Archive (6 life histories found)

The factory was a short walk away and included the sales training centre. I had known the English were extremely class conscious but nothing quite prepared me for the canteen ,or greasy spoon as it was called. It was divided into three sections;…

Following the closure of Browne Brothers in 1986 a former employer, Fred Trenaman, called me and asked if I would help to establish a manufacturing operation making kit form aluminium doors. I happily accepted and started within a week. I worked for…

The most interesting part of the shirt manufacturing career was the relationship with the Solo Shirt Co. This was run by a big thick farmer, Leonard McGuckan. Leonard had had a heart attack in 1959 and was confined to bed for life. After a year…

Austin Reed had a large factory in Omagh (also one that our family established and made a balls of) but it was modern and shambolic, employing 250 people and English management. The English management was most objectionable, they seemed to think…

My father and I met in Strabane every Sunday night, we were now looking for someone to take half our production for his own use (100 dozen a week on CMT) and allow us sell the other half (100 dozen). This would give us cash flow, sufficient to stay…