James Smith and Co: A 50-year journey from machinist to forewoman at clothing factory century

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Niecy Mousley worked for clothing manufacturer James Smith and Co for half a century. Her long service was rewarded when she was kept on after most of the staff lost their jobs when the Drewry Lane factory closed in 1987. She continued to work for owners, Vantona, for another six years. Pat Parkin talked to her about her long and successful career.

Redundant: Some of the workers who collected their last pay packets on April 3, 1987, when the uniform and clothes factory, James Smith and Co, employing 300 workers, closed its doors

Niecy and her husband, Walter, on their wedding day at St John’s Church, Smalley, in September 1951

AFTER 50 years of service with clothing manufacturer James Smith and Co, Niecy Mousley (nee Attenborough) was delighted when a few of her pals suggested they go out for a meal to celebrate her golden anniversary with the company.

She had been on the payroll since 1942 when, at 14, she was a humble trainee machinist earning £1 4s 11d (£1.24) a week, and had risen to become a fully trained operator, supervisor and, finally, forewoman with widespread responsibilities.

She made countless friends among the thousands of women employees who worked there over the years and still receives birthday and Christmas cards from many.

In 1992, when she was 64 and working for a Smith’s subsidiary company after the main factory had closed down, she decided to retire and was invited for what she thought was going to be a quiet meal with nine colleagues.

“Imagine my surprise when the doors of the Central Hall opened and there was a sea of faces of about 200 people, some of whom I hadn’t seen for ages, all waiting for me. I nearly fell down. They were all there as guests of the company to wish me goodbye.

“I really couldn’t believe it. It was a fantastic night and I still have many of the numerous gifts I was given,” she said.

Niecy (real name Berenice) lived at Smalley and started work at Smith’s after leaving Scargill Central School at West Hallam 65 years ago. It meant a daily round journey of more than 12 miles on the buses for an 8am start at Uttoxeter Road before returning home after work finished at 6pm.

During the war, the staff worked until seven in the evening and on Saturday mornings too.

“It was sometimes a 50-hour week but we never felt deprived and had lots of fun and made many friends. Even today, I have a cabinet filled with gifts I have received from many of my workmates over the years,” she said.

After work the girls made their own fun, going roller-skating to Reginald Street rink and often visiting the numerous cinemas in Derby.

“But I never saw the end of any film because I had to catch the last bus home at 9pm in the evening. The girls used to tell me what happened next day but eventually I stopped going altogether,” she said.

As she rose up the promotion ladder in the company – she was a machinist for nine years and a supervisor for 27 years before becoming a forewoman – she found the added responsibility was hard work, but rewarding.

“I enjoyed every minute of it,” she said.

There was little spare money for holidays and Niecy only took one break in those early days, accompanying her sick aunt to Devon as a teenager.

How things have changed. She and her husband, Walter Mousley, whom she married in 1951, love to travel. They have recently returned from six weeks in Tenerife, where they meet up with a group of people every year, and are returning for a further five weeks shortly.

They are going to Austria this spring and the autumn, have toured all over Europe and America, and recall one memorable trip when they went to the south.

“I am a very keen country and western fan so one of the highlights of my travelling life was when we retired and went to Memphis and Nashville and took a paddle boat up the Mississippi.

“That really was wonderful. We have no family of our own but many, many friends,” she said.

Niecy feels she has had a fortunate life.

“I look back on the Smith’s days as being wonderful. There was so much camaraderie. People shared things, no matter how hard up they were. I suppose a lot of people of our age talk like that but it was a special time and it is nice that we still keep in touch with many of them. Unfortunately, some have now passed on,” she said.

Niecy clearly recalls the day James Smith’s factory closed and some 300 people lost their jobs, though she was fortunate not to be one of them.

“It was a terrible day, people were so upset; no-one could believe it because we had always been so busy. I came back from holiday that morning to hear the news.

“I was sent for and told there was good news and bad news. The factory was closing down but I was going to be retained. It was good news for me but not for most of the others.”

She and her friend, Eileen Dixon, were kept on by Vantona, the owners of Smith’s to help with their new venture into career apparel.

“We were doing samples. We did work on clothing for banks, Lonsdale Travel, Cosmos, the Emerates airline, bullet-proof vests for soldiers, the post office in Switzerland and Kuwaiti guards.

“It was very varied and interesting. I stayed on for six years after it closed down and then went up to the Ascot Drive premises for a short while.”

Now, both retired, Niecy and Walter have memories in common for he, too, worked in clothing manufacturing but for Morley’s at Heanor.

One of the advantages of being a pensioner, she says, is being able to travel free on the buses at certain times of the day, but she enjoyed a similar luxury when she first retired, courtesy of Trent Buses.

“I was most fortunate because the old factory was next door to the Trent Buses offices, so many of their staff got to know me.

“At closing time, instead of having to walk all the way to the bus station to catch my bus home, they used to give me a lift on their staff bus most evenings.

“A lot of their staff came to my farewell party and they gave me a free pass so I could travel anywhere without paying. It ran out after three months but I still have it.”

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