Archive (1372 life histories found)

Growing up we were taught that pride was a sin or that 'pride comes before a fall' but I don't believe in that all now. I think we should take pride in our achievements while at the same time acknowledging that our talents come from God.I am really…

I have always had a thirst for knowledge so one of the first things that I did when I reduced my work load was - I joined the U3A. Now, that was a good decision. I love the two classes I joined, the 'Life Story writing Group' and 'Radio for…

I was 65 on the 30th April, 2010 and, having completed almost 50 years in the retail business, I decided it was time to take things a little bit easier. At that time, I was working with my daughter, Dara and her husband, Brian, in their spar…

Bevin Carlin Kelly - as she calls herself. Bevin fills our lives with joy and manages to brighten each day that we are lucky enough to see her. Like her mother (Fiona) she has an independent streak with an enquiring and challenging mind. She has…

Women are usually better at answering these questions than men, but I do remember a lot of the wedding day.At my mother's insistence, all the men were in morning suits, top hats, tails, gloves - the whole works. Although Joan and I resisted, we…

I spent 40 Christmases in Carlin Records and I didn't regard a single day of it as 'work' or a 'job'. I just loved it and it was a major part of my life. I am sure that the fact it was our family business was the reason that I put my whole heart and…

At first there was only my father and myself, but, as the business expanded, we took on staff and always organised a meal for them at Christmas.We always prided ourselves on having created a friendly working environment and our employees were part…

In the early days, as I was a working for my father, nothing was properly formalised. I think I started off with £3 and then I went up to £5.From an early age, I saved my money, first with an account in a Post Office Savings account and, later, I…

I think the term 'teenager' was much a late 1950s invention, most probably thought up by an American marketing man looking for a new group to sell his wares to. The music industry latched on to it and songs such as 'Teenager in love' topped the…

In April, 1961 - just before my 16th birthday - my father opened his own retail business. I went in to help in the shop after school, on Saturdays and during that year's summer holidays. I never went back in September. I just loved working in the…