• Article |
• Discussion |
• View source |
• History

This photograph of Derby Market Hall brought back fond memories for Jean Wacey, now living in Canada. For back in the summer of 1938, as a fresh-faced school-leaver, Jean's first paid job was working on a stall in the market. Here, writing from her home in Lantzville, British Colombia, she describes how it came about.

"My mother decided that while I was waiting and hoping to be called for the job I wanted, I should go out and earn a few shillings.

"With the Evening Telegraph in hand, I made the rounds of places advertising for help for clerks, shop assistants etc. One of them was for an assistant at a shop on Normanton Road that sold wool, knitting needles, patterns etc. To my surprise, I was chosen from about 25 applicants, many of them school-leavers but some older.

"I realise now that my trusty bike, with its front basket, had been noted as I was to work at a stall in the market hall and merchandise had to be picked up daily at the shop and transported to the stall to be displayed and sold.

"It was a 48-hour-a-week job for which I was paid 8s (40p), which was about standard at the time. Next to my stall was Theaker's Potted Meat run by a very kind lady who befriended me, covering for me if I went up to the balcony for our cups of tea. Occasionally, I covered for her.

"How I loved dishing out that lovely smelling potted meat! I seem to remember it being kept in a refrigerator - a rarity in those days.

"On the other side was a gentleman who spent all day bent over his work bench, repairing watches. I would go and chat to him when I felt lonely or bored.

"Poynton's newspaper stand was nearby with a cheerful array of colour. If I had no customers, I would go to read the headlines of the newspapers and buy a magazine, if I could afford it.

"When I left at 9pm on Saturday, there were crowds waiting to buy the left-over meat and produce that was sold off for about a shilling a bag. Quite a bargain.

"One day, I had a heavy load to transfer from the shop to the market hall via St James' Street and St Peter's Street, where a burly policeman was on duty, directing the mid-morning traffic.

"When the go-ahead was given for my line of traffic, I blithely rode towards St Peter's Street by what seemed to me the shortest distance between two points. Suddenly, there was an angry roar from the policeman which I realised was directed at me and saw that all the traffic had stopped.

"Looking down at me, he boomed: "Don't you know you never, ever ride in front of a policeman on point duty?" and directed me back to my starting point.

"When given the go-ahead, I wobbled behind him much abashed.

"About six weeks later, I was called to the job I wanted. As I had not given any notice, my boss docked my week's wages. "Since then, I have had about 12 jobs but will always have fond memories of the kind people in Derby Market Hall."

FEEDBACK

Did you enjoy this article? If so, why not comment on it? Perhaps you disagree with something in it, or you know something the writer doesn't and can add some extra facts. You may want to ask a question about this article. Making a contribution is easy - either click 'edit' to insert more information or 'discussion' and then 'add comment.' This is your site. Please feel free to use it to the full and share your memories, thoughts and knowledge about Derbyshire with others.

If there is no 'edit' link showing it means the article has either previously been published in the Derby Evening Telegraph, or it has been protected by the site administrator and cannot be edited.'

County:  Derbyshire

Return to You_and_Yesterday