Island Life Magazine Ltd August/September 2010 | Page 155
food
Island Life - August/September 2010
The olde traditional
village butcher still
exists on the Island!
Peter White talks to Graham Hawkins a devoted
local village butcher in Bembridge who has
taken Woodford's into the next generation.
Graham Hawkins once worked as a
taken to Dorset for slaughter
‘target’ for a knife-throwing act in a
before being returned.
travelling circus.
Thankfully for the residents of
Woodford’s do their own
home-cooked meats, dry-cured
Bembridge and beyond, Graham now
bacon, and a variety of
prefers to have a knife in his hand
home-made sausages, including
rather than have them thrown around
such exotic flavours as whisky
him. After working behind the counter
and apricot. Recently pork
at W.W. Woodford and Son butchers for
sausages from the Tamworth pig
18 years, he bought the business just
breed have come on to the High
over a year ago.
Street shop’s counter in Bembridge.
Graham served his butchering
“We also do our own pies, including
apprenticeship at Baxter’s in Ryde, and
pork pies. That way we know what is in
also worked in Newport and Freshwater.
them,” said Graham, who combines his
Then he changed direction by joining
butcher’s business with a delicatessen
up with a mainland theatre group that
on the same premises. Kebabs, cheeses
once did a summer season in Ryde,
and pickles are among many other tasty
working behind the scenes, before
goods available.
becoming their stage manager.
He then joined a circus troupe in
“At one time you could just be
a butcher, but you cannot do that
Cheshire, looking after ponies, and
anymore; you have to open up
being the knife-thrower’s target, before
otherwise you wouldn’t survive,” he
returning unscathed to butchering at
continued: “I think a butcher’s shop
is important in village life. It's like the
local pub, you have to keep that village
tradition, and serve the people who live
here.”
Because of its already excellent
reputation Graham did not want to
change too much about Woodford’s
when he took over. But one of his
new ideas is the ‘Pie in the Box’ which
makes for much easier carrying.
Certainly a far better idea than having
knives thrown at you!
several other Island locations before
moving to Bembridge.
When previous owner Peter Arnold
retired after 45 years, Graham took
over Woodford’s, maintaining the high
standard it has been renowned for since
being established in 1903.
“It was always in the back of my mind
that I would like to be my own boss
one day. But another reason I took over
was because I just didn’t want to see it
close, and throw away everything that
had been built over the years,” he said.
Much of Graham’s meats, including
some beef and lamb, are Island
produced, but he also b W