Christine Fisher-Lathwell – Mrs Barrow’s tongue in cheek humour

Simon: Where was your favourite hiding spot?

Christine: At the back of the window because the displays weren’t bang against the wall so you’d open the door of the window and crawl in behind the display, and then sit there and have a gossip.

Simon: So, you could be seen from the outside but not the inside.

Christine: Sometimes Mrs Barrow would come round and look, peep round ‘cos the window door would be open ‘cos if we left it closed, we’d suffocate and we couldn’t get out (laughs) so I think she’d come on and she’d say, “Are you girls having your tea break?” you know, so yes, she did have a sense of humour, and you’d often see that tongue in cheek humour, especially if … dare I say it, if a customer was being particularly awkward or difficult, she’d come by and she’d go like that. It was a funny look that she gave you and you knew her tongue in her cheek, yes and you just knew that the customer was just being awkward. Many a time seeing people trying to be zipped up in bridal gowns they really didn’t fit.

Simon: Right.

Christine: And Mrs Barrow would be absolutely certain and you could hear her saying, ‘cos she was absolutely determined this bride would have the dress that she’d liked and she’d say, “We have a marvellous Sewing Room here” and they did, “and within a couple of days your dress will be just the right fit for you.” And they did, they were wonderful.