Botham's of Whitby: The story of the bakery started by a mother of 14 in 1865 that is still run by the same family today

The history of Whitby is evoked when you eat one. As you bite into a Botham Lemon Bun, memories of the abbey, pier ends and harbour come flooding back, according to the great-great-granddaughter of Elizabeth Botham, who began baking the lightly fruited tea cakes generously topped with a zesty lemon icing more than 150 years ago.

Since Elizabeth started selling the buns and bread from a basket to “make ends meet”, her bakes have proved so popular that today the lemon buns have become as associated with Whitby as fish and chips and Dracula.

Arriving in the town, cramming a large family into a two-up two-down home, Elizabeth Botham had 14 children to feed, says Anita Botham, her great-great-granddaughter.

“Elizabeth had to work to support her large family of children after her husband lost his farming job following cattle disease that affected the herd in Wykeham where they were living, which prompted the move to Whitby.”

It may have been 1865 but her financial situation is very much echoed by many families today. The “formidable” Elizabeth, however, began baking and selling her goods door to door and at the local market.

“She was unusually entrepreneurial for her time, she was a formidable woman,” says Anita, now a director of the company.

Elizabeth’s home bakes became so popular that she was able to buy a cart to start selling her goods before later buying the bakery on Skinner Street, on the West Cliff. Ever since, the sights and aromas coming from the bakehouse have continued to evoke fond memories among passers-by or those entering the tearoom and shop.

You can now find three shops and two tearooms in Whitby, one shop in Sleights and a shop and tearoom in Pickering. Elizabeth’s portrait still hangs proud in Botham’s of Upstairs, the former Skinner Street tearoom.

“You can see them all there in the shop windows, the way the buns look with the sultanas poking out the side and the icing on top,” says Anita, 40, who started working at the bakehouse aged 13.

Her fondest childhood memories were coming into the tearoom to help her mother put orders in - and also devour a bun. “They look so fresh and delicious, they’re so soft. They just shout of Whitby,” she says.

The seven family members working within the business have a part to play in recreating this delicacy. Anita’s younger sister, Lois Borrett, 38, bakes and hand ices the signature cakes.

“Our shops and tearooms are enjoyed by families near and far; we supply lots of other local, family-run businesses and outsource work locally where possible; we employ local people and, as such, we often have times when we have several generations of one local family working for us at one time,” adds Anita.

“The lemon buns recipe is somewhat closely guarded. They’re not just recipes, they’re family recipes. It has been passed through generations, there’s a lot of provenance there.”

The family who work in the business are all directors in Botham’s & Sons, carrying different responsibilities to produce the buns. “We all make up the whole bun. We want anyone who knows about Whitby to get to know our bakes,” says Anita.

The buns spark childhood holiday memories for the Botham family as well as many others who have ventured to the resort. Even celebrity chef James Martin has fond memories of them and aired his strong views on the correct way to eat the buns on national television.

Anita who is well versed in how to eat the buns the traditional way says: “We all enjoy our lemon buns. We eat them the ‘Whitby way’ to avoid sticky fingers. Turn it inside out or some may tear it apart, icing to butter.”

The buns are served in the tearoom with butter on the side as the family tends to butter the bottom.

Anita also recommends Botham’s Resolution Blend tea, named after Captain Cook’s ship, to accompany the buns. “I am biased but we ship this blend to our customers all over the world,” she says.

What started as one mother’s modest venture has become a legacy which continues to provide for future generations.

Botham’s of Whitby may be evolving with the times but the heart of the family-run enterprise never stops beating. “We hope our children carry it on,” adds Anita.

Family influence can even be seen in the names of some of their products; Chocolate Nevilles are named after Elizabeth’s grandson, Neville, father of the fourth generation of Bothams - Liz, Sarah, Nick and Jo - and his love of shortbread. The Generations Fruitcake pays homage to all five generations of bakers, past and present.

But one thing that is set to change is where the buns and bread are made. The ovens at Skinner Street bakery are about to be turned off for the final time as they move to a larger purpose-built premises.

Anita says it is purely to make production easier rather than growing the business as the new premises on Enterprise Way is all on one level.

The tearoom and shop will remain on Skinner Street, paying homage to the firm’s rich history.

Botham’s of Whitby’s business continues to thrive in store and online, something which even forward-thinking Elizabeth could not have predicted.

Loyal fans and extensive media coverage, such as the bakery’s recent appearance on the BBC’s Countryfile in an episode exploring how people living in Whitby protect their traditions, have contributed to Botham’s continued success.

Since the broadcast, Botham’s has been baking around 1,000 lemon buns daily, with many people “desperate” to try one for the first time.

“The future is very bright because we are a family business. We care about it so much, we feel we are caretakers of the business carrying on Elizabeth’s traditions,” adds Anita.