Culbert's Bakery: Any Chance of a Family Discount?

Culbert's Bakery at 49 West Street in Goderich, Ontario. The Home of Tasty Pastry. Photo by Mary Jane Culbert.

 If you're a descendant of John Culbert and Mary Ward, you may have driven through Goderich and stopped in front of Culbert's Bakery to take a selfie. 

 

One of the most frequently asked questions I'm asked is, "Are we related to the people who own Culbert's Bakery in Goderich, and are they descendants of John Culbert and Mary Ward?"

No, the Culbert's Bakery folks are not the descendants of John Culbert and Mary Ward. In fact, if they're related to us at all, it's a very distant relationship.

Terry Culbert, the great-great-grandson of John Culbert and Mary Ward, visited Culbert's Bakery in the early 1990s. Terry wanted to find out if they were related to us. Terry recalls that day and says, "Years ago I talked to one of the Culbert's at Culbert's Bakery in Goderich. He was not interested in the fact that his family came from Ireland or that he could be related to us."

Since the person who talked to Terry wasn't interested in family history, it was up to me to see if I could find any connections between the Culbert's Bakery people and the descendants of John Culbert and Mary Ward. 

 

I've compiled a brief description of the Culbert Bakery's family's lineage, as follows. Please be aware that I'm not an authority on this family and that my research may contain errors. 

Our ancestors, John Culbert and Mary Ward came to Canada from County Tipperary, Ireland in 1840 whereas the Culbert's Bakery ancestors, Thomas Culbert and Jane Martin came to Canada from County Antrim, Ireland in the late 1840s.

Our ancestors, John Culbert and Mary Ward settled near Lucan, Ontario while the Culbert's Bakery ancestors, Thomas Culbert and Jane Martin settled first in the Toronto and Pickering areas of Ontario, and then moved to Huron County in an area now known as the Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh.

Culbert Bakery's Family Tree:

THOMAS CULBERT & JANE MARTIN

Thomas Culbert (born c1821 in County Antrim, Ireland) was the son of Thomas Culbert and Jane Neil. Thomas Culbert married Jane Martin, and in the late 1840s they came to Canada.Thomas and Jane had 11 children. Thomas died in 1913 in West Wawanosh Township and is buried in Dungannon Cemetery.

THOMAS CULBERT AND MARGARET ANN McMANUS

Thomas Culbert and Jane Martin's son, Thomas Culbert was born in 1855. He married his first wife, Margaret Ann McManus in 1880. When Margaret died in 1894, he remarried to Mary Elizabeth Wraith. Thomas Culbert died 1951 in West Wawanosh Township, Ontario, and is buried in Dungannon Cemetery. Here is his obituary...

Obituary for Thomas Culbert (1855-1951). Source: Lucknow Sentinel, 5 April 1951, page 8.

FREDERICK CULBERT AND ETHEL MYRA BARBOUR

Thomas Culbert and Margaret McManus's son, Frederick Culbert was born 1881 in Ashfield Township, Huron County, Ontario. Fred married Ethel Myra Barbour. Fred and Ethel had three children. Fred died in 1971 and is buried in Dungannon Cemetery.

MELBOURNE "Mel" CULBERT

Melbourne "Mel" Culbert was the founder of Culbert's Bakery. (This Mel Culbert is not to be confused with Milward Taylor "Mel" Culbert (1920-1958) of Lucan, Ontario who was a descendant of John Culbert and Mary Ward.) Mel Culbert (of Culbert's Bakery fame) was born 3 October 1915 in West Wawanosh Township, Huron County, Ontario. He married Lillian Ryan (1915-1996). Mel established Culbert's Bakery in 1942, taking over another bakery that had been around since the 1800s. Mel died in 1993. Mel and Lillian are buried in Maitland Cemetery in Goderich.

BARRY CULBERT

Mel Culbert's son, Barry Culbert (born c1938) took over Culbert's Bakery when his father retired. Mel's son, Mark Culbert also worked at the bakery. Barry Culbert died 22 July 2016, age 78.

DARIN CULBERT

Barry Culbert's son, Darin Culbert is the current owner of Culbert's Bakery.

Culbert's Bakery: Home of the Famous Cream Puff

So what about that family discount? Well, it appears that we're not closely related to the folk at Culbert's Bakery, if at all. So you'll have to pay full price for that cream puff. But it will be worth it.