Marlene Tolley – Major Dabell

Simon: So, would you be allowed to talk to the person who ran the shop, the whole thing? Or did you have to speak to somebody who was above you that they would then speak to somebody?

Marlene: Oh yes. You never spoke to … and when Major Dabell who was Managing Director at that time when I was there, you almost stood to attention when he came through.

Simon: With a name like that I guess you sort of given a clue.

Marlene: Yes, his family had Blackgang Chine when it first …well, might have been going for some time but yes, and he was a Major.

Simon: Striding around, right, soldier walk.

Marlene: Yeah.

Simon: I mean it’s good that he was there otherwise you might not have got the job (laughs).

Marlene: Oh yes. Well, who knows? And there was a … I think he must have been the main sanctioned the buying, Mr Osborne his name was. He was quite old in those days. Well (laughs) about my age I expect. No, younger than me obviously, but he was a very smart man.

Once he came into the shop floor, you knew that Mr Osborne was about. He did the wages and those sorts of things.