My first job was at 25 Saville Row, London.not an apprentice Tailor as Saville Row is renown for. ... would have been ideal for me, but no a boring Government Job with the more exciting name of Forestry Commission. 15 years old at the time and My Auntie Win a dressmaker made me a very modern suit in a colour of Camel in a mix wool..Was smart enough for London Town..My first day was nerve racking, I had learnt shorthand and typing at school was good at maths, so office work should suit me. I had in my mind for years that I wanted to be a comtometer operator..not sure about the spelling or what the job was even now..but anyway it was easy to get employment at that time and I was also easily excepted by the team into their office as a Clerical Assistant..bottom of the pile basically..but I got on well with them all and stayed on until the FC decided to move to new premises in Basingstoke Herts. The best time was when we were offered a day off in lieu, as long as we attended the agricultural shows that the Forestry Commission had set up..Well that was an easy decision. My Late Friend Rosi worked there soon after as well, I had said it was a good place to work and so she worked in the stores and stationary office..anyway we would arrive at the events together it was actually a good day out even for teenagers that were Townies by nature. We learnt a fair amount about the farming side and the working animals really did set the scene..We went at every event possible and that was normally 3/4 times each year..My work was just assisting..typing letters and answering the phone mainly and trying to not be as bored as I really felt....ups and downs for me...the train tickets were issued monthly and that enabled us to use the train anytime, as it was 'all in price covered'. We went up London Town. ..just at weekends, going to visit the various clubs depending what group/singer was appearing..that was the good side, the very good side..Sorry when they moved to Basingstoke but I never considered moving away from home at that age or at that time. My next job was local..Croydon, Surrey born and bred.. with still some very interesting old buildings amongst the unsightly ones, quite a violent place it has become, sadly.
I taught Spanish to high schoolers. Never wanted to teach, but my mother refused to finance my college education unless I majored in education. Then I started my own antique refurbishing business, and did that for 16 years. Loved the work, loved seeing and handling the antiques, but didn't much like having to convince customers that painting a Sheraton table pink was a bad idea! Edited a local weekly newspaper for four years. Found out to what depths the English language had sunk in journalism classes. I still have traces of "grammar police" in me! Than I hit the ideal job in the world--children's librarian! My fellow librarians thought I arrested at the age of 12, the children loved the story times and special events I scheduled, the parents were helpful and we all had a great time. I hated to leave, but we moved to Texas and that would have been a terribly long commute. Now I just garden and pet cats and have a small flock of hens. This may be my second ideal job in the world!
Loved your drive and enthusiasm though out and I did eventually work for myself selling female fashion clothes..made lots on money and bought a Spanish Home ..spanish teacher oh dear, me...I am also now alarmed(scared).. by the grammer police.Yes Garden, Cats and only 1 hen at this time left of our 4......Husband works hard getting under my feet in the Garden.. so I find him things to make when I can..(joking he is my beloved in truth..) I was concerned leaving Bexhill on Sea but the changes that have and are taking place there, took the edge off the nerves. It has always been my husbands dream to live in France rather then Spain or England and it was his turn to chose where we were to move...I love the life here, but it took me time to settle..Glad you posted, thank you
Then I started my own antique refurbishing business, and did that for 16 years. Loved the work, loved seeing and handling the antiques, but didn't much like having to convince customers that painting a Sheraton table pink was a bad idea! Always knew we had a lot in common MG ! I had an antique shop and also did restorations ! Worse thing was getting a piece in to restore that had coats and coats of white baby shXt green and another coat of white oil paint ! A bomb would not have removed that paint ! Some pieces I had to dig it out of the grain with a scalpel ! Also at the same time worked full time at a Doctors office ! Hence the scalpels were free !
I have always worked in agriculture or mostly horticulture all my life. I went through a horticulture program in a career center my last two years of high school and then a plant nursery a greenhouse a floral shop and then raised children for a while. Now I have been growing and selling plants and produce for 10 years on my own. I have greenhouses and high tunnels that keep me busy 7 days a week.
That is wonderful how you were able to stay within Horticulture... I just remembered when I lived in Bexhill on Sea the next town was Hastings E. Sussex.. and they had a Special Centre to Cater for all kinds of disabilities, the Centre was a Nursery and they grew all popular varieties of plants and veggies, sold them from the Centre and at any Fete or Show with a large Stall usually local to Hastings...I need to look it up and see if it is still operational because there was talk about the area being developed for housing just like where I used to live... the properties I realise are needed as they are always 'bangin on' about the lack of good housing..but the whole area has gone from Sea/Countryside in the last 20 years to Estates of Properties with rat runs...roads built everywhere... Maybe a few Photos of your Nursery when you not quite so busy..as if..always something to do I can see that clearly. Thank you for taking time to post... This is one of many Nurseries in the area...but one that I used to create the lovely garden we left behind in England...https://www.greatparkfarm.co.uk/
I was born in Worcester and stayed there until i was 28. I left school with no qualifications at 15. As soon as i left got a job in a sewing factory making overalls, in three weeks trained up but it was peice work and had to sew very fast to make the money but i found it very noisy with a button hole machine at the back of me so i left. Next i got a job in a shoe shop but couldn't understand the system to get the shoes out from the basement, so I left. Next i got a job at the Worcester royal porcelain factory putting lithograph stickers on the plates but found out again that it was peice work so I left. Always was interested in cooking so i got a job at the Littlewoods store in the kitchens making sandwiches and salads, also learnt how to do the cold sweets when the lady had to have her day off in the week. I got fed up with that so i went down to the cafeteria to serve the hot meals. Later I was asked if I would like to go back upstairs in the kitchen to help the cook make the hot meals so I did. Eventually they changed to pre cooked foods and had a new cooker and a very large walk in freezer so it was just me doing the meals and the cook went on to be the cafeteria and kitchen manageress. It was the longest that I had stayed but moved about a bit and after about 5 years i got married and pregnant but I decided not to go back, they would have kept a position open for me but it might not be in the kitchen so i left. Didn't like the idea of leaving a baby with a stranger and I didn't expect my parents to look after him. But I've been home ever since and like it, never wanted to go to work anyway. My second husband didn't force me to work so I stayed at home and looked after my son and he took him on as his stepson.
My Sister was like that @Logan always wanting a change for different reasons..She went from being a window dresser to a model for the buyers of C & A Modes, if you recall that chain of clothes stores..pretty reasonably priced(Cheap) and guaranteed to full apart after a few wears and washes. She changed jobs it seemed every few weeks, one was a really good job working within the cause for the Duke of Edinburgh Awards and also the Prince's Trust. Then she went to forward her career with her arts and crafts and became a Talented Artist. I think I was the Black Sheep of the Family though. I can talk about my other jobs another time.....
@DianneWoollie your sister found what she really wanted to do. I really wanted to be a singer but i didn't like the way that they died of drug abuse and alcoholism, but that's another thread maybe.
