School: San Leonard, Ballycullane

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1. Olden Time Food (continued)

   

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   Starch made from Potatoes.
   Scoop the potatoes-2-3 or more as required. Put the 'scoopings' in a cup or bowl with spring water. Steep 5 or 10 minutes. Strain off the water and boil it for a few minutes. It thickens, This is your starch.
   All the old women used to make their own starch this way to starch their sun-bonnets.
   Three Meals per day.
   Three meals a day was the custom 80 and less years ago. These were either
   1.Cutting stirabout and milk
   or
   2. Potatoes and milk.
   The Pail
   The stirabout and milk were sent out to the workers in the fields in wooden vessels called pails. [illus. of pail here]
   These pails were not carried in the hands
   but poised beautifully on the heads of women carriers.
   The Roddish
   The potatoes were sent out in a large basket called a "roddish" [illus. of roddish here]
   Patters and noggins made of wood were used where we would now use plates and bowls. [ills]
   Hours of work
   The poor workers were out in the morning at break of day plying the reaping hook and never ceased till the light went off the sky at night.
   Wages
   Three pence a day to women and fourpence to men.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Mary B. Dunphy

   Gender

   Female

   Occupation

   Teacher