Marlene Tolley – Working your way up

Simon: That’s interesting, one the uniform, I hadn’t heard about that before and that wasn’t something you bought, they were just given to you.

Marlene: They were supplied, yes.

Simon: And when you went to change, did you have …?

Marlene: We went to the Basement. There was a Basement and you just hung it up on a hanger. There was no Changing Rooms for the Staff, but you had to be smart at all times, and I remember, it came to me the other night, when you go as I’ll say an Apprentice, you never served anyone for quite a long time. The Senior Staff was always called forward, Miss so and so, Mrs so and so, but then when you were the only one, you went … the Buyer or the Boss, she shadowed you to see that you said the right things to the right people.

Simon: And they then gave you feedback …

Marlene: You gradually moved up, as another Junior came, you did a bit more.

Simon: So, when they were shadowing you, did they after the customer left, they’d say, “That was great and next time think about saying this.”

Marlene: Well I don’t know that they said that was great, but she said, “you could have done better there” (laughs). But things were very expensive in those days, but it was beautiful clothes, and I remember the … when certain people from Ryde or Sea View came into the shop, the Boss knew forward, and as soon as she knew what they wanted, she’d sort of shadow you over to the rail or drawer or whatever, to make sure you picked out the most expensive …