'In today's money that equates to about 40c and 60c. Nevertheless I gave half to my mother and lived the life of Reilly on the remainder '

'In today's money that equates to about 40c and 60c. Nevertheless I gave half to my mother and lived the life of Reilly on the remainder '

Harry Browne describes his first job training to be a chef in Cathal Brugha Street College of Domestic Science.

Harry Browne

Trinity College Dublin

1960

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Harry Browne

Work and Employment

Life Story

Cathal Brugha Street, Dublin

1960's

After finishing in North Strand School I went to St Mary's College of Domestic Science in Cathal Brugha Street. I have no memory as to what drew me to this decision. I had no family connections with catering and no experience of it before enrolling. I did not want to enter my Uncle's business as an apprentice upholsterer. My Uncle Jack was a successful furniture manufacturer with a number of people working for him. Both an older brother and sister of mine were in the business with him. I was not attracted to what was then a family business. My years in Cathal Brugha Street were fantastic. In the first place we were paid, in first year I think it was ten shillings a week and in second year it went up to sixteen shillings. In today's money that equates to about 40c and 60c. Nevertheless I gave half to my mother and lived the life of Reilly on the remainder. In Cathal Brugha Street our academic classes were mixed with the cooks. All chefs were male and all females were cooks and therefore of lesser status. The actual cookery classes were segregated because as chefs we were expected to attain a higher standard of cooking. Cooks were expected to be destined for jobs in mass cooking like hospitals, canteens etc, whilst we were bound for restaurants and high class hotels. Of a higher status altogether were the trainee managers whom we despised. They wore morning coats and striped trousers or skirts and considered themselves to be far above us lowly individuals. In later years these trainee managers were expected to work for a time in all departments of the hotels. When one of them fell into our hands in the kitchen we made their lives hell with hazing and giving them the worst tasks to do. This was because we reckoned that one day they might be in charge of us and we wanted to get our retaliation in early. This type of status symbolism was endemic when I was growing up. Jobs as shop assistants required a seven year apprenticeship and were much sought after, one was considered a 'Step above Buttermilk' if one had shop assistant's job - hard to believe in these days of minimum wage. This type of social distinction disappeared rapidly in the 1960s, partly because of fuller employment, better education and rising social expectations. It is inconceivable today to think of addressing one's boss as Mr Somebody or even more so as Sir.

Irish Research Council for Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences (IRCHSS)

Dr Kathleen McTiernan (Trinity College Dublin)

Dr Deirdre O'Donnell (Trinity College Dublin)