Crumb scrapers

No post-war Scottish kitchen was complete without a set of elegant plastic crumb scrapers. This pair was produced in the early 1950s to advertise some of the products of the Bladnoch Creamery, Wigtown. Bladnoch was one of the largest and most successful creameries in Wigtownshire. It opened in the early 1900s and its location close to the Nweton Stewart to Whithorn branch line gave easy rail access to the ever growing markets of the Central Belt and Northern England. The other local creameries concentrated on cheese production but Bladnoch specialised in margarine and from the early 1920s until the 1970s it was the centre for the production of Blue Band margarine. Bladnoch also manufactured a range of cooking fats including the ‘Festoon Clan’ and ‘Sweetgate Speedwell’ shown here. These crumb scrapers, indispensible items for cleaning up after a bout of puff pastry making, were given away as a promotional gift – how could any self-respecting housewife refuse such an offer? Bladnoch Creamery shut in 1989 and the factory building and offices are now industrial units.