About us & Photo Gallery
Take a look at the place, the people and the food…
Let us introduce ourselves
Nelsons Bakery is a long-established business that began back in 1945 when World War 2 drew to a close the Nelson family relocated to Inglewood. After emigrating to New Zealand in 1923 from Scotland Tom & Nancy Nelson spent time in Hawkes Bay & Wellington before heading north when Tom found out Dick Fraser was selling his Inglewood bakery. Bakery founder Bill Somerton had previously sold to Dick Fraser. The Bakehouse was built in 1928 (rear building) followed by Bakery/tearooms in 1932 all purpose-built & designed by well-known architect Thomas Bates. The original plans are still held at the council. So it began the birth of Nelsons Bakery as it is still known today. Tom senior having previous bakery experience in Hawkes Bay & Wellington ran the business with 2 sons Alister & Tommy working the bakehouse & delivery.
The tearoom was very busy back in the day, being very much a social hub particularly for the rural community when the town held stock sales, it was also the rural community that received Nelsons bread delivered via milk trucks. Baking up to 10,000 loaves a week kept the staff very busy right through into the 1970s when changes in the industry like sliced & packaged bread took over. Somertons & Nelsons merged for a few years in the 80s, bread was made in Stratford at Somertons operation until that factory closed. Alister & Tommy had taken over from Tom senior in the 60s & the 80s presented a new challenge with catering work which became a large part of the business. Sadly Tommy passed away in 1987 & in 1988 Alister sold the business to an employee. By 2000 the business was back in the Nelson family, third-generation family member Duncan Nelson took over & is still running the show.