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1944
Founder – Ethel Ashwood
Ashwood, Sons and Daughters (ASSADS), the precursor to Red Lion Bakery is founded by Ethel Ashwood and co-owned with her husband, E.J.E. Ashwood until his passing in 1974. Thunderbolt bread is a smash hit and popular to all ages in the ‘60s.
Mr. Eustace Josephus Ekundayo Ashwood
1966
Advert in the 1966 Handbook of Freetown
1968
Bread shop @ 28 Westmoreland Street
Red Lion Bread shop is opened at 28 Westmoreland Street (now Siaka Stevens Street) where the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank stands today.
1974
1974 – 1988
Ethel Ashwood runs Red Lion Bakery as a Sole Proprietor and coins the motto: We Knead the Bread you Need – Satisfaction Guaranteed. Croissants, Malt Bread and Brown Bread for diabetics and weight watchers are added as specialty products and are a hit as are the “fresh” loaves and “six cent” bread.
1978
The Flagship Shop
Ethel Ashwood purchases the 3-story building at the corner of Wellington & Siaka Stevens Streets. The Bread Shop relocates to 65 Siaka Stevens Street (ground floor) where it still stands today.
1981
1981
Ethel Ashwood receives the insignia of Member of the Order of the Rokel (M.R.) from His Excellency President Siaka Stevens, in recognition of Red Lion Bakery’s contribution/service to the nation.
1988
September 26, 1988
Ethel Ashwood passes away, bequeathing ownership to her four daughters — Mrs. Pamela Grant, Mrs. Gloria Dillsworth, Mrs. Gracie Williams and Mrs. Jestina Jones.
1988 – 1999
Red Lion Bakery is operated as a general partnership between Ethel Ashwood’s four daughters.
1999
Dec. 6, 1999
Red Lion Bakery is registered as a Limited Business under the Companies Act of Sierra Leone. Ownership and management is maintained by her four daughters.
2012
AWOL Awards
Dec. 30, 2012 – Red Lion Bakery wins AWOL’s NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD for Indigenous Business of the Year.
2013
May 8, 2013
The four daughters sign a Statement of Intent confirming their retirement from the business, with each assigning a “representative” to carry out the necessary work required to prepare a proposal document that describes their wishes for the future management of Red Lion Bakery.
July 29, 2013
Mrs. Jestina V. Jones, Co-Owner and Managing Director of RLB and youngest daughter of Mrs. Ethel Ashwood passes away, bequeathing her ownership in Red Lion Bakery to her three daughters –Wilma, Michelle and Ethel.
2014
March 13, 2014
Mrs. Pamela Grant, Co-Owner and Director of RLB and eldest daughter of Mrs. Ethel Ashwood passes away, bequeathing her ownership in Red Lion Bakery to her son – Mr. Cyril Grant.
Advert in Awoko Newspaper
The surviving daughters of Mrs. Ethel Ashwood, Mrs. Gloria Dillsworth and Mrs. Gracie Williams, Directors of RLB announce the closure of RLB to Staff, independent Red Lion retailers, other shareholders and the public, effective Saturday, May 31, 2014.
2015
Grant & Jones Partnership – Jan. 1, 2015
A partnership agreement between Cyril Grant & Michelle Jones, grandchildren of Mrs. Ethel Ashwood, was created to operate Red Lion Bakery in a bid to maintain the family business.
Red Lion Bread shop is reopened for Business, Nov. 30, 2015
Red Lion Bakery is re-opened for business once again after the Ebola epidemic was declared over in Sierra Leone. Cyril Grant and Michelle Jones take up co-ownership and management of the business.
2017
A Bread shop is opened at 43 Spur Road, Lumley. April 10, 2017
2018
Moringa Bread – Apr. 28, 2018
Moringa Bread is added to our menu of breads. Made with Moringa leaves, it offers several healing benefits beyond its flavor and nutrition.
2020
June 12, 2020
In light of COVID-19 and in an effort to promote social distancing practices, a new website is launched with a feature to shop online with options for collection or delivery.