Emilé Mangeolles
Founder of the Catering College in Usher Street, Emilé Mangeolles, began the highly successful Hospitality and Catering provision at Bradford College.
After serving in the merchant navy, sailing to
Shanghai out of Antwerp on the SS Burgasland,
Emilé began his catering career working at the
Dorchester Hotel in London. He worked with the
famous French chef, Auguste Escoffier and under
another great classical French chef, Emilé Aymoz,
who was Maitre Chef de Cuisines.
Emilé became a Regimental Sergeant Major in
the catering division in World War II. He trained
the army school of catering students in Ovenden,
Halifax, travelled all over the UK to train the troops
and also served in Italy. After demob, Emilé
worked at Black Dyke Mills in Queensbury and
then became the Catering Manager at the English
Electric Company at Thornbury.
Emilé used to go to St James Market in Bradford
to buy his fruit and vegetables for the restaurant,
and knew a lot of the wholesalers in the market
including Scott, Swithenbank, Taplin and Morrison;
all hardworking men committed to make a
success in their niche of the market.
Around 1967
Emilé had a vision of setting up a catering college
in Bradford and so he contacted his associates
from the wholesalers and told them of his plans.
The businessmen of Bradford worked very hard,
both spending time in planning and providing
their own money for the benefit of the city to
educate school leavers in Bradford.
With the help of the Bradford Council, who
provided a building in Usher Street, and the
commitment of the wholesalers, a catering
training establishment began. In order to
encourage the students to do well in their training
Emilé persuaded his friends from St James Market
to donate a plaque or cup to encourage students
to pass their exams.
Emilé’s daughter Pat worked as a florist and
used to buy her flowers from Henry Scott, and
eventually she got a job at Sanderson’s in Kirgate
Market. Emile’ niece, Margaret Barraclough,
now Margaret Price, was a catering student at
Bradford College in 1972 and was presented with the
Henry Scott Plate for Student of the Year; a prize
her uncle had initiated. Margaret remembers
her uncle with great affection. “He was always
very dapper and absolutely immaculate. If you
called at his house you would always find him
looking like Noel Coward in a smoking jacket and
a cravat!”
Photograph supplied by Margaret Price