Eve Farrant (nee Lisher) gives us an insight into what it was like for a woman to work in the 1930's.

'In 1933, after leaving school, I started looking in local papers and obtained a job in Worthing at Kinch and Lack, (men's outfitters and children's schoolwear). My salary was 17/6d a week, despite the fact that we'd been told that after our training we should expect to start at £1. I realised from the beginning that this was not a job I'd like to stay in indefinitely. I was not using my shorthand, and in order to keep my speed up, would take down the sermon on Sundays.

I would cycle to work from Lancing, usually taking the seafront route. My work was in the Counting House of the main branch in South Street. I typed invoices and kept sales ledgers. It wasn't very inspiring.

During the tea break, which was about an hour, I relieved at the cash desk in the Montague Street Branch. This shop was devoted entirely to children's wear, mainly for private schools, (of which there were many in Worthing and the district). It was a busy time, dockets were nearly thrown at me and I was really in trouble if I kept Mr Kinch himself waiting.

Before handing over to the cashier I had to check the money I'd taken with the dockets. If, as was so on a couple of occasions, I couldn't get it to balance, I worked myself into an awful state. Our hours were from 9am until 7pm.

Whilst at Kinch and Lack I still kept my eye on the situations vacant column and after three months, moved to Wades Garage in Chapel Road, Worthing.

This was quite a large concern with a very classy showroom, selling mainly new cars and holding an Austin and Morris Agency. These cars were in great demand in those days, particularly the Austin 7.

Mr Wade who was an early car enthusiast and mechanic had started Wades. Mr Bird was the Manager, his wife was Mr Wade's sister and their twin sons, then 21, were salesmen.

At the back of the premises was a large repair shop and in the yard, a petrol sales department. A lot of petrol was then sold in cans. A duty of mine was to count the number of cans in the yard and check with those sold. Also a Hearse and Daimler were hired out, mainly to local undertakers. An assistant storeman drove the Hearse and mechanics would double up as car drivers.

This job was more to my liking but still not quite what I wanted. I would type invoices, but did get some shorthand typing, as, if the girl in charge of the office (Dolly) was busy, the Manager would have me in to take down shorthand and type his letters.

I also had to take orders for cars. I remember well one occasion when an irate undertaker phoned up and wanted to know 'Where is the Hearse and cars?' I'd not made the necessary booking - panic stations - the storeman and mechanics made quick changes and were off to the funeral. When the undertaker, Mr Dillistone, came in, I apologised for my error and I've always remembered his reply, especially when I've made a careless mistake. 'If you don't make mistakes, you don't make nothing.'

My father bought his first car whilst I was employed at Wades. My sister had learned to drive whilst staying in London with a family my father dealt with in Covent Garden. My father thought he would learn to drive, but after going out with a mechanic from Wades, decided it wasn't for him.

I was with him on one hair-raising lesson when I thought he wasn't going to take the bend, as we drove from Salvington Hill down into Findon Valley. However, he still bought the second hand Singer car and each Saturday my sister drove Mum and Dad out. I had no desire to drive as I preferred to go out with my own friends.

During the nine months that I worked at Wades, I remember going to the pictures with a police motorcyclist who I met when he came for petrol.

I felt the two girls I worked in the office with were not the marrying type, one was 39 years old, the other over 40 years. I could see little chance of advancement at Wades and had no desire to remain the office junior, having to go out into the yard to count petrol cans and being teased by the mechanics.

On commencing work at Marsh and Ferriman solicitors(Liverpool Gardens, Worthing) in October 1938, my bicycle had to come into use again, after having worked for 4 years in Lancing. Whatever the weather, I'd be pedalling along the seafront. I didn't mind fighting against the wind as I thought I'd be blown home, but was annoyed when the wind changed before I made the return journey.

Mr Peerless interviewed me and said he wanted me to work with his Conveyancing Clerk to begin with, in order that I might become familiar with legal work. I felt like a cog in a wheel. We girls, about ten of us, were in a large hut at the back of the building. After four years of being treated as a fairly important employee at my previous job, chatting with my boss as I took dictation, I was taking just a few letters in shorthand and then having masses of copy typing.

I thought it would improve when I worked for Mr Peerless. However, this didn't happen as a girl several years younger than myself, Daphne, whom Mr Peerless (partner in the firm and a married man of around 40 years) had taken to do his work, was having an affair with him. I heard all about it from Pam Crow, a girl I'd made a friendship with and who was also a friend of Daphne.

I had little enthusiasm for my work, but did enjoy the companionship of the other girls. It was quite a jolly office, and when the weather was suitable a party of us would go swimming on Worthing Beach. At other times tennis games were arranged. I remember my embarrassment when 'Brownie' (Yves Browne, whom I'd met on a camping trip) invited me to have a game of tennis with him. He was such a superior player, and I later learned that he was one of the champion players of the Arcadian Tennis Club.

After the start of the War in 1939, business at Marsh and Ferriman slackened considerably, especially in my department. Nobody was buying houses in the uncertain climate of the day, and we were asked to look for other employment.

My father spoke to the Clerk of Worthing and I was offered a post in the newly formed Food Office. It didn't appeal to me particularly. I was taken on as a shorthand typist but the first job I was given was writing up ration books. I took the Civil Service exams in both shorthand and typing so as to get extra pay.

My life at the Food Office had a chequered beginning as after only one week, I went down with German Measles and had three weeks absence from the office.

At the Council Offices a Report Centre was formed, and a specially reinforced building erected with telephonists and plotting rooms. The staff was told that they must go on a rota to keep this centre manned.

We had lectures on the horrors of gas warfare. I was to be a telephonist, and the Wardens would phone through, reporting bombing and giving particulars of services required. The telephonists (there were three at a time on duty) took details and handed them to the plotters who arranged necessary services. It worked out that our time on duty was one week a month and during that week we weren't allowed to leave the premises. We went to our offices at normal duty times and after work played table tennis etc.

On a yellow alert we manned the telephone in the Report Centre. Sometimes it was a false alarm and we didn't get a red alert (the time when the siren was sounded).

At night we slept in a dormitory adjoining the Centre. There were about six girls in this room. It could be very annoying when a yellow alert went two or three times in one night. Meals were extremely good, all cooked by volunteers of WVS and free to us.

In May 1943 I decided to apply for a secretarial job at Pullenbury's Nursery in Lancing. I got the job and was so glad to be no longer at the Food Office.

At this time, work was controlled. I thought I was in order as food growing was essential work, but found I was in trouble with the Labour Exchange, and told I shouldn't have left the Food Office. I was ordered to rescind my notice. However, to my delight, those in charge of the Food Office had been annoyed at my leaving and refused to rescind my notice. I was able to continue in my secretarial job.'

Eve sounds like she had plenty of interesting jobs, but needed to be mentally challenged in her work. She must have been a very hard worker.