James Smith And Co: I met my love by the factory door in 1963

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Twenty years ago, workers at the well-known clothing manufacturer, James Smith & Co (Derby), had a shock when they returned from celebrating Christmas to the news that the factory was closing. Kay Ratcliffe (nee Harrison), of Chaddesden, remembers it well – as she recalls here.

First date: Kay and Stuart outside Smith’s front entrance in 1963

MY late husband, Stuart Ratcliffe, was working at Smith’s when the factory closed in 1987. He had been there since 1963.

He continued for another two years with one unit that remained downstairs to finish off orders already received. I also worked at Smith’s with my twin sister, Hazel, from 1962. Mabel Mansfield was the forewoman at the time until she retired and May Daniels (nee Moore) took over from her.

We worked downstairs making trousers, while upstairs they made up jackets and coats. I worked on Gloria’s unit and Hazel worked on Audrey Johnson’s unit, which was later run by June Briggs. Stuart was a special measure cutter. Ray Pickering was his foreman.

Other names I remember were Chris Wilson, Ron Ebbins, Bill Greener, Alan Phisic and Wilf Sarson. Many of them became close friends of ours over the years. In fact, most of my family have worked at Smith’s at some time.

Stuart’s sister, Sylvia Ratcliffe, was there at the same time as Hazel and I in the early 60s. Our daughter, Jane, worked there from 1982-84 when she left to get married. Our daughter-in-law, Tracy Simpson, worked there from 1985-87 on Alice’s unit upstairs, making Army coats, leaving in 1988 after working another year on the one remaining unit downstairs.

I remember with much amusement the 15-minute break we had in the mornings when all the girls would be on starter’s orders for the dash to the canteen for cheese and potato balls or Cornish pasties.

It was a case of first come, first served. They were delicious. At lunchtime, we had a 35-minute break before returning to clock on again for another afternoon of sewing.

Later in the day, we could listen to music, which we used to look forward to. The cap in reception would very kindly play our own records which we would take in daily.

There again, it was a first come, first served thing as nearly everyone in the factory wanted their music played, especially us young ones.

Good friends I remember were Barbara Roberts, Gail Siddons, Avril ?, Christine Roome, Joyce Frost, Iris ?, sisters Yvonne and Ann and Linda Boot.

Hazel and I still see some of them from time to time.

If your machine broke down, the mechanics would be sent for to repair it while you sat and waited. Very often, by the time the repair was sorted out, you would have a backlog of garments to deal with before the next order came through. Usually, it would be Alf or Ken or Keith or Joe. We all had favourites, of course, being young.

It still sends a shiver up my spine when I remember girls sewing their fingers into a garment and having to wait for the mechanic to come and release them.

The farewell party was held at the Queen’s Hall. It was very strange to be saying goodbye to so many old friends, some of whom are sadly now no longer with us.

It was the end of an era for Derby people but I have some happy memories to look back on.

Although sewing was not my subject at school, Smith’s certainly gave me a lifelong skill that has stayed with me and Hazel to this day.

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