"E'Brew"

I am becoming au fait with a lot of Caithness twang. The one phrase I cannot understand, is why you call being on the dole/unemployed being on "E'Brew". I have asked around and no one seems to know how it came to be known as this. Can anyone:confused enlighten me?

Dunno, there is plenty of people on it, I imagine one of them could enlighten you.

Used to be the Unemployment Bureau..............the Bureau.......E Broo!

Though having said that, I've never actually seen Broo/Brew/Bru spelled out.......just said.

Not just a Caithness expression though.......except for the "E". It's certainly an expression we used to use in Morayshire before the Dole (E Dole) took over as a preferred term there.

Brew originated from Employment Bureau many years ago, I believe. Used throughout Scotland, not just Caithness.

:D:lol:Thanks for the info

In Glasgow, it was the buroo

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Originally Posted by mccaugm

I am becoming au fait with a lot of Caithness twang. The one phrase I cannot understand, is why you call being on the dole/unemployed being on "E'Brew". I have asked around and no one seems to know how it came to be known as this. Can anyone:confused enlighten me?

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Its wierd i just read this post and was like ah yaeh right enough why is it called that glad i know now though:D

The jobcentre, formally know as the DHSS, is also known as 'e bru'.

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Originally Posted by Julia

The jobcentre, formally know as the DHSS, is also known as 'e bru'.

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Yes , this is all very logical, BUT I reckon it's doon til "brew" an e tea as e folkies hed no thing else til do........... :eek::lol:

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Originally Posted by Julia

The jobcentre, formally know as the DHSS, is also known as 'e bru'.

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Always' e bru' in Caithness but Sutherland I aways heard it called the Dole well in my day !!!

''Ai Broo'' was indeed the Employment Agency - but nothing like the modern ones. There was a stigma attached to being On the Broo, and the onus was on getting you back to work as quickly as possible. There is no doubt folk felt ashamed and heads were held low.

''Ai Broo'' has nothing to do with making tea, as most likely you could not afford the stuff anyway. I have been told that folk would use bits of burnt old bread to make a cuppa.
Those were very hard times.

I have seen it spelt Ai Buroo, but nowadays it seems to be Broo.
I say again - Those were very hard times, the like of which is never known today.... thank Goodness.

Was known as the brew/broo/bru in Belfast too.

Ahh, the wonders of a dialect! Hehe. I love finding out about these sorts of things, and it's interesting that we think some phrases are Cathnesian, when people everywhere seem to have their own wee versions! :)

I'm origially from Ayrshire and it was always referred to as The Brew as far back as i can remember.;)

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Originally Posted by trinkie

''Ai Broo'' was indeed the Employment Agency - but nothing like the modern ones. There was a stigma attached to being On the Broo, and the onus was on getting you back to work as quickly as possible. There is no doubt folk felt ashamed and heads were held low.

''Ai Broo'' has nothing to do with making tea, as most likely you could not afford the stuff anyway. I have been told that folk would use bits of burnt old bread to make a cuppa.
Those were very hard times.

I have seen it spelt Ai Buroo, but nowadays it seems to be Broo.
I say again - Those were very hard times, the like of which is never known today.... thank Goodness.

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Sorry, trinkie - I did but jest :( I'll try to behave...........:~(

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Originally Posted by trinkie

''Ai Broo'' was indeed the Employment Agency - but nothing like the modern ones. There was a stigma attached to being On the Broo, and the onus was on getting you back to work as quickly as possible. There is no doubt folk felt ashamed and heads were held low.

''Ai Broo'' has nothing to do with making tea, as most likely you could not afford the stuff anyway. I have been told that folk would use bits of burnt old bread to make a cuppa.
Those were very hard times.

I have seen it spelt Ai Buroo, but nowadays it seems to be Broo.
I say again - Those were very hard times, the like of which is never known today.... thank Goodness.

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There still is a stigma Trinkie, and still hard times..unless you know the system like so many seem to know :( I won't even get started on the "stigma" that still exsists now x

wHERE I COME FROM A LOT OF THE LOCALS CALL IT THE LABOUR EXCHANGE

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Originally Posted by coastown

wHERE I COME FROM A LOT OF THE LOCALS CALL IT THE LABOUR EXCHANGE

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That if my history and memory serves me well was the original name for it. I always knew it as the Dole office...