Tape 5 - Joyce Corbet

Tape 5 – Joyce Corbet

07.00 – recording starts

07.15 – started there in 1930’s

07.30 – mum shopped there since 1920’s / brought most things from the Store

08.00 – applied for clerical position / didn’t get it

09.30 – 1932 position advertised again

09.50 – had to take literacy & numeracy tests / finally got interview in front of board / daunting experience

10.30 – Ken Mathieson & Teddy Brown and interview experience

11.30 – eventually employed from the shortlist

12.00 – worked for Miss Daisy Musk in invoice & wages section / input and delivered invoices

12.30 – lists managers of different sections

13.15 – Friday wages compiled / handed out the wages / could be frightening / no security

15.00 – worked in Mr Sanders office / situated Western end building / eventually moved to east end building

16.10 – safe in Mr Sanders office for ledgers and record books / frightening experience during tea break / got locked in safe by friend / got in big trouble from Reg Beatty

18.00 – social activities / picnic days at Blackalls Park, Speers Point & Gosford / girls catered food / boys took drinks / cordials / no alcohol / family groups / friends groups / took train / kisses in Kotara tunnel

19.45 – annual ball in Tyrell Hall

20.10 – home parties / played postmans knock and other games

20.45 – sporting teams / girls great hockey team / boys great at baseball & cricket

21.00 – family atmosphere / knew everyone employed there

21.15 – annual photograph / grocery bay

21.45 – senior man inside door recorded if you were late / also examined bags

22.15 – allowed a 10 min shopping break / collected goods bought at end of day / showed bags again

23.00 – farewells for long serving staff at end of last workday

23.30 – left in 1937 to get married / only widows could work

24.15 – continued shopping there when married / got everything delivered / convenient

25.00 – wrenching when the Store closed / many thought the Store would be there forever

25.30 – part of our very existence

25.45 – sorry sight to see the empty shell

26.00 – final sales / plastic button cylinders / could fill them with buttons of choice / whole cylinder for $1.50

27.15 – Dorey Tracey / gathered ‘old girls’ to have a luncheon / met for many years & still do

28.15 – many as 130 at gatherings / average 70-80 / happy & sad occasion

29.00 – exchange gits at Xmas get together

29.30 – women only occasion

30.15 – Store Women’s Guild / Miss Daisy Musk organised these / afternoon teas in store with guest speakers occasionally / some of these continue to meet

31.30 – Melbourne Cup Day gatherings / women in tea rooms / fashion parades

31.50 – Xmas windows / the Store noted for them / people flocked to them in evenings / depicted fairy tale stories

32.30 – basement also used as an Aladdin’s Cave of sorts at Xmas for extra displays

32.45 – Santa Clause / Arthur Chaff played Santa

33.45 – divvy sales / highlights to look forward too / mother loved remnant tables / lunched together in tea rooms / great bargains

35.30 – Friday night shopping / finished at 8.30pm / when store closed rushed to get uptown / paraded up and down Hunter St / bands played / political speakers /

37.15 – educational miniature WEA / group met fortnightly to discuss issues of interest

37.45 – Store on Stage came later / annual event

38.15 – the Store catered to far more needs than buying things

38.30 – could even get buried through a plan at the Store

38.45 – buy almost anything you wanted / ordered in what they didn’t have

39.10 – the Store filled a great need in Newcastle