MR J J GARNER’S DIARY ENTRIES (2) – STAFF AND OTHER OLNEY PEOPLE

Jo1937

Joseph James Garner – 1937

Mr J J Garner’s diary entries provide a valuable insight into the running of a successful drapery business in a small country town during the first half of the twentieth century. The entries will also be of great assistance to anyone attempting to establish dates or ‘time lines’ for events in Olney.

The entries have been selected and collated by Mr Roger Gooden (Mr J J Garner’s grandson) to provide a series of lists that will be of interest to readers with family connections to Olney.

This, the second of two ‘diary entry’ web pages, presents two smaller lists covering Mr J J Garner’s entries regarding his staff and other Olney people.

The first web page presents by far the largest list and covers the set of general observations recorded by Mr Garner over the period 1903 to 1941. The third web page presents two lists covering Mr J J Garner’s entries during the early days of the Second World War (unfortunately he did not add any entries after 1941) and his entries regarding other shops around the Market Place.

Garners-1907web

Garner’s Shop Front in 1907

GARNER SHOP – STAFF MEMBERS (1903 – 1941)

Ablett  07/09/18 Ablett had suit
Allabarton  20/04/14 Miss K Allarbarton starts month on trial at desk
Andrews  31/03/10 Kate Andrews left, been here 3 years
Andrews  23/09/18 Miss Andrews, Emberton, starts on trial
 23/09/22 Miss Andrews starts at Bedford (CP Roses)
Ball  07/06/30 Engaged Ball (Roland?)
 08/08/39 Ball called up
Benyon  22/01/08 Benyon out will bills
 29/02/08 Paid Benyon to date
Blackwell  26/05/03 Miss Blackwell – birthday
Boswell  29/09/19 Miss Boswell starts
 10/02/21 Miss Boswell spoke about leaving
 08/08/21 Miss Boswell comes back again in shop
22/12/23 Miss Boswell left
29/12/23 Miss Boswell’s wedding day
Bridges 25/02/05 Gave Miss Bridges notice to leave
Britton 05/08/26 Miss Britton starts month on trial
05/09/30 Miss Britton to hospital
28/10/30 Heard of Miss Britton’s death
Chater 26/05/35 Frances Chater left after 5 years
Church 03/11/27 Mrs Church re her daughter
19/11/32 Miss Church left after 4 years
Clark 12.01.39 Miss Clark here
Clarke 28/06/37 Miss Stephanie Clarke 21
11/09/39 Miss Stephanie Clarke starts in Men’s Shop
Coley 29/09/08 Miss Coley back
07/07/10 Miss Coley on holidays
Cooley 04/02/10 Miss Cooley retired
Croft 26/05/20 Miss Croft on holidays
05/12/20 Gave Miss Croft notice to leave
Crouch 08/01/07 Miss Crouch came
07/03/07 Miss Crouch started again
28/06/13 Miss Crouch left – been here 6 years
02/08/13 Miss Crouch married
Crouch 02/03/31 Miss Crouch signed agreement
04/07/32 Miss Crouch started – Mrs Ted
17/07/37 Miss Crouch left after 4/5 years
Cummings 15/09/22 Miss Cummings went away – Thompsons
Dalby 21/11/36 Tom engaged Dalby for Men’s Shop
05/12/36 Paid Dalby off
Drage, Fred 17/03/06 Fred Drage left – here about 5 years
11/03/07 Fred Drage back again
07/05/12 Drage out with bills
Drage, Leslie 22/09/06 Leslie Drage came in shop
29/06/07 Leslie Drage left
Eeley 29/03/06 Miss Eeley started in shop
02/06/06 Miss Eeley left
Field 13/08/23 Field starts month on trial
Fowler 29/04/09 Fowler finished bills
05/03/10 G Fowler leaving next week
Freeman 24/07/06 Freeman sent home
Fuller 17/09/11 Tom had Fuller in for tea
Garner 09/03/14 Tom starts in shop
Gladwin 24/10/08 Engaged Gladwin for Men’s Shop
24/12/08 Gladwin left
Goy 09/07/06 Miss Goy arrived
13/12/06 Gave Miss Goy notice to leave
Griggs 30/09/08 Cliff Griggs left after six years
07/05/12 Griggs out with bills
Hill 04/09/29 Hill starts month on trial
18/04/35 Tom & Hill – lino
Hobbs 10/12/06 Mary (Amy Hobbs) leaving
12/10/09 Miss Hobbs’ wedding
Hoddle 28/07/06 Nellie Hoddle on holidays
09/02/09 Nellie Hoddle to stay on 1 more month
19/02/10 Nellie Hoddle left
Howson 29/03/26 Boy Howson starts in Men’s Shop
Howson 15/04/41 Miss Howson starts month on trial
Johnson 15/01/12 Miss Johnson started in shop
20/05/16 Miss Johnson left
13/12/20 Miss Daisy Johnson wedding
Kitchener 04/03/13 Miss Kitchener starts month on trial
22/06/14 Miss Kitchener starts in shop
19/04/19 Miss Kitchener leaves after about 6 years
15/07/29 Miss W Kitchener married
Knight 07/06/09 Rose Knight starts in shop
07/02/13 Miss Knight spoke about leaving
01/07/13 Miss Knight not well
Lay 17/01/10 Lay started month on trial
10/02/12 Lay putting lino in Allerbarton’s passage
Lett 06/08/35 Miss Lett starts in shop (Stella?)
18/03/41 Miss Lett left after 4 years
Libby 04/06/08 Miss Libby arrived
16/07/08 Miss Libby went away
05/03/12 Miss Libby went away
Lineham 01/12/19 Miss Lineham starts in shop
22/03/30 Miss Lineham left after 10 years ‘Satisfactory Service’
17/01/31 Daisy Lineham 21
02/07/33 Miss Lineham’s wedding day
Lister 13/03/27 Took Lister to Ravenstone
23/03/31 Lister over for lino
Litchfield 12.11.07 Miss Litchfield married S Inns
10/02/16 Miss Litchfield left
Ludgate 27/03/41 Mee and Ludgate to Odell
29/03/41 Ludgate’s first pay day
Minard 02/08/06 Miss Minard mending blinds
18/09/41 Miss Minard spoke about leaving
Mee 29/01/41 Mee out with van alone
Monks 29/04/22 Mary Monks left
Moore 22/04/24 Girl left – Moore – Clifton
Moye 04/10/17 Miss Moye starts in shop
26/05/20 Miss Moye on holidays
01/04/21 Miss Moye left
06/10/36 Miss Moye and Lyman married
Mynard 03/01/38 Miss Mynard starts in shop
Osborn 11/02/05 Miss Osborn to Bedford (errand?)
02/03/08 Olive Osborn started in shop
14/10/08 Doug Osborn starts on month’s trial
28/10/11 Osborn left, been here 3 years
23/10/22 Miss Osborn starts month on trial
Parris 15/07/35 Miss Parris starts month on trial
27/07/35 Spoke to Mrs Parris – sorry
Partridge 06/12/30 Miss Partridge and Mr Mayhew married
Paybody 04/12/11 Paybody here, one month on trial
04/12/13 Paybody day off
10/05/15 Sid Paybody starts at Woods Motor Works
Peggs 15/05/39 Mary Peggs returned after 8 weeks
Perkins 24/11/13 F Perkins – full time apprentice
28/01/30 Perkins left after 16 years
31/01/30 Perkins went away from Olney to Marlow
Peters 12/05/06 Boy Peters started
23/06/06 Peters left
29/07/14 Tom and Peters covering room
Pettit 04/01/37 Miss Pettit starts in shop
06/09/37 Miss Pettit ‘Shan’t come no more’
Porter 24/07/39 Desmond Porter starts month on trial
19/11/40 Porter out with bills
Rainbow 06/01/14 Miss Rainbow, Lavendon, starts month trial
16/06/14 Miss Rainbow weeks holiday
08/04/18 Miss Rainbow’s sister starts for 2 years
Richens 04/07/32 Richens round Cosgrove
Roberts 01/10/23 Miss Roberts starts month on trial
Ruff 24/02/06 Ethel Ruff left, been here over 5 years, nearly 6 years
– Good Worker – Good Girl
11/05/08 Ethel Ruff went to Roses, Bedford
03/03/13 Ethel Ruff married Charlie Hoddle
20/02/08 Maud Ruff came, started on day-to-day
01/03/10 Miss Maud Ruff began Indoors and in Shop
25/09/12 Miss Ruff left shop for Bedford
05/05/24 New girl – Miss Ruff
Sharp 05/07/13 Miss Sharp – Bozeat – left after 3 years
14/04/20 Sharp starts in Men’s Shop
Shorley 03/05/30 Mary Shorley gave notice of leaving
10/05/30 Hilda Shorley left
30/07/35 Gave Hilda Shorley Wedding Present
Slater 04/07/32 Slater round Cosgrove
Taylor 29/06/36 Taylor starts in shop
12/09/36 Taylor gave notice to leave
Tinston 04/03/15 Miss Tinston not here
25/06/18 Miss Tintson notice to leave
Tompkins 26/11/29 Engaged Mr Tompkins as Traveller
07/06/30 Tompkins left
Trevelyn 04/08/06 Mrs Trevelyn went away
Tunn 20/07/07 Jack Tunn began here
Turner 13/12/40 Turner Called-up
Wall 29/10/32 Mr Wall in Men’s Shop
Ward 28/12/36 New man (Ward) in Men’s Shop
15/07/39 Ward left
Watson 17/11/34 Miss Watson is leaving Olney
18/12/34 Miss Watson in to say goodbye
Wells 19/11/40 Wells out in Woodings van
18/01/41 Mr Wells left
West 15/01/23 Miss West starts month on trial
25/10/41 Miss West wedding day
28/10/41 Miss West’s birthday
30/10/41 Miss West introduced he husband – Mr Horace Morgan
03/11/41 Miss West returns to business
Willis 05/11/11 Miss Willis gone to Ravenstone for me
WiImer 30/12/40 Mr Wilmer in Men’s Shop
18/01/41 Mr Wilmer left
Wheeler 25/04/32 Miss Wheeler starts month on trial
29/06/35 Miss Wheeler spoke about leaving
Wooding 16/10/34 Wooding out with Morris Van
14/11/40 Wooding Called-up (Arthur)
18/11/40 Wooding left
Wooding 11/04/21 Miss Wooding starts in shop
13/10/23 Miss Wooding left
Wright 07/05/17 Maurice Wright starts in shop for 2 years

 DIARY ENTRIES OF OTHER OLNEY PEOPLE

(Not necessarily having any connection with Garner’s Shop)

Alcock
18/08/38
Miss Alcock 21 today
Ball
02/04/31
Miss Ball’s wedding day
Barratt
13/09/41
Miss Barratt & Mr Talbot married
Bates
24/11/21
Raymond Bates wedding day
Chennell
09/06/25
Miss Chennell married
Clark
06/03/39
Miss Clark & T West wedding, Newport
Crossley
21/01/31
Miss Crossley married
Crossley
31/12/34
Miss Crossley’s wedding
Dix
23/07/08
Mary Dix & Crouch married
Dunkelly
07/12/31
Miss Dunkelly married
Eaton
30/12/36
Miss Eaton’ s wedding
Elmer
14/07/40
Miss Edna Elmer (Wedding)
Foster
02/08/10
Miss Foster’s wedding
Gibson
28/04/15
Mary Gibson married
Grindon
26/10/18
Miss Grindon married
Gundon
25/09/20
Miss Gundon’s wedding day
Gomm
06/09/24
Miss Gomm married
Gomm
18/05/31
Miss Gomm married – Aldridge
Harris
19/03/27
Miss Harris wedding
Hopper
31/12/34
Miss Hopper’s wedding
Ingram
21/08/37
Miss Ingram & Revitt married
 Longland
30/09/20
Miss Longland’s wedding day
 Marshall
03/11/40
Miss Hilda Marshall married
 Minard
04/03/39
Miss Minard & Holmes married
Nicholls
26/12/32
Miss Nichols wedding
Parry
27/03/27
Miss Parry married
Page
30/10/37
Miss Page & Mr Brett married on 24 inst
Paybody
25/02/33
Miss Paybody’s wedding
Pebody
30/09/20
Miss Pebody’s wedding day
Pebody
06/10/21
Miss Pebody’s wedding day
Rogers
01/12/41
Young Rogers married
Sams
16/10/08
Miss Sams, Emberton, married
Slater
17/12/34
Heard of Miss Slater being married
Talbot
28/04/14
Miss Talbot married
Tebbutt
21/01/37
Arthur Tebbutt 21

 Should you have any comments on this article, please contact us at information@olneyhistory.org.uk.

 Visit the third page – Diary Entries (3) – WW2 and other shops around the Market Place

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