VSW001 Moira Morris, Anglo-Celtic Watch Co. (inc. Smith's Industries and Ingersoll aka 'Tick Tock'), Ystradgynlais;Car Factory, Cae'r Bont

Moira started in Tick Tock after leaving school at 15 (1963?). It was a very Welsh factory. She notes the training; singing at work; holding the eyeglass on her eye; targets; the strain on eyes when making women’s watches. She left to have the children (c. 1970) but returned to work on men’s pocket watches. Then she made clocks for cars at the Enfield factory. At Tick Tock – there was no dust and they wore rubber shoes. The men were on inspection and the apprentices were all male. She notes playing tricks on girls and boys who were getting married and on new girls; wearing rollers to go out Friday nights. It was the’ best school’. The Club organised trips, Xmas parties for the children and the Miss Tock Tock competition. They had to clean everything when the manager came around. She moved to the car clock factory at Cae’r Bont then (c. 1985) – it was dirtier work. She stayed there 28 years.

VSE003 Maureen Jones, Creeds, Treforest;Corona, Porth;Swiss Embroidery, Rhondda

Maureen left school at 15 (1955) and began working at Swiss Embroidery. Sack if spoke and only stayed a week. Moved to Welsh Hills Works Corona Pop Factory. Clogs because of the broken glass - their sound marked out Corona workers..Describes process and how some bottles exploded. Made syrup from sugar- pushing wheelbarrows. Hard work. Also made squash They had ‘unbelievable’ cuts. Singing. Taking pop bottle back for money. Finished there in 1959. Trough to wash bottles. Different flavours. Very cold in winter- cold bottles. Also delivering Smiths Crisps. Social life: YMCA; pictures and dancing. Clothes shops in Porth. Washing hands in caustic soda before factory dance in Bindles, Barry. Left because she couldn’t get leave for her sister’s wedding. Her sister got her a job at the Bellito stocking factory in St Alban’s. Returned to work in Creeds (c.1960-1963), Treforest estate, making capstans; terrible smell. She was in assembly. Rush for buses after work. Her husband worked there too. Very hot.

VSW004 Nanette Lloyd, John Patterson Tablecloth Factory (aka John Pattinson and Fairweather works), Ponthenri

After leaving school at 15 she became a waitress and worked in a shoe shop before starting in the factory c.1953, printing tablecloths. If you spoiled the work it came out of your pay. She mentions the unhealthy smell of the paint (dye); earning £20 a week; carrying heavy rolls affecting her periods. She had a nasty accident because she wasn’t wearing rubber wellingtons. No union. The Pont-henri factory was built for coalminers with silicosis but the paint fumes were too strong. She believes that the company’s workers in Birmingham earned more than them. The cloths were sent all over the world and the girls put messages in with the orders to get pen-friends. The workers smelled of thinners. They stole bleach to clean their nails She learned to dance in the cloakroom. She left when her mother died to keep house for her father and brothers. Some verbal harassment of young boys in the factory. Singing on a Friday. Taking a float to Pont-henri carnival. Drinks at Xmas.

VSE006 Sylvia Ann Reardon, AB Metals, Abercynon;Copygraph, Treforest

Sylvia decribes her mother working as a cleaner and taking in evacuees. She took a chapel house – slave labour. Her father was a Communist. Sylvia went to Clarke’s Commercial College, left at 18 (1966), worked for electricity board, on to Copygraph factory Treforest, but hated it and ‘mitched’. Then she went to the biggest employer locally AB Metals – into invoicing section – worked like a dog. Stayed there 1959-1966. Made to feel an important cog in wheel. Twenty AB buses, but had to pay. She made one huge mistake with export documents. They made tuners for TVs and other electronic equipment. Details of job. Some girls had to sign the Official Secrets Act Complicated processes. Vast customer base. 4000 women workers – redundancies. Helped a friend to get a job in the pit. Loyalty to people on your line or in your office. First day at work in overcrowded office and everyone smoking Woodbines. Wonderful place to work – gave her confidence and capability. Complained re. lack of. space but they took the ceiling down instead. No trade union for office staff but she organised secret membership. Men 75% higher wages than women. Union rep. Saving with National Savings. Story about giving fellow-workers dexadrine and amphetamines to help productivity. Later withdrawal symptoms! Segregated canteens – office / assembly. Big social scene: going clubbing; sketches. Unmarried mother taken under their wing. She didn’t mix with the factory floor girls. Factory freed women up. Miss AB. Fabulous Xmas do in Cardiff. Left first time when husband to Huddersfield. Left second time because no pension – into local government.

VSE009 Sheila Hughes, British Nylon Spinners, Pontypool

Sheila left grammar school at 16 (1953) and started in British Nylon Spinners (Courtaulds) – 4000-5000 working there. New factory (1947-) and developing. She began in physical test lab. Very noisy – lip reading. Describes processes. In PTL she went round factory with ‘Albert’ machine to check humidity and temperature. Also knitting panels to test dyes. Testing how much twist, and breaking strength of nylon. Looking for slubs. So a control centre to check machines working properly. The factory produced the raw material not finished products in nylon.. Didn’t like women working night shift. Called the men in the lab ‘the girls’! Constant flow of buses. Trained by osmosis. Gradually worked herself up to section head. Worked in textile development dept. – testing garments to destruction – bri-nylon. Lab assistants sent to Doncaster factory – helicopter crashed. Exhibition to promote factory. Perks – two pairs of stockings a year. Danger – one girl caught her hair in a machine. Allowed 10 minutes in toilets to smarten yourself up. Grades of canteens. She was staff. One long social life: clubhouse with huge ballroom, rifle range, judo, concerts with big bands and films, parties. The Queen visited. Never bored – singing. She left when pregnant – 1967. ICI had taken over – not the same. Later became market researcher – 23 years. She was in a training film made in 1960s. Company newsletter – The Signpost.

VSW009 Helena Gregson, Slimma-Dewhirst, Lampeter

Helena left school at 15 in 1970. She used to sew for the family. She went straight to Slimma's and stayed 32 years (2002). She had a machine test. She earned £10 a week. She remembers the noise of the machines, piece-work, targets and tickets, the clothes went to M&S. It was a ‘good school’- she was flexible as a floater. There was a Social Club there. She left to have her first child (1982) and returned part time. She went to London to train as supervisor. She became a shop steward. Some girls wore rollers to work. Accidents with the needles. One girl's hair went into the machine. Guessing the names of songs on the radio - Golden Oldies. At Xmas there was turkey and champagne as bonus. They had seconds. Some of the women played football and they had a Slimma Queen. She set up her own sewing business after leaving. The factory moved to Morocco. There was great sadness at this.

VSE010 Brenda Mary Farr, Thorn Electronics, Hereford;Dressing Gown factory, Blaenavon;HG Stone Toy Factory, Pontypool

Mary left school at 15 (1956) – didn’t want to work in factory – wanted work in an office. But she found herself in HG Stone factory making soft toys - teddies and pandas etc– she worked on the line as a machinist. Piecework. Very big, noisy and dusty. Stuffed with straw or flock. Time and motion pricing time on each toy. Worker’s Playtime on the radio. Finished there in 1964. The women producing teddy bears got more than the others – specialist job. Wasn’t promoted because she talked too much. Also made dolls – plastic bodies and stitching on hair. Also dogs on wheels. Needles through fingers. Men’s work – on plastic and machines. Xmas dances with band. After 8 years in HG Stone spent 6 weeks in dressing gown factory in Blaenafon – couldn’t bear the smell of candlewick. When married she moved to Herefordshire – worked in Thorn Electrics making street lights. Lots of families in HG Stone (later Chad Valley) factory.

VSE012 Margaret Chislett, The Bag factory, Llwynypia;Polikoff's, Treorchy

Margaret left school at 15 (1937) and worked for a year as a nanny in London before joining Polikoff’s in 1938. There she completed an order for Lady Churchill – overcoats for her Russian fund. Very heavy – wore them to their ankles. Also made uniform for Montgomery’s army in N Africa. She contributed 2d to the Red Cross and 2d to Lady Churchill’s fund out of her wages. Could fill in any job on the line. Hemming the Russian order. 2,500 workers when at its peak. ENSA entertained them. Stayed 9½ years. Her mother bought silk parachute from Tonpentre Co-op to make petticoats and knickers. Union meetings – against Sunday work. Wore bib and braces and slacks for first time. Needle in finger. Radio playing Vera Lynn songs. Friday afternoon cleaned own machines, took pride in them. Factory built for Eastenders because of war. Left when pregnant. Frowned upon for women to work Sundays. Different lines organised social dos. Paid holidays from 1948 onwards. Had to contribute towards Bank Holiday pay. After the war they made de-mob suits. Left 1949. Enjoyed there because she met different kinds of women – chapel going – Bethany Gelli with its drama group, hockey club, very pub going – dancing etc. Later she went to the bag factory in Llwynypia – making bags etc for M&S- again sewing with machine. Then shut down after c. 2 years.

VN013 Gwlithyn Rowlands, Laura Ashley, Carno;Laura Ashley, Newtown

When Laura Ashley opened in Carno, Gwlithyn went there to work in the office, doing the wages. This was 1964. She left to have a baby in 1966 and then did outwork for the company until her son went to school, at which time she went back into the factory as a machinist, working 9am-3pm. Laura Ashley was adamant that the mothers were able to take their children to school and collect them again. Gwlithyn learned how to do clothes like dresses, skirts and blouses in the factory and had taught herself to do ovengloves and tea towels doing outwork. She describes her years at Laura Ashley as the happiest ones. Many members of her immediate family worked there and her brother Meirion went from the factory floor to company director. Gwlithyn worked as a machinist at Laura Ashley until she was made redundant in 1990, when the factory changed to making curtains. By this time, she was a supervisor. She got a call from the factory asking her to come back, which she did, firstly at Carno then later at Newtown and retired in 2011.

VSE015 Luana Dee, Sobells, Aberdare;TBS South Wales Ltd, Merthyr;NATO clothing factory, Rhymney;Guest Keen and Nettlefold (GKN), Merthyr;Thorns, Merthyr;Berlei Bras, Dowlais;Lines (Triang), Merthyr

Luana talks about her colourful family background and returning from abroad to MT. She left school at 15 (1967) and shortly afterwards began working in Berlei Bras as a machinist (2 years). Mixture of shy and assertive girls there. Brilliant German Pfaff machines. Fashion parades with employees modelling – lingerie. Piecework – paid per bra. Seconds thrown in bins and had to repair – not earning then. Eyesight good and she was fast so put on black bras. More difficult and so loosing money. But she was moved to stop her making trouble. Threatened because she stirred things up. Had to ask to go to toilet and supervisor knocking door. Watching them all the time. Sacked – quality of work? Or too forthright? Straight into another job. In BB’s - fashion parade on factory floor itself - Miss Berlei Bra competition? Describes factory. Sexual innuendo common. Xmas dance and trips. Next – Triang Toys sewing heavy duty upholstery (stayed 1 year). Some toy-making. Having fun with the factory boys in Cyfarthfa Park on Fridays afternoons. Some men brought in pornographic photographs – eye opener. Went to Thorn’s making filaments for light bulbs. Describes process. Japanese took over, it became stressful so she stayed less than a year. Moved to make industrial clothing for NATO – heavy duty sewing, more humanity here. In the TSB they made filing cabinets and she connected with the other workers. She was in the office now. In Sobell’s for a few weeks only - very large, industrial and alienating.

VN021 Carol Morris, Ferodo, Caernarfon

After leaving school, Carol worked first in the corset factory then moved to Ferodo after a year because the pay was much better. In Ferodo, she was painting the company name and numbers on the break linings and stair treads. Ferodo was very big, with different sections and paths to walk round each of them. Workers couldn't go into some places unless they wore special clothing as it was dangerous. There were huge toilets for the men and women, not like the old fashioned Edwardian ones in the corset factory, and the workers had their own lockers, which was something very modern in the period. There were showers there too and on a Friday, the girls would bring in their going out clothes and wash their hair there and go out straight from work. There was a first aid room and a big canteen, the workers used to go for lunch and breaks in two sittings. It was a very friendly atmosphere, like a family. Carol enjoyed the work but left after a quarrel with the personnel manager when this man said something derogatory about her mother. She went to Ferranti to work but left soon after to get married and, later, returned to factory work in Laura Ashley in the 1980s.

VN022 Megan Owen, James Kaylor Compacts, Caernarfon

Megan worked for twenty years in the compact factory, starting at age 15. She hadn't left school properly when she started, but a friend who'd passed a scholarship to go to grammar school didn't want to go and this friend told Megan they were looking for people in the compact factory. So the two went down, got a job, and Megan had a row off her mother afterwards. She said on the first day they went in like schoolgirls, with little white socks and pony tails, giggling and not knowing what to do. The younger girls were put together in a room and taught how to put the little round piece that held the powder into the compacts and then the satin around it. Later she was moved onto to do other jobs, like printing, putting the designs onto the compacts with paint. Megan left for 12 years to raise her daughter, and then returned to the factory and stayed until it closed , c 1984.

VSW025 Beryl Evans, Ina Bearings, Bynea

Beryl left school at 14, and worked in the Felin-foel brewery, 1941-8, before getting married. Her husband didn’t like women working in factories. Then she lost her husband and she had to go to work in INA Bearings to maintain the family. She was on inspection there. She talks about the factory nurse, the noise of the machines, clocking in, the children’s Christmas parties, getting a clock for long service and trips. She left the factory in 1982.

VN028 Vicky Perfect, Courtaulds, Flint

Vicky worked in Courtaulds from the age of 15, for 11 years. She would have liked to have stayed on at school and gone to college but her mother expected her to go out and work. She'd already been working in a cafe in Rhyl from the age of 13. She began factory work in Mayfair, which made duffle coats and was located on the top floor of Courtaulds but independent of it. It closed and was taken over by Courtaulds and the small workforce came too. Vicky was initally on the 'coning' and was later a union rep. She moved onto the staff at the age of 20, to the work study department. She can't remember what she earned when she was on the factory floor but in the work study department her wages were £23, in cash, and she gave the packet unopened to her mother, who would keep the £20 and give her £3, out of which she had to buy all her own clothes from her mother's catalogue. She still worked in the café at the weekends and bank holidays and the two week factory shutdown and she had to give this wage to her mother too, unopened. She liked working on the staff and did this job until she left to have her children in 1976.

VSE031 Maureen Howard Boiarde, Polikoff's, Treorchy;Sobell's TV and Radio, Rhigos'

Maureen left school at 15 (1962) and started at Polikoff’s. Story about her mother on her first day – she would be out of the house if she lost the job. Noise - gigantic irons and presses. It was magical. Men’s section seemed drab. Precise cutting of c. 2 feet of cloth at the same time. Sexism – women doing the monotonous work. She became a floater- higher wages but couldn’t earn bonuses. Cost of scissors taken out of wages. Handing over whole wage, just board and lodging. Finished in Polikoff’s on hand sewing. Overtime. Men earned more – always. Lot of sexual bantering – men pinched bottoms but women paid them back. ‘Bull week’ – Xmas and before annual holiday –earning extra bonuses. Could make a dress for 30p. Needle through finger many times – rite of passage. Kept pad near machine to mop up. Did sew army clothes too. Engraved name on factory scissors. Listen to radio three times a week. Had to leave to go to London with mother – c.1963. Returned soon to Sobell’s – worked here for 1 year. Aberdare people were strangers to them. Workers in Polikoff organised lots of social events. Women’s football team played EMI. Factory taught her independence and gave her stamina.

VSE034 Shirley Smith, Burlington, Caerphilly;Burry Son & Company Ltd, Treforest

Shirley studied in a commercial college before leaving at 17. She worked in a shop before joining Burry’s in 1957 (until 1982) – a textile factory – she was a shorthand typist in the office. They had an ancient machine to calculate the men’s wages. She discusses her wages, and the one woman supervisor’s wages – equal to the men’s. It was very noisy on the factory floor and the workers were on their feet all day. Poor conditions in the office; very hot in the factory all year. She names the factories open on the Treforest Esate at this time. Her boss died suddenly and the factory was taken over by Burlington Gloves. She was made redundant in 1989.

VSW034 Averil Berrell, ICI, Waunarlwydd;Lightening Zips (Fasteners), Waunarlwydd

When she was 14 Averill went to a commercial school but because her mother wasn’t supportive she decided to leave and work in Lightning Zip Fasteners as an office clerk, 1954 -. She could attend a technical college every week. It was an excellent, clean factory and no-one wanted to leave. She describes how the young lads were teased, and that some of the women were fit and used strong language. She notes the social club and the games’ facilities. She gave her mother her pay packet and she had nothing. The company gave shares to its workers. She left in 1967 to have a baby. She mentions some sexual harassment and pilfering of zips.

VN036 Anita Roberts, Capacitor factory and other factories, Wrexham

Anita went into a factory at 15 but she didn't like it and only stayed a week. Her mother Nesta worked at the same factory but Anita said it was just too fast and she couldn't keep up. After a job in an exotic pet shop, which she really liked, she returned to a different factory which she found much better, one that made capacitors, and she got really good at her job. She left after a few years and worked in other factories, making curtains and ceramics, before eventually going into care work, which she said was much harder than any factory job. Anita thinks her health suffered after working in the ceramics factory, where she used to clean, because of the thick dust that they breathed in and there was no proper protective masks.

VN040 Margaret Humphreys, Laura Ashley, Newtown;Laura Ashley, Carno

Margaret is from Betws y Coed originally and had kept a B&B there before moving to Carno. Her husband was from Carno originally and knew Meirion Rowlands, managing director at Laura Ashley, and he asked if there was a job there for her. Margaret said it was hard going into the factory, and it took her a while to get used to it. Everyone knew each other and she was a new girl. Every house in Carno had someone working there, sometimes whole families, husband, wife and children, if they'd grown up. She had two children and worked part time hours, 9-3. Her first job was on the overlocker, although she hadn't a clue how to use it. They gave her training and she says it took her six weeks to learn it, but in six weeks you knew quite a lot. Later she became a supervisor when the factory moved to Newtown and changed to soft furnishings. She retired at 60 but went back for a couple of years, not on the machines, but doing other things like customer service until she retired in 1999.

VSE040 Isabel Thomas, Mansel Tinplate Works, Aberafan;Wern Aluminium works, Aberafan;Metal Box, Neath

Isabel left school at 14 (1942) and went to work in Mansel Tinplate (she was an orphan). Her sister was working there and told the manager Isabel was 16. She learned various tasks: on sheers, guillotine. She cheated her age again to go to the Wern. She describes cutting the tin plate and women also worked the roller there. It went into water and had to be straightened again. Dungarees with patches. Cut fingers. One women killed in the aluminium works. Isabel was overworked. Shift work in the Wern. One boy was killed in the Mansel too – the sheets fell on him. In the Wern the aluminium was coming out of the salt bath hot. They wore thick gloves. Union member. Learning to swear. Story about giving the foreman a laxative. Describes her work in the Wern. Scraping aluminium – half hour on half off - in restroom. Her sister made a rag mat – from someone’s coat! Singing with the piano in the canteen in Wern. Men home from war to the women’s jobs and having much better pay. Dances and music. Not allowed to go to Margam during the war because there were Americans there. Notes racism. She stayed in the Wern 5 years but they cut her wage and she moved to the canteen. She was in the Mansel for 2 years. She worked then in Metal Box for three months c. 1952. She made lids for tomato tins – cushy job.

VSE043 Anita Rebecca Jeffery, Christie-Tyler, Bridgend;Polikoffs, Treorchy

Anita describes living in a pre-fab, leaving school at 15 (1954) and starting as a machinist in Polikoff’s. Army and other clothes and bedding. First job – making men’s trouser flies. Stigma with factory work. Piecework and reaching targets. Promotion to larger Pfaff machine. Music, singing and waving. Custom when getting married – backcombing hair, sugar soap and chalk and in a truck to men’s dept. Smell of rats – All out. Plague of cockroaches. Acceptance of gay worker. Perks – cheaper suits and bedding. Pilfering – stealing suits! In Christie-Tyler she was a member of National Union of Furniture Trade Operatives. Polikoff’s – dispute re. time and motion. She became union rep. standing up for women. Them and us. Promoting women who were assertive to be on management’s side. Cotton spool rollers and a scarf. Serious accident with a presser and needle through fingers. Effect long term on her legs and eyesight. She left when pregnant – 1961. Started having paid holidays in late 1950s. Dances in Polikoff’s canteen with live bands and no alcohol. Miss Polikoff – she won c.1957. She returned to factory work in 1969/70 as a machinist making upholstery. Factory moved from Bridgend to Talbot Green. Stayed there 12 years. Piecework and some greedy workers. Story about engagement ring – honesty. Pride: ‘I was a manufacturer’. Prank and all machines blowing. Putting addresses in RAF uniform jacket pockets.

VSW046 Mair Matthewson, Metal Box, Neath

Mair left school at 14 and during the war she worked in a butchers. She started in Metal Box in 1946 making open tops. They were expected to make 750 tops a minute. Then new machines were brought in. She describes the departments in the factory, the special gloves they wore and the accidents. She notes that the girls were stopped from working on some machines and from working night shift. They had to lip-read because of all the noise. She became shop steward. There were two strikes there. She remembers celebrating Christmas and the social clubs. She was a member of the jazz band. She received a gold watch after 25 years’ service.

VSE051 Jill Williams, Lewis & Tylor Ltd, Gripoly Mills

Jill left school at 16 (1968) and started in Lewis and Tylor. She found the noise unbelievable (electrical and manual looms) and cried at the thought of working there. She stayed there 10+ years. She also did home work repairing belts. She describes and explains the skilled work in great detail. Calluses on her hands – no gloves. It was like rowing. Caring – wedding gifts etc. One group made rubberised belts on smaller looms. The men made pipes and hoses for aeroplanes. After having the children she worked part-time there. The story about the foreman and his dog. Piecework and doing quota of belts. Some rushing and poor quality of belts. Describes bouncing up and down when weaving. Some dangers – tripping, weights falling, Helping one another. They all liked one particular loom – made better quality belts. She wanted to keep her own wires – during the holidays the foreman would wrap them up for her. Different patterns – plain, purl, herringbone etc. She took a record player into work. Her clocking-in number was 60. Trips and great fun. Later there were many Indian (Kenya) workers – TB a problem and the factory was closed for a time. Story of one arranged marriage. She worked as a dinner lady too – story of the bag of money. Her mother and father’s work. She shows the measure and the needles she had. Effect on hearing. Further details of technique.

VSE054 Doreen Lillian Maggie Bridges (nee Moses), Valeo, Ystrad Mynach;Golmets, Pontllan-ffraith;Switchgear, Pontllan-ffraith;Cora Crafts, Pengam

Doreen left school at 15+ (1957) and started in the stores in the Cora Crafts Factory, which made jewellery. Men came in to collect the stones. She helped with weighing the gold powder for the gold-plating too. With the orders she was using her brains. Her father was very strict re. going out – no lipstick. Her friends went monkey-parading. She only stayed 6 months. Doreen moved to Switchgear – quite a big factory, drilling, countersinking (making a ridge for screws) and de-burring (taking flashing off what was being drilled). The factory made switches. Mother and pay packet. Union supported her re. lifting heavy loads. Taken off job. Radio and singing to themselves. Noise affected her hearing. Men had been trained and got higher wages – unfair. By the time of the Equal Pay Act (1970) she was working in Valeo's. But they did not have equal pay. She stayed 1 year in Switchgear, and went to Golmets. Left to have first child 1965. Golmets made ironing boards and kitchen stools. She spent a time cutting white asbestos – no masks. She ‘could see it in the air’. She went to Valeo’s in 1977. She became a union rep. with the GMB – a fight against using a special dip which caused cancer. Valeo’s made armatures for windscreen washes. She also had to negotiate pay rises. Advised women to pay the full stamp. Women were ‘being done down’. Xmas carnival with Switchgear lorry – choir on float. Doreen retired in 1995.

VSE079 Madeline Sedgwick, Slumberland, Cardiff;Spillers and Bakers, Cardiff;Lionites Spectacles Cases, Cardiff;Currans, Cardiff

Madeline left school at 14 (1943). She talks of sheltering under Cardiff castle during air raids and the dangers. She worked as a hairdresser and then she started in Curran’s in 1948. They had a reputation for being racist. She talks of her experience with Littlewood’s. She worked in enamelling, making chamber pots (their handles) and mugs. She talks of different areas of Cardiff. She bought clothes and fish scrumps and went to dances with her own money. She only stayed there three months and she went to Spillers, on the flour and dog biscuits. They got a big machines and changed to working shifts. Rats. Small factory. Unloading grain from the ships downstairs. They wore turbans. She liked the sewing machine. Singing and talking. She left because of the shift work and moved to Slumberland – it was dusty there. She describes a visit to London. She describes her work and says that the company’s Paisley (Birmingham) workers were paid more than their Welsh ones. In winter her fingers would bleed from the fibres and the cold. She hit her leg and left. Then on to Fletcher’s but in the office – dressed smartly, answered the telephone and invoiced. She tells the story of challenging the boss of Slumberland about working until 6 on Fridays.