General Chat

Sometime inSeptember 1948. Sisson & Parker were a very large book and fancy goods store in Nottingham. I became the office junior, and quickly felt the shocks that the old-fashioned switchboard would give off. Weekly wage of £1.10s.0d (thirty-bob) Some chap phoning up and becoming most indignent with me when I confessed to him that I hadn't read 'Mein Kamf' The managing director who seemed to be very very posh would ask me to go to a little nearby shop to get him a jam sandwich. These were sliced cut from the loaf, held in the hand to have the marge and jam spread on, folded over, then put into a scrap of paper that didn't cover them. I used to be so embarrassed when I handed them over to him. AAAhhh memories!!! Norah

I remember mine: 22 July 1968 (£8.00 a week with a half-crown rise every six months). I started working at an estate agents as secretary to the junior partner - just a week after leaving secretarial college. I duly arrived at 9.00 to be told to go through the door to the back and upstairs where my boss's office was. Unfortunately, there were two doors. As the senior partner's name was on one I assumed it must be the other door. As I opened it a brush fell out and there was the vacuum cleaner and all the other cleaning stuff. I'd walked into the understairs cupboard. At the end of the day I took the 20 letters I'd typed in to my boss to be signed and put the cover on my typewriter ... only to be called in to be asked whether I expected these letters to be posted. I said yes I thought so. "So where are the envelopes?" he asked. Two years at secretarial college and it hadn't dawned on me that in the big wide world the letters I typed would actually be put in the post!!!! A few weeks later it was my turn to 'do' a Saturday morning. I was a bit early and was first in the office ... went to the loo, flushed the cistern and it came away from the wall. I had to stand there holding it until someone (needless to say it was my boss) arrived and could come to my assistance. Not sure how, but I survived there for two years and when I left it was my choice!! Sue

was implying that I'm younger than SOME. As my dad always says, if the cap fits... lol

Watch it Paul! you are sailing close to the wind with the more mature clientelle :) :) Lin

I remember my first day of work clearly, well it wasn't that long ago compared to some ;-) I arrived, with suitcase (as I was being accomodated locally) and sat in reception opposite a girl who was obviously also waiting for something... not a word spoken (was very shy). Turned out we were both starting in the same department in the same role. Arrived in the office, didn't have a desk, hadn't a CLUE what to do. Was eventually dumped on some guy for him to show me a few things (was an IT based role), and he just brought up a help screen and left me to read it. Found out later that he'd only been there a week himself (and found out quickly that he was a git lol). Was there 9 years before moving on a few years ago. The girl I sat with in reception is now my best friend :o)

I was 15 and 3 months (you had to be that age to leave school then) and I worked at Stanley, Popplewell, Francis, and Ross, a Patent Office in Cursitor Street, just off Chancery Lane, I was taken on as a telephonist, but once they knew I could type, I did both. I earned the princley sum of 10.00, of which I had to give 2.00 as my housekeeping. Still managed to spend all my money friday afternoon over Leather Lane on clothes. Those were the days. Belle

Gosh, yes, I remember it well. I was a medical records clerk in the old Leicester Royal Infirmary. Being that part of the world, there was a large population with Indian names, and I was given the job of "pulling" the patient records for the next week's outpatient clinics. Full of names like Patel etc. Trying to distinguish one from another. I worked on the same counter as an ambulance traffic controller. What I learned about the inventiveness of the English language wouldn't bear thinking about! Lol! Philip

Yes I remember by first day. I was 15 and earned £5 per week, out of that I travelled from Deptford to Oxford Street each day, paid my mum £1.50 house keeping and still went out Friday's and Saturday's. Lin

My first proper job was at Burlington Warehouses a mail order firm,we had to go to other sections to collect our sections work,It was all up and down stairs ,stamping order forms to say when we had recieved them and collecting post,no stress no deadline that I remember.Stopping for a tea break twice a day.At my last job you drank your tea/coffe as you worked.

oh Lindzy. initiation rites were a bit cruel weren't they ? lol

Hi Terri, This really brings back memories. My first day as a trainee switchboard operator at Barclays Bank was very embarrassing. I was sent across the road to The Standard Bank to ask for a "date stamp". The woman at the enquiries desk asked me if I was the new girl from Barclays. I smiled... at her and said yes! She stamped a deposit slip and handed it to me saying " one date stamp." Being blonde by nature, I thanked her! Lindy:-))

hi len i was working for courtneys when they were in castle street,1975-1978 i then had to leave cos i was expecting my 2nd son lol courtneys are now in frogmore on the old gardeners furniture site sheila i was always in chelsea girl,it was my 2nd home..lol i met hubby at tuesdays or was it called oceans by then susie

My first job proper job was at a solicitors office as a Office Junior enjoyed the job loads sometimes I wish I could go back to then days no stress !!!!!!!!!!!!! lol My first saturday job was in an hairdressers washing people's hair and sweeping I did enjoy it apart from the smelly men that sometimes came in. Nat

Susie We may have met. I used to love shopping in Courteneys. First when they were in Castle Street, later in the Oxford Road where they didn't last long. Len

First ever job was my Saturday job in the menswear dept of Debenhams in Plymouth. I loved it and worked with a really nice crowd of people. First 'proper' job was working for the Civil Service in the DHSS, but my first day nearly didn't happen! I was feeling groggy with a sore throat and was looking forward to a nice lie-in. Then my mum came rushing up with the job offer letter, which must have got held up in the post, asking me to start that day! I've never got out of bed so quickly, but my mum did ring ahead and explain while I was getting ready. I enjoyed that job as well, especially working on the public counter.

Remember being sent to the stores for a long weight, After about twenty minutes, the storeman said " Off you go, Youve waited long enough!".......THEN the penny dropped.....

My first job was at Chelsea Girl in High Wycombe. I loved every moment of it...all of us girls used to pick out a outfit on Fridays when we got paid and then go off to Tuesdays night club.(or Disco as it was known then) We had a great time. Then we'd all be broke and struggle until the next payday lol

my first job was at courtney china and glass shop in high wycombe i absolutely loved it,all that royal doulton and royal albert bone china susie

yourse was at least a gentle wind up ,mine was being sent out for a kosher bacon sarnie And i fell for it [load of g---.Denis.

Poor Denis, yes you were hard done by just two days off for Xmas now its more like two weeks lol In my first job at a printing works, I was sent to get a packet of sky hooks and a bucket of steam, to my shame I dutifuly went trotting off to fetch them. dont think kids are so naieve today