Charlie616

I've only just found this thread. Mum worked at Cockaynes in the china dept. for about nine weeks in 1940 with Mr Shackleton head of dept and Miss Green (head of sales?). Prior to the Blitz, Cockaynes had already had its windows blown out. Mum remembers arriving at work the following day to find the display models laying in the rubble and seeing an expensive handbag being picked out of the debris by a passer-by. Thursday morning, 12 Dec, had been spent in the stock room sorting out the Christmas stock and putting out on display ready for the following day. The china, which had arrived in wicker baskets and packed in straw, were unpacked and then cleaned. After work that night, Mum went to visit relatives in Gleadless. As the raid started, they stood outside looking at the glow in the sky as Sheffield burned. The following morning, there were no trams running so Mum and her grandfather walked down into the city centre not knowing what they would find. Her grandfather commented that he hoped Cockaynes had not had its windows blown out again. She remembers walking across planks of wood trying to stay out of the ice cold puddles left from putting out the fires and seeing a dismembered foot in a boot. When she got to work, she found the shop was gone. Mum then walked on home to Shiregreen passing three tram cars burnt out outside of C&A, which had its frontage all burned. She remembers a sweet shop in Spittal Hill with its window blown out and sweets scattered over the pavement with folks helping themselves. A wwek or so later Mum went over to Netheredge to collect wages her wages, and whilst stood waiting in the queue Mrs Cockayne brought out cups of tea. After this Mum initially approached TB&W Cockaynes to see if there was still a job for her but Mr Shackleton said that there were only a couple of them working there and that they weren't taking on any ladies. They only had one outside toilet, no hot water and the toilet, which was also used by men from the pub up the road, was filthy. However, if Mum knew anything about needlework, the store at Broomhill may have a vacancy and so that's where she went, working with a Miss Jolly under a Miss Cauldwell, the manageress.