Life In Northampton

Does anyone remember Miss Dorothy Chamberlane.She was in charge of the Dressmaking and Tailoring Dept. at Adnitts Bros,The Drapery.I was an apprentice there during the early 1960,s.The apprentiship was for 7 years but I did not complete it as I moved to Gloucestershire.I worked with Margaret-Ann,Gillian and another apprentice Marilyn.I remember the beautiful wedding dresses made of satins,wild silk,lace from France,organza from Japan.Day dresses made from silks from'Liberty's'in London and light suits made from lovely tweeds .The fabrics and clothes were out of this world as the shop was a high class place in those days.Miss Chamberlane was from the 'old School'style of work.She was strict but not unkind,we were not allowed to talk at work unless it was work-related,we sat on high stools with no back-we were not allowed to slouch but sit upright.Her sayings I still remember-Where there is a will,there is a way,Time is money,Mind over matter etc.The quality of needlework and what could be done with the fabrics was wonderful and very clever.She also played the Cello at All Saints Church,the Cello almost as big as she was.The shop was closed on Thursdays and we two apprentices liked to sneak off at tea break to try on the hats in the millinery dept and ( real) fur coats and stoles .Of course we did get found out and had a severe telling off.This was a world very different to our home lives and we couldn't resist trying on these items.The shop had seats for customers to sit on and the assistants were very knowledgable about their jobs and their customers likes and dislikes ,giving a personal service.Very much like the 'Selfridges' series or 'Are you being served' on T.V. When Debenhams took over years later ,it was such a contrast to the old ways!.I still have my old metal badge of the Adnitts name,my thimble and scissors and number 8 'egg-eyed between' needles.