Partners from Ladies and Children's shoe department

Group photograph of team

By Jo Spence

This photograph of the Ladies and Children's shoe department team was taken in 1996.  Janice Thomas was the department manager.  The ratio of male and female partners is fairly even.  That's quite unusual, I think.

Trousers were not allowed
All the ladies, except for the DM, are wearing regulation business dress; trousers were not allowed for female partners.  Men could choose a suit from the approved assortment in menswear as could female managers from ladieswear.  The green blouse replaced the white and navy Natalie style.  I quite liked that colour.  It looked clean even after you spilt something on it!   All the partners look very smart and well turned out with neat and tidy hair styles.  Managers would reprimand you if you weren't suitably attired.  Perhaps standards were better then?  Or maybe just different.

Of this group only two are still partners and two have retired.