Elaine Everest remembers her Saturday job at Woolworths - the first step on her way to being an adult - with fondness. Did you have a Saturday job?
Did you have a Saturday job?
Mention Woolworths and people often reply, 'Pick n Mix' but for me it is early mornings catching a train to my first job, and Saturdays spent dusting plastic buckets and toilet rolls.
I was a Saturday girl at a branch of Woolies in Dartford, Kent. Back in the late sixties, schoolgirls could not start work until they were fifteen years and three months of age.
I was thrilled to be recommended to apply for a Saturday job by our assistant head teacher and sailed though the interview with 100% in the arithmetic test. The reason for the test was that in 1969 Woolworths tills did not add up purchases. Instead staff had to use a notepad and pencil that were attached to the waistband of our overalls by a piece of string. Once customers had selected their purchases we would carefully add up the items and ask the customer for the money. When a note was proffered we would have to hold it high over our head and call out, 'ten shillings' or 'one pound' before counting the correct change into the customers hand. Goods purchased would be wrapped in brown paper bags and with a ready smile we'd thank the customer.
Our day was ruled by bells. The early shop openings; tea breaks; lunch hour; and end of the trading day would be heralded by bells. Staff religiously worked their day by the sound.
We were never allowed to be idle, so when customers were few and far between we had to use a feather duster and dust the products on the high mahogany counters. For me that meant dusting orange buckets and washing up bowls along with boxes of toilet paper – the kind children used as tracing paper. To this day I can smell that paper!
Our day was ruled by bells. The early shop openings; tea breaks; lunch hour; and end of the trading day would be heralded by bells. Staff religiously worked their day by the sound.
A special time for me was collecting my brown pay packet at the end of the day. I earned one pound and had thruppence (old money) deducted for my National Insurance stamp. This money replaced my pocket money. Coming from a working class family and wanting to not only 'stay on a year' at school but planning to head to college to study accounts, I had to help pay my way.
In the late sixties our fathers would tax allowance when children reached the age of sixteen and children were not allowed to be idle. It was expected that we worked on Saturdays and also in school holidays. 'Working the week' was quite an honour and would mean we were just over five pounds better off after working hard for five and a half days.
Oh what those few shilling could be spent on each week. I was encouraged to save but would also spend money on fabric and patterns to make the latest fashions and also put money by at a local boutique for a maxi coat. How I loved that long brown tweed coat and wore it proudly with a purple floppy brimmed hat and long hand-knitted scarf. I was certainly the 'bees knees' in my trendy gear!
For me, Woolworths meant a step into adulthood and being a grown up.
Elaine's new book, The Woolworths Girls, is published by Pan Macmillan and is available from Amazon.
By Elaine Everest
Twitter: @ElaineEverest
My first ever Saturday job was on a fruit and Vegetable stall. It was freezing. I was scared to death of the owner and all for the princely sum of £4.50! It was 1979, oh the good old days 
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