In 1959 after achieving Pitmans exams in Shorthand, Typing and Book-keeping I started working at Affleck & Brown (a large departmental store in Manchester) as Secretary at first to the General Manager and finally to the Managing Director. Sadly no photos, particularly of my filling in when needed as a model in the restaurant! My father was a little upset as he wanted me to join a Bank where I had been offered a job.
In 1960 I decided to leave home (Woodley) and obtained a job in London with Charles Barclay as Secretary to MD of the Textile Manufacturing company working closely with large groups i.e. Marks and Spencers
I left here in 1961 as I wanted to work nearer my home at the time in Barnes and went to work for Grampian Publishing in Hammersmith responsible for three monthly publications one of which was The Muck Shifter!
Being offered a very interesting job I left here in 1962 to become Manager for Prospect Studios in Barnes, responsible for the day to day running of this TV studio, hiring staff and doing their accounts. This was where I met THE BEATLES and whilst working in the studio, Ringo Starr was ill and I took him to my doctor, who subsequently became the groups private GP and was mentioned in Brian Epstein’s (The Beatles Manager) death
I retired from work in 1965-1969 to have a family (David & Luke) and during this time I took a Teacher training Course at Maria Gray College in Twickenham
In 1973 I joined West Products a manufacturer of Costume Jewellery, organising the sales and distribution for this company as Sales Manager. In 1976 a new company was formed owned 50% by West Products and 50% by myself of which I was appointed Managing Director. In 1985 I established a new company Collections Ltd as a wholesale Belt company owned and run my myself and I continued to run these two companies alongside each other
In 1986 through Collections Ltd I designed and produced a colour co-ordinated range for Jacques Vert PLC who in 1987 bought West Products 50% and bought my two companies and amalgamated them as one Collections Ltd retaining my services for 2 years as Managing Director. They established a new brand name for the jewellery JOUVE part my name Jo and part Jacques Vert As MD I continued to source and buy two collections of jewellery a year, travelling to the Far East, America and Europe to search for new ideas and styles. Through a Sales Force of Sales Manager, six reps and four agents I organised the sales through exhibitions, direct selling and our own in-store concessions and consultancy operation. At monthly management meetings I supplied to Jacques Vert with current computed accounts i.e. P & L Balance sheet, debtors and creditors.
I resigned from Jacques Vert in 1988 as they wished to move the operation and I could see problems with their new MD I was offered the job of group buyer for jewellery, scarves, budget hats, hosiery and hair accessories for Dickens & Jones Group which I held until 1989 when the owners of House & Fraser combined the total buying for the group under central buying.
I then joined Joanna Hall Ltd to develop a top end collection to their existing range travelling to USA and Europe. I regularly visited Providence Rhode Island where their office was run by Mary Ellen who I worked closely with
Once established I became responsible for total selling for this collection and in 1990 became Sales Director for the whole company expanding their customer list to major multiples and stores and developing individual collections for Next, Jacques Vert– etc This company was taken over by Jane Shilton Handbags who had their own sales force.
I joined Rancroft of London in 1992 as buyer and Sales Manager for GIVENCHY JEWELLERY being responsible for range development and visiting the USA to select collections for the UK market and developing new accounts in the UK 50 New accounts were opened in five months! Regretably Rancroft was put into receivership but my services were still retained on a consultancy basis selecting UK lines with the new distributor.
In 1993 I took on the role as Sales Manager for Evita Peroni a distributor of Danish Hair Accessories Again involved in the opening of new accounts with larger retailers i.e. Debenhams, House of Frazer and visiting consultancy and concession stores. Unfortunately due to the recession in the Hair accessory Market and the price point of Evita Peroni in a competitive field this position could no longer offer full time employment. Although offered part time I accepted a new position with a Danish Design & Household Furnishing Company which unfortunately changed its mind about starting up in the UK
Living in Kingston and divorced and in a rental home I nearly panicked but my old boss from Rancroft – Len Biggs – offered me the position of running a new costume jewellery line in the UK “Cristalina” for Pranda of Thailand – Len at the time running their real jewellery company. The UK company was called International Brand Marketing I accepted with pleasure and was Managing Director of “Cristalina” from 1994 until I retired in 1999 to marry Tony and move to Spain This was a very exciting few years and I brought on board Jeanne Darrington who I had employed in the old Jacques Vert days. We opened many major store accounts and online shopping companies. We were mentioned at the Jewellery Award Dinner at Grosvenor House
We showed at various exhibitions Birmingham, Cannes Duty Free, and Dubai and I have many photos to show how hard I worked!! Four times a year I visited the factory in Thailand to design the collection and one year took one of my major clients Marks & Spencers to visit. With Prida (The Thai Owner) I visited a company in China to ascertain whether we needed a Chinese partnership but decided against.