The Seventh Pie: 1928 – The World War I Victory Pie
Although the reason for the 1928 pie was to celebrate the ending of the First World War, the purpose of the event was to raise funds for the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary and £1000 was needed to provide for a ‘Denby and Cumberworth’ cot.
This time the decision was made to purposely create the world’s biggest pie, and the preparations involved everyone in the village. Tickets were sold across the country, the local pubs were granted extended licenses and 60,000 visitors were expected.
The Dish and The Oven
Since this pie was to be bigger again, the old pie dish was of no use and so a new one was made from steel. Mr G. W. Naylor, from the Brick and Tile Works in Denby Dale, provided the new dish, which was rectangular in shape and measured 16 feet by 5 feet by 15 inches deep and weighed 1 ton 15 cwts. It also was constructed with built-in squares to support the pastry across the top of the pie and prevent it from sinking.
The oven was built at the Corn Mill at the bottom of Miller Hill, and the pie placed in the oven on the Thursday night before the Pie Day to cook for 30 hours.
The Pie
With the plan for the biggest pie ever, the contents were duly increased to include 4 bullocks, 600lbs beef and 15cwts potatoes.
Eighteen ladies assisted by five butchers prepared the meat in batches, which were then frozen, to allow all of the meat to be cooked within a week. The pastry was rolled out in the Salvation Army building nearby.
Pie Day
Despite a dress rehearsal earlier in the week, the Committee was not prepared for what happened next – the dish got stuck in the oven!
A winch and hawser was used at the beginning of the extraction, then men with crowbars tried to release the dish, but piping hot and a couple of tons in weight, it would not move. Eventually, ten men using 10ft tram rails to lever the dish out and with the widening of the opening – by knocking down part of the wall – finally he pie was freed!
Despite the delay the day was a complete success – and the Infirmary got their cot!
