jennyann
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
Thanks a lot for posting the photos of the history and the razing of
the Lucas buildings. My Mother worked as a Secretary at Lucas's
in the early l930's. She told me she had one of the first electric
typewriters in Birmingham whilst she worked there. She often told me how strict the Managers were in those days and how secretaries and typists had to be very careful indeed that their work was correct since
if they had too many typing errors in their work they had to forfeit a small
fine out of their wages!!! Lucas's did not allow married women to work in their offices at that time. If a women got married they were not allowed to return to work afterwards.
My Father spent three years in Canada, where he had gone to find work
and eventually send for my Mother. The Depression ruled that out and he arrived home penniless. At the time of their marriage in 1933 my Father was in training for a career in the electrical field so my Mother wanted to keep her job at Lucas's. Therefore, they got married in secret at the registry office in Birmingham, had a small family reception at my Aunt's house in Kingstanding. The only wedding photo I have is one of the wedding breakfast table, decorated with greenery, glasses, serviettes and a champagne bottle. No cake,no people. This was because they could not
afford to take any chances by having their photographs taken by anyone
in case someone at Lucas's found out. Only one of my Mother's close
friends at Lucas's knew about the marriage and she was sworn to secrecy also family members. I often wondered as a small child why my
parents had no wedding photos.
My parents first home was a flat in Kingstanding Road and no one they knew in this area worked at Lucas's. My mother left when she learned she was expecting her first child in early 1934. By all accounts the secret was then revealed.
Many years later I worked for a year at John Wilson & Sons(Wholesale Grocers) Ltd. which was just around the corner from Lucas's. I walked
by the place many many times and always thought it was a great
looking building.
the Lucas buildings. My Mother worked as a Secretary at Lucas's
in the early l930's. She told me she had one of the first electric
typewriters in Birmingham whilst she worked there. She often told me how strict the Managers were in those days and how secretaries and typists had to be very careful indeed that their work was correct since
if they had too many typing errors in their work they had to forfeit a small
fine out of their wages!!! Lucas's did not allow married women to work in their offices at that time. If a women got married they were not allowed to return to work afterwards.
My Father spent three years in Canada, where he had gone to find work
and eventually send for my Mother. The Depression ruled that out and he arrived home penniless. At the time of their marriage in 1933 my Father was in training for a career in the electrical field so my Mother wanted to keep her job at Lucas's. Therefore, they got married in secret at the registry office in Birmingham, had a small family reception at my Aunt's house in Kingstanding. The only wedding photo I have is one of the wedding breakfast table, decorated with greenery, glasses, serviettes and a champagne bottle. No cake,no people. This was because they could not
afford to take any chances by having their photographs taken by anyone
in case someone at Lucas's found out. Only one of my Mother's close
friends at Lucas's knew about the marriage and she was sworn to secrecy also family members. I often wondered as a small child why my
parents had no wedding photos.
My parents first home was a flat in Kingstanding Road and no one they knew in this area worked at Lucas's. My mother left when she learned she was expecting her first child in early 1934. By all accounts the secret was then revealed.
Many years later I worked for a year at John Wilson & Sons(Wholesale Grocers) Ltd. which was just around the corner from Lucas's. I walked
by the place many many times and always thought it was a great
looking building.