A Tauranga woman's research project has uncovered a treasure-trove of stories about her family – including the day her father fell asleep in a cake cabinet.

'It's been so nice to have been invited into people's homes to hear their memories,” says Brooke McCann. 'It really has exceeded my expectations.”

Brooke is writing a piece of non-fiction as part of her diploma in writing and decided to dig into her great-grandparents, who owned the Te Puke Bakery and Tearooms from 1936-1968.

It was Brooke's aunt who recounted the day her dad went missing and was found later – literally with cake on his face.

'He must've been around two or three years old, and they'd gone to visit their grandparents; eventually someone realised my dad was missing and there was a bit of a panic,” says Brooke. 'But he'd snuck over to the tearooms and helped himself to a massive cake inside the cabinet. 'He'd fallen asleep in there.”

Brooke's original idea was to write a family cookbook. 'My nana was an amazing baker and now I'm learning where her talent came from. Her parents were the bakers for the community,” says Brooke. 'One of my daughters is also an amazing baker.”

Brooke's research has evolved into a historical memoir, revealing that her great-grandparents, Tom and Winnie Baikie, were remembered as generous and kind-hearted people.

'Tom, particularly was quite a well-known character,” says Brooke. 'I've had the comment over and over that he was a very generous man. He would give to clubs and help fundraisers by donating suppers.”

Her research has also thrown up some mysteries. 'My great-grandfather was the first pilot in Tauranga to have a private plane and wanted to serve in World War II. We found a letter refusing him on the grounds that he didn't have enough experience,” says Brooke.

'I believe, though, that the reason was actually because bread was a staple and his was an essential job here in New Zealand.”

Tom Baikie in his baker's hat around 1927 while he was an apprentice baker in Stratford. Photo: supplied.

Tom Baikie supported the war by sending bread and even baked hundreds of Christmas cakes to send over to Kiwi troops.

'His older brother had been killed in the first world war, so it was important to him to do what he could,” says Brooke. 'Men in uniform never paid for food from the tearooms. Another man has told me his mother died when he was 13, and he was always welcome at the Baikie's for a meal.”

Tom Baikie Lane in Te Puke was named after him in 2003 – something Brooke didn't know until launching her research. She says it's been lovely to reflect on her ancestors and share her journey with her daughters.

'I took my eight-year-old along to one of my interviews thinking she'd be bored, but she was so interested and asked questions all the way home. It's been a really great exercise.”

Tom Baikie on the right in a bakery he owned on The Strand, Tauranga in 1932. Photo: supplied.