Lawson And Wards Shoe Factory

A Memory of Sileby.

I lived in Barrow upon Soar. I left school in about July 1966 and in September 1966 I turned 15 and started work at Lawson and Wards. My grandma Violet Smith also worked there. My grandma and grandad, Violet and Wilf (Kip) Smith, lived up Wellbrook Avenue. There were also a few people I knew at school who started at Lawsons at the same time as me, some I remember were myself Linda Clarke, Jennifer Forryan, Ruth Richardson, Doreen Sanders, Karen Hadfield, Wendy Bunce and Christine Bulmer. I remember Rose Dickens was the forewoman. My starting wage was 5 2/6d per week. I worked near Irene Bowman and Deirdre Lewis, Freda Clarke, Elsie Webb, Ann Whykes, Bridie Barker. My Grandma Violet gave the work out. Happy days.