how did you spend your teenage years

1963 left school got a job at C&A Marble Arch my wages were £4.10sh after work Saturdays and at lunch times my friend and I would run up Oxford St to the HMV record shop and listen to the latest records in the little booths, then on the way back we would try all the posh perfumes in Selfridges god knows what we smelled like after trying on loads we couldn’t afford most of them.

At boarding school until 18. I then went to university, where I made up for lost time.

From 14 to 16 I worked in the village shop on Saturdays and a few days during school holidays.
I spent the money on records, which I bought from an independent record shop in Eton, and the rest going to gigs.
A habit which has lasted a lifetime.

Started work pretty young - ie part-time jobs whilst still at school. Think one of my first must have been being a "Saturday girl" in Woolworths. I still wish I'd not bumped into someone I know whilst I was walking to Woolworths with the intention of asking if they had a position for me - as she promptly decided to copy me and we were both asking and she got given the cosmetic counter and I was given the crockery counter. Maybe I'd have been given the cosmetic counter - and just been selling things like a tube of mascara to someone....but the crockery counter meant people were doing things like buying a whole set of crockery sometimes and my maths needed to be up to that and it wasnt. I got sacked after 6 weeks.

Also had working in a friends parents hotel briefly (I do remember noting the boys got paid more per hour than us girls and I knew that was wrong even at that age. Also when we all stopped for a breakfast break her mother made it plain that free breakfast was really only for the boys!). Also worked in my parents friends bed and breakfast briefly. Babysitting also featured when I was an older teenager.

Thinks - I guess that makes it inaccurate that I refer to my worklife as having been 41.5 years long (ie 18.5 to 60). Would have been more like 43/44 years long...

My first job was aged 16 as a Christmas season Saturday girl in Woolies. I think I got about a pound for the day. Saved up and bought myself a brown velvet jacket. Whenever I hear the Wings songs Band on the Run or Jet, it takes me straight back! I was on the sweetie counter and the record counter was next door, where the girl was a huge fan of the latest Wings LP!

From the of 13 (1954) I worked Saturdays (and school holidays) in a local glass and china shop (Saturday wage 15s), also Sunday mornings in newsagents opposite to where I lived - just for a couple of hours, but got paid 10s. Between those and school (GCE's around my 15th birthday) had little spare time.
At 15 (1956) I left school, started to work as an apprentice hairdresser locally, 5 1/2 days a week for princely pay of £2. Half went to my Mum for my keep (a real bargain).

I hated it and 18 months later broke that apprenticeship and got a job in an office £4.10s wages. I felt really rich!!!

By this time I had 'discovered' YCND and got very involved with that and other political groups. Wonderful times, wonderful comrades. So few of us left now - all in our eighties.

So, every weekend was spent with that great group,, we marched from Aldermaston (and Weathersfield one year), we went on demos against apartheid, etc.etc. We sat down for hours in Trafalgar Square supporting the Committee of 100'. We were very active in all elections in our area (Hackney).

I married a comrade in 1964 (by this time I was a Secretary and receiving £15 a week in wages), and we moved to Walthamstow, where we joined their local YS/YCND and continued our activities with some new comrades. Our activities did have to start to calm down when we started our family in 1969.

Still look back on those days as some of the very best in my life.

I was a very shy introverted girl, not at all interested in boys or fashion. My school career was a disaster and I spent my time reading, writing poetry and roaming the countryside with my dog.
I know now that I’m autistic but of course back then I was just weird.

My first job was to fill in for my big sister at a local supermarket. She worked there in her holidays from college but took a week off, so I was her stand in.

I hated every single minute because eveyone constantly compared me to my 'perfect' big sister. I will never look down on shop work again- the work was boring, mostly stacking shelves and stamping prices on tins over and over. The staff were all crazy- lots of crying and drama in the back rooms going on.

It was a great introduction though because I learned that even though I hated it I got a pay-packet at the end of the week with a whole £8 in it! It seemed like a fortune. I would have been 15.

I babysat for a friend of my parents who introduced me to her friend who played violin in a well respected classical orchestra. She, in turn, introduced me to her next door neighbour who was an author.

I, therefore, earned quite a bit of money for doing my homework or watching the tv in someone else's house.

I bought mini skirts, kneehigh boots and makeup. I spent a lot of time trying to make my flat and fine hair look 'with it'.

And, i went ten pin bowling, drank babycham or gin and orange.

I spent a lot of time going to brilliant local concerts with loads of Liverpool bands on the programme.

Having fun!!

Thinking back re the way I had several part-time jobs in a row in my latter days in school - and thinking "I don't recall any boys being assistants in Woolworths. I don't remember any boys doing any part-time jobs basically - other than being a "newspaper person" (always called "newspaper boy" then - and that fact has just struck me too...why wasnt it "newspaper person"?).

When I worked in that hotel of my friends parents and did realise I was being paid less than the boys and that that was wrong - I was washing-up and doing general housework (and getting health problems with my hands from doing it) and they were being waiters and not getting any health problems from doing that.

What jobs were boys doing - or werent they (apart from those newspaper deliveries)? Again - my memory doesn't tell me - but I don't think my younger brother ever did any part-time jobs (though he would have left school at 16 - rather than my 18 years old that I left at).

I used to babysit too, kittylester, usually for lecturers at college in my later teenage years. Yes, you could get on with homework unless they woke up, in which case I'd bring them downstairs to play 😲
I spent a summer looking after a couple of children in a lovely holiday resort. Would I have trusted a 16 year old with my children? I'm not sure!

In my younger teens - youth club, playing tennis, cycling off to various places, then later on cycling trips with friends staying at Youth Hostels.

Seeing The Beatles, The Hollies etc in concert.

(always called "newspaper boy" then - and that fact has just struck me too...why wasnt it "newspaper person"?)

My DD and her friend were newspaper girls 🙂

Actually - they were known as Paper Boys and Paper Girls here!

OK, I admit it, I am a man. A very old man! I left school at 15 and my first job was in an office. Thirty-seven shillings and sixpence, "less stamp" a week. Mum took the thirty shillings I think. I stuck it for a few weeks then applied for, and got, a job in local government, in the housing dept. I believe I got the job because at the interview, with about thirty people seated in a horseshoe shape with me in the empty centre, when asked why I wanted to leave the job I had I replied "Because they are so inefficient!" and they all burst out laughing. The new job was about £3 a week I think, a vast improvement. Mum took £2 of it.

A very old man

😁 I'm old but you must be even older!
My first job was in Local Government too - £365 per annum, £7 per week! I'm just wondering if I got £366 in a Leap Year 🤔

My first job was in a bank at £365 pa. That was 1965. I didn't get any more in leap years.

I clock in at 88 years of age these days. The local govt. job was in 1953.

I worked all possible hours at the library, mostly unpaid but I loved it. When I was old enough to be paid it was £1 a day. If I hadn't got pregnant I would have gone to library college.

Man plans and gods laugh

Doing homework mainly, then started nursing at 18. Listening to the radio, what music!!

Left school in 1960 with 9 O levels. Not much art at school so went to art school at just 15 years old. Best education I ever had .

My first job was in a local hotel. My friend and I went in to ask for jobs. I was a waitress and she cleaned dishes. She didn't last! I worked there at weekends for two years and they were happy years. I can't remember wages but I was able to save up and buy what I liked without asking mum and dad. Working all weekend kept me out of trouble as a young teenager too. I was the pet of the kitchen and spoiled with regular breaks and three courses for meals. I waitressed at lunch, weddings, high teas and dinner dances. The tips were good but Wee Lizzie siphoned off most of them!
After that I moved to a local supermarket when I was sixteen and worked Saturday and holiday relief. I really enjoyed that too. The boss's wife was a nippy sweetie but the shop ladies were lovely. I do recall having to stand guard over the sugar as there was a shortage and people were only allowed one bag. There were no free lunches there.
Both jobs gave me independence and taught me to work with others. I did some babysitting too but the dad was 'handsy' so that petered out.

My first job was in a hairdressers mainly shampooing and hand washing the towels. I thought I did well working from nine till two for a £1 payment.
However, when the proprietor went on holiday and someone else was running the salon, I was shocked to be given about £4 in tips. I wasn’t normally given my tips. I was quite disgusted and gave notice. I then went to work in Littlewoods from eight till six still for the same pound! Talk about cutting off your nose despite your face!

JamesandJon33

Left school in 1960 with 9 O levels. Not much art at school so went to art school at just 15 years old. Best education I ever had .

I dropped Art at school and went back in my 60s to classes, so I was pleased to gain an NVQ2
See, Miss B - I wasn't that bad after all 😁