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The seventh and final article from Newry Museum on the history of McCann's Bakery. Some of those who worked in McCann’s Bakery share their memories.
“What he [Mr Miles McCann] offered me was out of this world . . . at that point, the wage was about six pounds a week, that’ll be 1962, and I had been in the bakery trade from ’48, so it was a hell of a jump and I got twelve pounds in the first cheque and I never had a cheque in my hand before. So that’s the beginning.” Gerry Murphy, Manager
“. . . the simplest of jobs and I do remember like it was yesterday. The first day I started in the office, and I didn’t even know how to use a phone, because we didn’t have a phone at home. There was a coin box here . . . in the countryside. The phone frightened the life out of me. And I can remember to this day there was only four digits to the phone number then, there was Newry 2076 and Newry 2919 that was the two lines.” Peter McSherry, Office Staff
“John Darragh made all the ingredients the night before for everything. He would have it all in small containers. All you done was put it in and the buttermilk into the mixer. Start the mixer up and mixed it up. We used to make twenty stone at a time I think it was. It took three kegs of buttermilk anyway.” Pat McMahon, Baker
“The best seller? Well at the start it was the wheaten bread, then they changed to the rich fruit loaves and then the French sticks and hamburger baps and that there. We made a lot of them.” Pat McMahon, Baker
“Jack’s [Crawford] run started in Newry, and it went out round Rathfriland, that sort of general area and over into parts of Mayobridge and back in the Rathfriland Road through Crieve, that sort of general area. At that stage we worked Tuesday to Saturday, Monday was our day off. As I said, Jack sold the McCann’s products and he sold some of his own products, biscuits, and that there. He had quite an extensive door to door run in the country there. Jack’s general day would be half seven, eight o’clock in the morning to maybe six or seven in the evening.” Paul McAteer, Breadman
“Bedford had a sliding door, it used to be a thrill to drive them too. You could drive with the door open and no seat belt on. It used to be terrific.” John McCourt, Lorry Driver
“So, they put the turkeys in the big ovens that the bread went in. But then the people came in and they took the bigger turkeys. There was labels put on them. With their name, but sure that was burnt in the oven. They seen the opportunity a big turkey, the late people came in there was only wee chickens left.” Oliver McAteer, Breadman
“There is so much loyalty amongst the staff, you know, and it was passed down from grandfathers, fathers, sons, it was like sort of tradition.” Madeleine Burns, Shop
“The smell . . . the smell coming in through the front door was amazing. The bread smell. Warm . . . you know yourself the smell of home baking is beautiful. So that is the bit I probably miss the most, that and obviously the people who worked here.” Jenny O’Hagan, Office Staff
Newry Museum'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.org
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
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 the museum website at www.visitmournemountains.co.uk
