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

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Mickey Keenan, Tommy Keenan, Eddie Yewlett and Paddy Kimmins (Foreman) preparing loaf tins in the 1960s. Newry and Mourne Museum Collection

Newry Museum's fourth article exploring themes from the history of McCann’s Bakery looks at some of the products produced by the Bakery.

The Bread (Ireland) Act of 1838 introduced tighter bread making regulations. Bakers like Thomas McCann were required to sell bread by weight and could face a £5 fine or three months in prison if found guilty of adulterating ingredients.

Cecelia McKey, an officer worker, pictured with a wedding cake made for Tommy and Theresa Downey in the 1980s. Many local wedding couples had their wedding cake made at McCann’s. Newry and Mourne Museum Collection

The early method of making bread involved using hops and potatoes to make fermented barms or ‘sponges’ for raising dough. Ingredients were mixed in a trough by hand and baked in a brick oven.

After the move to new premises in 1894, by the following Christmas, Arthur McCann’s ‘Victoria Steam Bakery’ was advertising his latest improvements and products in the local papers. These included fruit loaves, bracks and rich plum cake. All ingredients were carefully selected, and fruit was ‘thoroughly cleaned’.

Paddy Kimmins working at a dough divider in McCann’s Bakery, 1970s. Newry and Mourne Museum Collection

With advancements in ingredients and technology, by 1913 the Bakery was producing around 36,000 loaves a week, along with pastry, buns and scones. In the late 1940s production of batch and pan bread had increased to around 1,000 per hour.

Despite the difficulty in sourcing ingredients during the Second World War, production was maintained, although a number of breads and confectionary became largely unavailable.

In 1967 Miles McCann participated in ‘British Week’, a trade event, in Toronto, Canada. This and other successful visits to Canada and the United States led to the export of McCann’s Rich Fruit Loaves to north America. With the entry of the UK into the EEC in 1973, business expanded into Europe. The British market was also developed, with McCann’s Porter Cake popular with many Irish expatriates, especially in London.

Bakery staff working in the pastry department in the new wing, 1979. Newry and Mourne Museum Collection

Marketing under the slogan, The Tradition of Good Taste, McCann’s Bakery produced not only batch loaves but also a range of breads, barm bracks, various types of fruit bread and loaves, cakes, Christmas fayre, pastries and confectionary products. McCann’s was also the local bakery of choice when it came to choosing a wedding cake.

Next week’s article will focus on the role of the famous breadmen in the community.

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

Newry Musuem's new temporary exhibition, 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.o

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.

Visit their website at www.visitmournemountains.co.uk