Vera George
Vera was born in Windermere and went to the Shorts' factory in 1942 from school at the age of fifteen. She began work in the store of the jig and tool department and in 1944 was moved to the administration block, where she worked next to Francis Short. She left when the factory closed in 1945.
Vera ran the Shorts' entertainment group, which had a team of 5 or 6 dancers and took the group to the airfield at Cartmel to entertain the men.
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- Ref. Number: FB010VG
- Date:20.2.07
- Interviewer (I): Rose Smith
- Subject: Windermere factory work.
- Period: 1942-1945
VG
Oh the masses of people walking through the gate. I think they said there was about 2,000 from the South, and they came down from the North. And I was put into a little store called the Jig and Tool department.
I
Can you remember who was in charge of that at the time?
VG
Oh yes. He was a little gentleman of the Jewish faith called Ash Lions. And he was sent up from London, brought up here, and he was a drummer in London in one of the bands, big bands. We had all the evacuees sent here. And really it was quite amazing who you did... I had a dancing teacher, Janice Heart, and she was in the theatre in London. So really we were very lucky in many respects. We got all the best people.
I
Yes, that must have been interesting.
VG
Well the useful people, let me put it that way.
I
So was there many people working in the store?
VG
In the store...
I
Where you were working.
VG
...there was myself and the gentleman in charge, Ash Lions.
I
Right. And so can you remember what it looked like? Can you describe...
VG
What it looked like?
I
...to me what it looked like?
VG
Well it just looked like, I suppose any store. I'd never been in any store, so I suppose it was just two walls down filled with goods, and a way to get out and a way to get in. That was about it.
I
Where was it in relation to the factory?
VG
Well it was just at the door as you came in, at the factory door. It was on the left hand side as you came in.
I
And what was your job?
VG
My job was to come to the counter when somebody arrived on the other side. And they'd tell me what they wanted and I had to know. I had to know what it was they wanted. And go and get it.
I
And what sort of things did they...?
VG
Well tools, various tools and bits for the plane. I mean they used to take the mickey out of me, because they used to say 'Well it was a piece like this Vera.' No they used to say 'It was a piece like this.' I said 'With a piece more out of here, or just another piece altogether?' ‘Where did you come from here?' I said 'Well I'm a local, which is more than you are, so tell me what you want and clear off.'
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