R Newbold: Fun and friendship as a factory girl

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Two articles in previous issues of YesterdayToday, one recalling a minor earthquake and the other the wedding of a Rams’ player, prompted reader Doreen Salt to share these wonderful memories of her many happy years spent working at Derby pyjama and shirt manufacturer R Newbold.

Doreen Salt’s manager, Dennis (left), admires his retirement gift with R Newbold boss Wilf Marriott (right) and his son, John

Christmas with supervisor, Emmie, who worked at R Newbold, in Derby, for 55 years

When Doreen Salt got married she also retired from her job at R Newbold. On her last day, her workmates escorted her home in a pram

Doreen Salt (seated, third left) on her hen night with fellow R Newbold employees

Ex-Newbold's employee Doreen Salt on the promenade at Mablethorpe, circa 1949, (from left): Doreen, Rennie Bratby and Doreen’s sister, Jean

IT’S amazing how often very small references to people or places in the pages of YesterdayToday provoke wonderful memories of years gone by among our readers.

And this was certainly the case for Doreen Salt, of Marehay, near Ripley, when the mention of a minor earthquake shaking Derby in 1957 was followed, a few pages later, by the reproduction of a front page from a Derby Evening Telegraph picture edition of 1967 featuring the wedding of Rams’ player Bobby Saxton and his sweetheart June Smedley.

It’s difficult to imagine what could link these two very different stories some 10 years apart.

But Doreen had the answer – the Derby pyjama and shirt manufacturer R Newbold and Co.

As she explained: “I remembered the earthquake of 1957 shaking Newbold’s where I worked. Then, a few pages later, there was the story of Derby County player Bobby Saxton and his bride June Smedley.

“It wasn’t just Derby County players who turned up at St Thomas’ Church in Pear Tree for the wedding. The employees of R Newbold were also there.

“We arrived with boxes of confetti to shower June with. June was employed at R Newbold, working on a machine called a double-stitcher. This machine had twin needles that joined shirts up the sides.”

In her letter, Doreen, went on to reminisce about her time at Newbold’s in Pear Tree Street, where her other two sisters, Mavis and Jean also worked.

“We were a friendly lot of girls. We could sing while turning out our work, tell jokes and were never short of a laugh.

“Our supervisor, Emmie, took some aggravation from us. We would play tricks on her. She was a good old softie really and always had an interesting story to tell.

“I remember our boss, Mr Marriott, decided to have the factory painted one year. We ended up with the toilet doors each a different colour; blue, red and yellow. The canteen door was maroon.

“My sister, Jean, persuaded the painters to paint her shoes. She ended up with one blue and one yellow.

“Mr Marriott even remarked on what she had on her feet. Our sweeping brushes and dustpans all had a coat of paint. With the firm being so close to the Baseball Ground, the exterior of the building was painted black and white.

“Supporters parked their cars up our drive on match days for a small fee.”

The firm had a strong social side as Doreen, whose maiden name was Bayley, recalled: “We would save a percentage of our wages for a night out together. On one occasion we went to a theatre in Nottingham. Eight of us occupied a box to see stars of the era including Guy Mitchel and Dickie Valentine.

“We also went on holiday together – eight of us in a private bungalow at Mablethorpe. One night the lights went out. Fumbling and falling about laughing, we ventured out to find help and came across a small shop. The shopkeeper supplied us with candles.

“On our return, we found two pensioners standing on the doorstep of their neighbouring house a little distressed by the power cut.

“We gave them some of our candles and as we left heard them remark that we were angels sent from heaven.”

As with many factories, Christmas was always an enjoyable time with workers often decking the workshops with trimmings.

“Christmas was a great time,” wrote Doreen. “It started with decorating the machine room. Mr Marriott brought in a tree which we decorated with fairy lights.

“He also gave us free time to have a party. Each of the girls brought in goodies. We had a bottle of wine and danced to a record player.

“One year, however, we had a distressing experience. Someone spilt port wine over half a dozen white shirts. A senior employee sneaked them out of the factory and put them in her washer.

“Returning them after the Christmas break, the shirts were pressed, folded, bagged then dispatched in boxes. We never told Mr Marriott about the mishap.”

Among many customers of R Newbold were police forces around the country.

“Many times our drive was occupied by police vehicles. Residents who lived around the factory must have thought we were misbehaving, much to our amusement.

“I also remember another incident involving the police. Mr Marriott arranged for a day’s outing to London. After sight-seeing and a visit to the theatre, we made the train journey home, arriving back at the Midland Station at about 4am.

“About six of us made our way home to Normanton, our feet so hot and sore that we discarded our shoes. Two policemen approached us wanting to know what six young girls were doing out at 4am, minus their shoes.

“After our explanation, they continued on their way, laughing, and so did we.”

Doreen recalled many mishaps at work including the occasion when they were asked to make up boys shirts with material which had cows printed on it.

When the material reached the machine ready for sewing up, the cows were standing on their heads as the cutters had laid the material out incorrectly.

The material had to be re-cut.

Doreen started work at R Newbold’s as a young girl in 1946. After three years’ training, she became an experienced machinist then a block leader.

This meant she was responsible for six girls making up parts of shirts.

She wrote: “Our supervisor, Emmie, retired after 55 years and that left a vacancy for a new supervisor. Mr Marriott gathered the girls into the canteen for a meeting, minus myself, then summoned me to his office.

“The girls had proposed me as the next supervisor. I worked alongside the manager, Dennis, until I got moved to a job training young girls to be machinists.

“I found this very rewarding. I became a first-aider which I found a little gruesome when girls came to me with big needles sticking into their fingers.”

Doreen finally met “Mr Right”, Martin Salt, and the couple decided to get married in 1976.

“The girls invited themselves to the wedding. I arranged a hen party at the Napoleon on Ascot Drive. On my last day at work, the girls arranged some rather unusual transport home – a pram.

“They decorated me and the pram. They insisted I wear a decorated hat which I discarded down a hole in the road.”

Doreen retired on getting married, after 30 years’ service. She attended the firm’s centenary celebrations at Derby’s Pennine Hotel in 1985.

“Mr Marriott had arranged a lovely meal and supplied a red rose for each of the ladies.

“Sadly, Mr Marriott, Emmie, Mrs Fisher (the secretary) and Dennis have all now passed away.

“I am now in my 74th year and still enjoying happy memories of a great firm, now sadly gone.”

Do you have memories of your working life, and the people you shared it with, which you would like to share with others? Why not click on the discussion link above.

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