Ciaran, where did it all begin – how did the first ‘Roches Barbershop’ come about?
Lucy Roche 1838-1914
Born in 1838 in St. Stephens Green, Dublin Lucinda (Lucy) Byrne started her hairdressing career in 1850 aged just twelve years old. She carried out her hairdressing profession by visiting and attending to the grooming needs of the nobility of Dublin in their own homes. In 1860 she married John Roche, and so began the the Roche era in Hairdressing. Lucy and John had seven children, five sons and two daughters. Four sons became barbers and one of the daughters a hairdresser. It was their eldest son Thomas Roche that opened the first barber shop under the Roche name at 9 Haddington Road, Dublin in 1878. Lucy then opened a barber shop in 1879 at 60 North King Street, Dublin and then moving in 1889 to 31 Upper Ormond Quay, Dublin, Other family members had shops in Capel Street, Winetavern Street and Wood Quay.Nicholas another son worked as a ships barber on transatlantic routes before settling in America in 1911.