Manchester in search of jobs. Why, the only reason Kitty had an empty bed in the flat was because Maureen, the previous girl she shared with, had left to work in Birmingham. Ella had no work experience that was of any use to her in the city unless she was to consider going into service with a wealthy Dublin family, doing cooking and cleaning and running the household or minding children. However this sort of job held no appeal for her and would probably have meant living in.
‘I’ll find something! I know I will.’
Ella applied for positions in all the shops and offices and hotels without success and even tried the Civil Service and the hospitals, but to no avail. They wanted someone with typing and shorthand skills, previous sales experience, a good reference from their last employer. She had none of these things. At night Kitty and the girls did their best to stop her getting downhearted, and kept telling her that a good job was only round the corner. Secretly, Kitty had made enquiries about the cost of the ferry fare to Liverpool and to Holyhead, and the train fare to London, as in all likelihood Ella would have to join the thousands of other emigrants going to Britain if she didn’t get a job soon. De Valera’s Ireland was in a terrible state, still caught in the grip of a post-war depression that was forcing so many people to leave the country they loved. They were deserting the drab farmlands and grey tenements for higher-paid work and opportunities in England and America.
On Thursday night, Kitty, bursting with excitement, flung herself in the hall door of the flat calling, ‘Good news! Good news, Ella!’
Ella felt curious as to what it was all about.
‘Sally Sheridan is pregnant!’ Kitty could see her cousin still had no idea what she meant. ‘She’s expecting a baby and has to give up work. Lennon’s won’t employ married women, or women who are pregnant. It’s written into our work agreement.’
‘What’ll she do?’ exclaimed Ella.
‘Well, she’ll have to give up work and try and get that boyfriend of hers to marry her. But the good news is that Lennon’s need a new drapery assistant . It won’t be advertised until next week, but I told Mr Harry’s secretary Denise that I already knew somebody who was interested in the job!’
‘Me! You told her about me!’ cried Ella, jumping up and down with excitement and kissing Kitty.
‘You’ve an interview on Thursday at ten o’clock sharp. Remember, Mr Harry hates people who are late.’
Chapter Eleven
TERRI HAD TAKEN the scissors to her head and clipped at least three inches off her long brown hair. Her fingers moved deftly, lifting and angling Ella’s hair as she snipped. ‘Ella, this length and shape will suit you much better,’ she promised. ‘It will show off your bone structure and those huge blue eyes of yours, with your long eyelashes.’
Ella tried to appear completely trusting as the young hairdresser washed and combed and cut her hair, attempting to hide her dismay as pieces of it tumbled onto the bathroom linoleum. But already she felt lighter, more feminine even. Terry styled and side-parted it, creating a soft wave flowing over one ear. Ella looked in the mirror, scarcely believing the change.
‘Please, let me!’ begged Terri. She took a small pair of tweezers out of the bathroom cabinet and began to pluck and shape her eyebrows. Ella’s eyes watered with the pain, but afterwards looking at herself she realized that it was worth it. Her eyes looked enormous and her face had more definition.
The girls made her try on every stitch of clothes she possessed and came down enthusiastically in favour of her new skirt and blouse.
‘Classic!’
‘Simple and businesslike.’
‘Mr Harry doesn’t like frills and flounces on his staff, after all, Lennon’s is a quality shop!’ jeered Kitty, lying stretched out on the bed watching her.
Sitting across from Mr Harry Lennon was slightly disconcerting as she could feel the
‘I’ll find something! I know I will.’
Ella applied for positions in all the shops and offices and hotels without success and even tried the Civil Service and the hospitals, but to no avail. They wanted someone with typing and shorthand skills, previous sales experience, a good reference from their last employer. She had none of these things. At night Kitty and the girls did their best to stop her getting downhearted, and kept telling her that a good job was only round the corner. Secretly, Kitty had made enquiries about the cost of the ferry fare to Liverpool and to Holyhead, and the train fare to London, as in all likelihood Ella would have to join the thousands of other emigrants going to Britain if she didn’t get a job soon. De Valera’s Ireland was in a terrible state, still caught in the grip of a post-war depression that was forcing so many people to leave the country they loved. They were deserting the drab farmlands and grey tenements for higher-paid work and opportunities in England and America.
On Thursday night, Kitty, bursting with excitement, flung herself in the hall door of the flat calling, ‘Good news! Good news, Ella!’
Ella felt curious as to what it was all about.
‘Sally Sheridan is pregnant!’ Kitty could see her cousin still had no idea what she meant. ‘She’s expecting a baby and has to give up work. Lennon’s won’t employ married women, or women who are pregnant. It’s written into our work agreement.’
‘What’ll she do?’ exclaimed Ella.
‘Well, she’ll have to give up work and try and get that boyfriend of hers to marry her. But the good news is that Lennon’s need a new drapery assistant . It won’t be advertised until next week, but I told Mr Harry’s secretary Denise that I already knew somebody who was interested in the job!’
‘Me! You told her about me!’ cried Ella, jumping up and down with excitement and kissing Kitty.
‘You’ve an interview on Thursday at ten o’clock sharp. Remember, Mr Harry hates people who are late.’
Chapter Eleven
TERRI HAD TAKEN the scissors to her head and clipped at least three inches off her long brown hair. Her fingers moved deftly, lifting and angling Ella’s hair as she snipped. ‘Ella, this length and shape will suit you much better,’ she promised. ‘It will show off your bone structure and those huge blue eyes of yours, with your long eyelashes.’
Ella tried to appear completely trusting as the young hairdresser washed and combed and cut her hair, attempting to hide her dismay as pieces of it tumbled onto the bathroom linoleum. But already she felt lighter, more feminine even. Terry styled and side-parted it, creating a soft wave flowing over one ear. Ella looked in the mirror, scarcely believing the change.
‘Please, let me!’ begged Terri. She took a small pair of tweezers out of the bathroom cabinet and began to pluck and shape her eyebrows. Ella’s eyes watered with the pain, but afterwards looking at herself she realized that it was worth it. Her eyes looked enormous and her face had more definition.
The girls made her try on every stitch of clothes she possessed and came down enthusiastically in favour of her new skirt and blouse.
‘Classic!’
‘Simple and businesslike.’
‘Mr Harry doesn’t like frills and flounces on his staff, after all, Lennon’s is a quality shop!’ jeered Kitty, lying stretched out on the bed watching her.
Sitting across from Mr Harry Lennon was slightly disconcerting as she could feel the
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