Five Generations of the McCann Family - Part 2

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Christopher McCann, pictured with his sisters, Jennifer and Madeline, at the opening of the new bread bakery extension in 1969. Newry and Mourne Museum Collection

To coincide with a new temporary exhibition, Slices of History: Memories of McCann’s Bakery, which has opened at Newry and Mourne Museum, this is the second in a series of articles exploring various aspects of the history and development of the Bakery. This week we look at the McCann Family, owners of the Bakery.

Matthew, Thomas and Joseph McCann, three brothers from county Louth, came to the thriving town of Newry in 1837 and opened a Bakery and a corn mill. When the corn mill ceased operating in the 1850s, the Bakery continued, with Thomas at the helm. He became a Newry Town Commissioner for a time but gave up his public duties in the mid-1850s to devote his attention to his business. After his death in 1876 the business was carried on by his brothers and nephews.

Arthur and Isabella McCann. It was Arthur who employed the use of the Newry coat of arms and the colours of the Abbey School on documentation and wrappers, to link their products with their adopted town. From Five Generation of Baking 1837-1987, by Peter Makem and Gerry Murphy (Newry, 1987)

Matthew’s sons, Arthur and James, expanded the McCann business in the town, constructing the Milestone building in Hill Street where they opened a grocery business in 1879. Their partnership was dissolved in 1892, when Arthur took control of the Bakery. Like his uncle, Arthur became a Town Commissioner in 1884 and a Justice of the Peace in 1886. He also served for seven years as chairman of the Newry Port and Harbour Trust. In 1894 the business moved to a more spacious site in Castle Street and was equipped with modern machinery and ovens.

Miles McCann served with the RAF in the Far East during the Second World War. He was captured in March 1942 and held in a Prisoner of War Camp in Sumatra before being released in 1946. From Five Generation of Baking 1837-1987, by Peter Makem and Gerry Murphy (Newry, 1987)

Arthur’s son, Matthew, took over the Bakery on his father’s retirement in 1924, steering it through difficult times, such as the creation of the border, which prevented trade with county Louth, and economic depression in the 1930s. The development of motorised transport and the encroachment of competing bread vans from the larger bakeries in Belfast led to a ‘bread war’, drastically cutting the cost of bread.

Matthew’s son, Miles, first came into the family business in 1940 before leaving to join the RAF in the Second World War. He served in the Far East and was captured in March 1942 and held in a Prisoner of War Camp in Sumatra before being released in 1946. He returned to the family business in 1948 when he succeeded his father as Managing Director. During his career, he oversaw the expansion and redevelopment of the site in the 1960s, steered the company through the early years of the Troubles and introduced a pension scheme for the employees in 1974. Miles McCann also served as Chairman of LEDU Southern Area for nine years.

Matthew McCann first entered the business in the early 1900s after learning about the bakery trade in Scotland. From Five Generation of Baking 1837-1987, by Peter Makem and Gerry Murphy (Newry, 1987)

Miles’ son, Christopher, entered the business in 1972 aged 19. In 1979 he moved to South Africa, returning to the business as Managing Director in 1984. He developed the British and European markets and, at home, the market expanded into east Down, Belfast, Louth and Monaghan. However, despite further investment in the Bakery, the growth of supermarkets and competition from imported products, McCann’s Bakery was taken over by Irwin’s of Portadown in 1990.

Next week’s article will focus on the workforce at McCann’s Bakery.

See the Other Articles:

Part 1 McCann’s Bakery from 1837 – 1996

Part 2 Five Generations of the McCann Family

Part 3 Remembering the workers at McCann’s Bakery

Part 4 McCann's Bakery 'The Tradition of Good Taste'

Part 5 Delivering McCann’s Bread

Part 6 Bread wars and other challenges at McCann’s Bakery

Part 7 Slices of History from McCann’s Bakery - Part 7

Slices of History: Memories of McCann’s Bakery is open free of charge during Museum opening hours and runs until the end of August 2024. For further information on the exhibition please call 0330 137 4608/4308 or email museums@nmandd.org

The Museum is currently offering free tours of the main exhibition galleries on Wednesdays at 2.00 pm. These must be booked in advance by calling our Education Officer at 0330 137 4422.

Newry and Mourne Museum is open Tuesday – Saturday 10.00 am – 4.30 pm. Please call 0330 137 4422 or email museums@nmandd.org for further information.

Please visit the Museum website at www.visitmournemountains.co.uk