In News

Bedfordshire might not be the first thing that comes to mind when considering the origins of some of Britain’s best loved exports, but there are actually lots of things that we can thank Bedfordshire for.

From being the place the BBC hid out during WWII to the place where many of the world’s best beaches source their sand, Bedfordshire is a much more interesting county than you may have originally thought. Here are four things that were invented right here in Bedfordshire.

Afternoon Tea

Yep, that’s right. The whole concept of Afternoon Tea came from Bedfordshire. To be more exact, it was invented by the Duchess of Bedford in the 1840s. Apparently, in those days, it wasn’t typical to have lunch and dinner at certain times of day and to fill the void between with snacks. Lunch was typically a very light meal and dinner didn’t take place until much later in the evening, usually around 8pm or later. Anna Russell, the Duchess of Bedford would complain that she felt hungry in the afternoons and would request that tea, cakes and sandwiches be delivered to her rooms, as the Duchess, she was often joined by other members of high society, including Queen Victoria, who was a close friend, and they also started asking for a similar snack in the afternoon, leading to afternoon tea becoming a favourite of the middle and upper classes. So, if you like a decadent afternoon tea when you’re out and about, you can thank the Duchess of Bedford.

Tractors

The first light tractor was invented by a chap called Dan Albone from Biggleswade who was well known in the local area for creating his own bikes and other vehicles. He was so well respected that his engines were used in Peugeot vehicles among others. At the time, tractors were steam-powered and were too heavy to plough the more common types of soil that was used on farms in Britain. Albone invented the light internal combustion-powered tractor, which was exactly what farmers needed. He patented his Ivel Agricultural Motor in 1902, before the word tractor was associated with the machines.

Bedfordshire Clanger

The Cornish have their pasty, but we have the clanger, which is superior in every way. Hard to find, even in Bedfordshire these days, these interesting suet style dumplings have a savoury filling at one end and a sweet one at the other. Originally, the clangers were created so that agricultural workers could have a whole meal without having to carry too much food about with them. You can pick them up if you visit Gunn’s Bakery in Bedford where there are a selection of different flavours on offer.

The Panama Hat

Ok, we’re taking liberties with this one a little as the Panama Hat wasn’t invented in Bedfordshire however, it was thanks to the people of Bedfordshire that the hat became so popular in the UK. Luton’s Panama Hat Company was set up by Jenny Froehlich who came across the hat while travelling and set up her own company to produce them in the UK. You can find more information about Luton’s role in hat making by visiting the Hat District.

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