History of Bamse
Frostie's the Bakers
As a teenager in the War Tom Frost was expected to work all available hours in the family business, Frost the Bakers in Ferry Street. This included all the tasks of the business including making deliveries with the horse-drawn van.
The Norwegian Minesweeper Thorodd was often in port for a week or two at a time. It shared its time between the sea, Aberdeen, Montrose and Dundee. The bakers knew when she was in port as they would get regular visits from Bamse at the bakery. There was a small garden at the back, and there he would appear, opposite the door. This would have been in about 1943.
Bamse’s technique was subtle and mature. He kept at a distance, making no attempt to enter the premises. He would make no noise, no barking, no whining, and he would sit very still, like a statue. At last, when some one glanced in his direction he would incline his head slightly to one side and turn on his doleful hungry eyes. It was irresistible, and soon he would be rewarded by left-overs, pieces of broken pies, pastries and other scraps. He would eat neatly, straight from the hand. He was not a fussy eater! He would never beg for more, and at the end of feeding he would simple turn around and saunter away.
Even when he became well known at the bakery he would not vary this routine, and never took advantage by entering the building. He was an extremely well mannered dog.
Next door to the bakery was the Caledonian Bar, ownd by the Christieson family. It was a popular retreat for sailors from the docks at the end of the street. If members of the Thorodd’s crew were inside it was quite common to see Bamse’s huge shape stretched out on the pavement, waiting by the door. Sometimes a crew member would appear at the door and set down a bowl of beer for him. Tom Frost is another witness to Bamse shepherding crew members, often the worse for wear, down Ferry Street, back towards their boat.
Ó 2006 The Montrose Bamse Project / Montose Heritage Trust/Tom Frost