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The Preston Guardian
Saturday December 8th 1855

Stealing German Barm
On Monday last, at the petty sessions, held in the Court House, Burnley, James Taylor, a lad about 15 years old, was charged with stealing 2lbs of German barm, on the 28th ultimo, from a milk cart, belonging to Robert Thornton, of Hack-gate, within Briercliffe, near Burnley. The prisoner had been before the magistrates on one or two previous occasions, on suspicion of theft. A short time after the barm was stolen, a police-constable met him in the street, and found the barm under his jacket, tied up in a pocket handkerchief. The prisoner was then taken to the polce-officer, and in two days afterwards Thornton owned the barm. The prisoner, having chosen to be dealt with summarily, was sentenced to imprisonment in the Preston House of Correction for two months.

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Mel

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Mel, do you know what German barm is?

Joan

I have absolutely no idea Joan.

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Mel

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Just googled it.
http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/museum/crumpets1.htm
Additional Historical Information
'German yeast' (or German barm) was compressed yeast similar to today's fresh baker's yeast. This type of yeast was usually imported from either Germany or Holland, and was distinguished from the liquid brewers' yeast that was used in many recipes.

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Mel

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My nana used to make barm cakes every Wednesday & I got to have one straight from the oven, dripping with best butter. I'm drooling just thinking about it

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Maureen
If you can't fight, wear a big 'at

I forgot that you northerners have barm cakes - I guess that is where the name cam from then - the yeast.

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Mel

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The expression Barmy comes from the word barm, it is British slang for "crazy", it is comparing the foamy texture of barm to the perceived emptiness of such a person's head.

That is according to Wikipedia.
Stephanie.

Now Mel no rude remarks.
Stephanie.

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Mel

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I have to admit that even though I grew up in Lancashire not far from Burnley I have no idea what a barm cake is. Would it be something like a teacake, which in Accrington was a form of soft round bread? Sometimes it had currants baked into the dough.

I do know the expression 'barmy' though.

Joan

I think a barm cake is what us lot in the midlands refer to as a bap - a type of bread roll/bun but no fruit in it?

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Mel

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Here we go again on the teacake debate!
A barm cake is basically a round flat bread roll. Something like an oven bottom. The kind of thing they sell in chippies for a chip butty.

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Maureen
If you can't fight, wear a big 'at

Yes, it sounds very much like what I knew as a teacake. OK. End of debate.

Joan