Beverley worked in an old people’s home, a coffee shop and a bakery. Later, she worked as a cleaner and a chambermaid which she enjoyed as the people were good to her. When I left school at 16, I started a job in an old people’s home in Colchester. I used to make their cup […]
Mixed Employment
A life of service to others (1936-2005)
Thora tells us about her life working as a tweeny maid, being a home help, and the charity work which led her to receiving an MBE from Prince Charles. I started school in 1921 when I was five and left when I was 15. In those days when you were 11 you went to the […]
Bevin Boy, miner and publican (1941-1987)
Peter was a Bevin Boy who stayed on working in the mines and ended up as a publican. I was fourteen years old when I left school in 1941. My first job was an ironmonger’s errand boy for six months before I went to work for a baker on a bread round. I delivered bread […]
Bombs, ghosts and garlic (1945-1997)
Marjorie shares memories of her wonderfully varied working life as a machinist, doctors’ maid, schools cook, solicitor’s filing clerk and Norwich Castle museum attendant, and more besides. Early life during World War Two I was born in Norwich in 1931. I went to St. Augustine’s School which was bombed in the April, during the blitz […]
Colman’s to caring (1955-1997)
Jennifer left school in January 1955 and started at Colman’s when she was just 15 in the tin shop making little tins for Colman’s mustard. She worked there for five years and later at Boulton and Paul’s and in care work. I left school January in 1955 and started work at Colman’s. I was just […]
Confectioner by trade, chiropodist by profession (1956-2013)
Julie started in catering, learning confectionary in Switzerland, and when her family was older changed course and trained to become a chiropodist. College and working in catering I left school when I was 16 and went to City College for a hotel and catering course. I learnt to do cooking and waitering. There used to […]
From bottling beer to international fencing champion – the first lady Freeman of Norwich (1941-2012)
From an early age, Connie had a succession of jobs, often juggling more than one at a time to make ends meet but it was not until she reached retirement age that she found her passion, fencing. A passion, which in a different age, might have formed the basis of a fabulous career. Working for […]
From Secretary to Town Mayor. A life in community service (1955-2010)
Audrey’s first jobs in North Walsham were as a bookkeeper and secretary in engineering firms Randells & Gleave and Key. Later she worked at the canneries at Westwick while looking after her son. Much of her life was spent in community service, fund-raising, organising events, and as Town Mayor. She received the MBE in recognition […]
From the office to peeling onions (1955-1997)
Janet worked as a typist at a building company and for a tea merchants before having a family. Later she got paid by the tray, peeling onions for pickling. Typing and baling I left school at the age of 15 and I went to work at Melton and Sons, a building company at Beetley. There […]
From the public analyst’s laboratory to books (1959-2011)
Martin had a very busy and varied life working mainly in the Cambridge area and never needed formal qualifications. Jobs ranged from laboratory work at the public analyst’s, paper technology, book printing and delivering pharmaceuticals in the Fens. After retiring he became a very active volunteer in North Norfolk particularly driving, social work at Voyager […]