1947 Walls sold 3,300 tricycles and invested in freezers for shops.

WAR what war?  The war was for pitches and Timing. 

THE TIMING

TIMING was crucially important, wether it was to be ready to sell outside a certain schools gates after the children had tumbled out of the dinner hall at 12:30 or on the estates during the lunchtime to sell to mums who would come to the van with pudding basins and asking for 3, 4, or 5 threepenny  scoops.  They found that they could get more icecream by providing their own containers.

We did good business on the estates late morning and at lunchtime.  The next good time was at 3:15 when the children came out of the schools. Next would be teatime and then a more langurous approach during the evenings especially if the weather was fine.

WEATHER

The weather made a difference to sales, Dull or overcast days were not good generally, while bright or sunny days were more profitable.

The weather was not so important during the summer school holidays.  This was due to the way in which Mothers kept control of their childrens social activities.  Mothers on the estates were quite strict in keeping their younger children within calling distance.

Children played out on the pavements in front of their homes.  Here they played Hopscotch, Marbles or tossed Milk bottle tops or echanged or bartered for cigarette cards.

ALLEGIANCES

The Icecream man who drove the vans often became a family friend and different Roads and Avenues had allegiances to different Ice cream vendors.

PITCHES

There was much scrambling for the best pitches each day by the Icecream vendors of Exeter.  The Forte family were granted a pitch at the top of South street close to where their premises had been before they were Blitzed out.

 Other pitches were established by the individual vendors own historic presence at that place.  We had another pitch at London Inn Square.  As far as I know there were not any more static sites within the city centre. 

Alec Casalucci, who was a real card, with a wonderful dry sense of humour, use to pedal around the streets of Exeter on his Icecream Tricycle until he had sold his quota. After which he would head for the snooker hall in Goldsmiths street to meet up with his mates.

Other Icecream Vendors pushed their wheelbarrows around the states of Exeter, St Thomas, Cowick Hill and Redhills, Burnthouse Lane, Whipton and St Loyes and Heavitree.   Prices were much the same throughout and Vendors sold their wares based upon Quality or preference of taste or individual loyalty.

.                                                                                                                

We are currently creating content for this section. In order to be able to keep up with our high standards of service, we need a little more time. Please stop by again. Thank you for your interest!