Bob gives up the life of pie: baker retires after 49 years at the oven face

Mr Hamilton hung up his baker’s hat for the last time yesterday when he retired from his position at Roberts Bakery having clocked up 49 years in the business.

At 16, in 1966, Mr Hamilton was offered an apprenticeship at Manildra Bakery, and from there his career as a respected and skilled baker kicked off, leading him to work in bakeries in Parkes, Condobolin and Orange.

After working in numerous bakeries in Orange, as well as a bakery manager for Woolworths in Orange and Bathurst for eight years, Mr Hamilton has spent the last 13 years at Roberts Bakery.

With a little sadness, Mr Hamilton recalled the days bakers made everything from scratch.

“The bread we used to make would last for days,” he said. “The mailman would take a tray of 12 loaves and used to deliver bread to people on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

“The sliced bread that’s made these days has got to be sold that day, so you can make more the next. It’s made so quick, you hardly touch it until it gets to the pan. The machines do it all.

“It’s all packaged, dehydrated, all the flour has already got everything in it already, you hardly touch it. There’s no hands-on any more.”

Mr Hamilton said another big change was adjusting to working during the day to make pies after decades of working from 6pm to 2am making bread when Roberts Bakery moved their bread-baking operations to Dubbo.

“Having to fit in with making pies, it was a huge change, I couldn’t sleep for ages,” he said. “After 35 to 40 years working night shift, it was a big shock to my system.”

Now aged 66, Mr Hamilton said it was “time to get out” of the industry, and said he was looking forward to spending more time with his wife Hazel and being able to play more lawn bowls with his mates at Molong Bowling Club.