MISSING . . .
THE DAILY MAIL offers readers a unique opportunity to re-establish contact with long-lost relatives and friends. Each week, MONICA PORTER features the story of someone trying to find a missing loved one, as well as a tale of people reunited. This column is produced in conjunction with the voluntary tracing service, Searching For A Memory, run by Gill and John Whitley.
Mary Hodgson writes: ‘I should dearly love to trace any of the receptionists I worked with from 1957 to 1959 at the University arms Hotel in Cambridge.
‘The hotel (now demolished) was owned by the Bradford brothers who had been PoWs in Japan. There were about ten receptionists when I worked there and, as my photo shows, without computers or calculators, we worked out figures on paper.
‘as Cambridge’s premier hotel, we had many famous guests — visitors to the university and newmarket races, and sportspeople from around the world. We felt very privileged, as we lived and dined at the hotel and had a private sitting room where we could entertain friends when not working shifts.
‘We spent much of our time dodging the fearsome night porter who would collect guests’ shoes from outside their rooms for cleaning. Food was not plentiful in the Fifties, so we really appreciated our meals in the dining room.
‘as the owners had a pheasant shoot in norfolk, game often featured on the menu. But for us it was: “oh no, not pheasant again!”
‘This was an interesting start to my working life but soon I became a B.o.a.C. stewardess to see the world.
‘Before the 1975 sex discrimination act, marriage meant giving up work. so after my wedding, I ran a guest house in somerset then worked for the national Trust, where retirement came at 65.
‘But retirement was not for me, and I got part-time work at race courses near my home in guildford, surrey.
‘I’m now 78 years old and work at royal ascot, which is the highlight of my summer.’