It’s another request for help please – this time from old friend and top cake and coffee purveyor Laura Hucker, who runs the fantastic Reading Rooms coffee emporium in Pelsall and has put on the lovely craft and gift fairs at the Community Centre.

Laura is doing a Masters Degree in Local History and is focussing on the activities of women who were enterprising, but not conventionally employed.

She asked:

Hi all,

I have an unusual request. I am presently doing my masters in local history and I am in the process of putting together what will become ‘the bones’ of my final essay / dissertation. I am looking to investigate women in the workplace with a focus on women who may have considered themselves unemployed but actually had a thriving home industry, this could be a bit dodgy (selling booze or cigarettes from the kitchen), legitimate leather work, making nails, cleaning, baking… whatever. I am focusing on the period 1850 to 1940 which I will later narrow down. 

I wondered if anybody recalls any tails from parents or grand parents who would have been alive during that time that you would be willing to share with a view of me interviewing / delving a bit deeper into at some point?

Anything would be a great help, no matter how small. If you can help, feel free to message me.

Similarly, if anybody has any historical material on industry or working in the area, I would love to see it!

Thanks a lot, Laura 😄

If you can help Laura, please do: I’m really interested in this myself as it’s a concealed aspect of local history I’d never really considered in detail. If you think about it we all knew ladies who did this stuff when we were kids – from selling sweets from the kitchen to undertaking clothing alterations.

If you can help you can contact Laura via Facebook here, via the Reading Rooms on 01543 373768, via email at hello@the-reading-rooms.co.uk – or of course, you could pop in to the Reading Rooms in person and discuss the matter over coffee and rather excellent cake…