Mary was born in York in 1920. Married to a professional footballer, she moved to Norwich with her husband when he became a coach at Norwich City. Mary joined Jarrolds after previously working for Curls. My husband was a professional footballer. He went into the army as most men did, the Black Watch. After the […]
Jarrolds
Counters at Jarrolds (1938-1950s)
Mary was born in Buxton, near Aylsham, in 1917, and her parents were farmers. Having attended school in Hainford Olive joined Jarrolds in 1938 at the age of 20. I worked on the farm but I was one of these people who got bored, with just the men around. I saw an advert in the […]
Dispatch at Jarrolds (1960s-1980s)
Ken talks about working in Jarrolds’ Dispatch Department. I was born in Caister, Norfolk, and when my father, Robert, a horseman, became foreman of the stables at Colmans, the family moved to Norwich. I went to Lakenham Council School which I enjoyed. I worked for the International Stores as a delivery man but, in about […]
Happy Families at Jarrolds
Myra, following in her father’s footsteps, recalls her time working at Jarrolds. My father, Ken Sargent, worked as a dispatch worker at Jarrolds. I’d gone to the Hewett School and later on, when I was twenty and had my baby daughter, I began working there myself. I was living in Lakenham with my father and […]
Jarrolds Alterations Department (1975-1993)
Lydia describes her work in Jarrolds alterations department. I was born in Switzerland in 1933 and went to school there. I come from a large family: my parents, Fritz and Marie, my sister and two brothers. I trained as a dressmaker in Switzerland. In 1975 I was living in Norwich and had been working at […]
Jarrolds Card Department (1973-1990s)
Muriel started working in Jarrolds’ card department in 1973 but her favourite place was the book department. I started in the card department, and worked 9am – 5.30pm every day. We used to have to add up in our heads as there was no adding up on tills then, you had to pick things up […]
Jarrolds Chemistry Department (1938-1952)
Mr B describes starting work in 1938 at sixteen in Jarrolds’ Chemistry Department, and becoming an expert in cameras. I was born in Ringland, Norfolk and lived with my parents, Richard and Ada Florence. My father was a Baptist Minister in Stradbroke, Suffolk and, later, in Foulsham. I had one brother who died when he […]
Jarrolds of Norwich (1943-1960s)
Marjorie recalls her working life, pressing American trousers at the Swan Laundry and cutting out books at Jarrolds. Fish and shoe linings I was 14 years old when I left school and I got my first job at Cousin’s fish shop on Drayton Road in Norwich. I was there for a good while and worked […]
Jarrolds’ Hardware Department (1930s)
Herbert worked in the Hardware Department at Jarrolds in the late 1930s. His story was told by Mrs Marshall, who was 93 at the time, in 2006. Herbert had to go from Wortham to Norwich and back every day on his motorbike. The Hardware Department was in the basement and he was ‘second sales’ which […]
Jarrolds’ Magazine Department
Janet recalls her time in the magazine department at Jarrolds. I started at Jarrolds in 1954. My birthday is at the end of August, school finished in July and I managed to get a job when I was still only fourteen. It wasn’t unusual to start work at fifteen then. I started in the education […]