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Former comptometer operator at Derby Loco Works Audrey Smith sent in this excellent photograph of her office staff, taken in the early 1950s.

“It was an office of 20-30 females who worked under the watchful eye of a certain Miss Donoghue, who could certainly keep control, unlike her second-in-command, Miss Stinson, who was quite the opposite,” writes Audrey, of Kilburn, who was called Kirkman at the time.

“I think the picture was taken at the Commodore in Nottingham, where we had our annual dinner, usually in February.

“Fortunately, I wrote the names of everyone on the reverse of the photograph, although obviously, most of us were single at the time so our names will have changed.

On the back row, from the left, are Betty Shardlow (nee Mansfield), Marjory Moore, Sylvia Brown, Beryl Mawbey, Edith Allen, June Jennison, Mary Hamp, Barbara Handley, Winnie Rutland, Joan Massey, Beth McDowall, Betty Batchelder, Brenda Poyser, myself Audrey Kirkman, Anne Tomlinson, Molly Green, June Gain and Margaret Statham. At the front, from the left, are Jean Alfrey, Brenda James, Joan Simcock and Barbara Lunn.

Comptometers were calculating machines – precursors of today’s calculators.

Did you work in the Loco comptometer office? Do you remember Miss Donoghue or any of the girls in the photograph? Why not add your memories below by going to the Edit link at the top of the page.

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