Sunday, 15 April 2018

15 of 30. My First Day at Work. August, 1953.

15 or 30. My First Day at Work. August 1953.


Friday, our last day at school was as normal,
except for the last half hour - an assembly.
all ushered into the hall, we had a
Lecture from the Headmistress
about not letting the school down,
the whole school sang “Fight the
Good Fight”. We were off, we were
       Free!! Free!! Free!!

Monday morning came, I dressed with
care, I had hoped to be able to wear
Nylon Stockings, but NO! Mum said “You
must wear your white ankle socks, Nylons
must wait until I was eighteen years old”.
Mum had made me a new coat to wear,
she was a tailoress, it was beautiful,
    but did it have to be pink??

Mum accompanied me to work,
I was working in the Children's
Toy and Book department of
W.H.Smiths in Leeds. We were
welcomed by the Manageress,
she said I must call her Madam.
we were taken to meet the Manager,
    He had to be called Sir.

They outlined my job, being a Junior,
I would be doing a lot of cleaning of
books, after my tea break, I was
to tidy the staff room, then make
tea for the Manager and Manageress,
to wash their tea things, then to feed
the shops' Cats. I was to go down to
the stock rooms and bring stock
up the three flights of stairs. In fact
I was to do anything but sell books !!

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