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 of tea in the morning and get the trays ready, putting all the breakfast stuff on. We used to take breakfast to them and after that we used to wash and wipe everything up to get the tables ready for lunchtime. I also used to go in the dining room and help serve the lunches.
After we served the lunches we had to wash and wipe everything up again, and after that we had a lunch which was free. In the afternoon I went home before I went back in the evening to do the same thing. I was there for a couple of years.
After that I got another little job in a coffee shop in Colchester called Planters. I used to go around and take the orders from the people, ask them what they wanted, and then I took the things round to them, sandwiches or cakes and coffee. I had a little apron on. I didn’t work the till though, because I wasn’t too good at tills, but I enjoyed that. That was my favourite job, I was there for a few years until I got married, which was the worst thing I have ever done.
After that I got a job in 1979 in Marks Tey Hotel as a chambermaid. I used to make all the beds and put clean sheets on and make sure all the bathrooms had clean towels and bars of soap. I did that five days a week, Monday to Friday and I had weekends off. When I got paid I used to go into town and get my few little bits what I wanted, I used to treat myself.
That was the last job I had while I was living in Colchester with my mum and dad. From there I moved around. I was a cleaner at Woolworths in Norwich until they closed it down and then I got a little job cleaning in the old bakery on Queen’s Road. I did enjoy that.
Beverley (b. 1959) talking to WISEArchive on 19th November 2013 in Norwich.
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