VSW021 Maureen Jones, ROF Pembrey, Carmarthenshire

Maureen left grammar school at 15½ (c. 1948) and started work as a learner tracer in ROPF Pen-bre, in an office full of men. (1950-54). Her job was to trace over the men’s drawings in ink. There was Social Club there and she played badminton for the factory. She learned to smoke from the girls there. There were apprentices in the office and she learned to dance with them. There weren’t any opportunities for girls to be apprentices. Then she worked in the office at Cynheidre, had a child and went to Thyssen’s (1973-93) making drawings as well as tracing them Some of the men had dangerous jobs in Pembrey – there were strict rules about matches and cigarettes. The men in the office talked about rugby a lot.