John Gregg (baker)

John "Jack" Robson Gregg (1909 - 1964) was an English businessman, best known as the founder of Greggs, one of the United Kingdom's largest bakery businesses employing 20,000 staff and operatives and a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.

Gregg was born at Canada Street, Newcastle upon Tyne in 1909. At the age of 14 he joined the family egg and yeast business. He would make deliveries on his pushbike to local working-class homes. He acquired a van in the 1930s.

Gregg was called up to serve in the British Army during World War II and during this time his wife bought a second van and started distributing confectionery as well as ingredients for bread. In 1951 he opened a shop on Gosforth high street.

He died of lung cancer in 1964.

He was married to Elsie and together they went on to have two sons, Colin (who was jailed for child sexual abuse in 2017 ) and Ian, and one daughter, Gay.

He was a Freemason.

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