Wrexham jobs photos spark nostalgic times for readers

Recently a few photos from the Leader's archives, shared to their Local Bygones Facebook group, helped take a few members down memory lane.

First up was this photo of Rhos Telephone Exchange, from 1969.

Elsie Gleed, working at the Rhos Telephone Exchange in 1969.

The woman pictured was identified by several members, including Brenda Leach, who said: "This lady is Elsie Gleed, who was the supervisor in Rhos and later transferred to the exchange in Wrexham."

The picture had many reminiscing about their time working at the exchange, and others across the region.

Phyllis Brennan: "Those were the days, I worked on a switchboard just like that one. I loved it."

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Edward Lloyd-Davies: "I used to work a Private Branch exchange or PBX, similar to a section of the one shown and it was known as a dolls eye board with 30 extensions and four incoming lines, it nearly drove me mad.

"This was in the Shotton office of Manweb, and I used sometimes to work Christmas Day when the electricity used to go off due to mass cooking country wide, and soothe customers whose turkeys were in their ovens waiting for the supply to return.

"It was common for the electricity to go off due to fuses blowing in the substations."

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Karen Hurford: "Worked in Rhos exchange with Elsie our supervisor. Lovely memories."

Christine Davies: "I did work on one of these old plug boards and often got an electric shock from it!"

Liz Jones: "My first job as a telephonist in the Co-op bakery, it was an amazing piece of machinery, loved it."

Lynda Gardner: "'Rubber knees' or 'number please' often elicited the same response, as people didn't really listen to what we operators said."

E.R. Hughes for Menswear - The Bon, in Wrexham, in 1966.

Also providing some memories, were a series of photos taken from 1966 at E.R. Hughes for Menswear - The Bon, in Wrexham.

Local Bygones member Phil Davies provided a few more details: "Main picture is my father George (The Bon) Davies who had been at The Bon for 45 years except for War service. Other picture is John Alan Jones, from Vernon Street, Rhosddu."

George Davies, manager of E.R. Hughes for Menswear - The Bon, in Wrexham, 1966.

About Mr Davies Snr, Dorothy Jones added: "He was a true gentleman and a great church warden. Happy memories."

Many were reminded of their time and purchases at The Bon...

Margaret Roberts: "Bought my collar studs from The Bon when I joined the WRAC, still got them 50 years on. Lovely place."

Diane Forward: "It was a real gentleman's shop, nothing like it now."

John Alan Jones, working at The Bon menswear shop in Wrexham, 1966.

Mike Davies: "Still got a pair of corderoy trousers from the last sale before they closed down, good quality there."

Eirlys Davies: "Lovely old fashioned shop, wonderful service and so helpful and courteous always. Super high quality clothes. Really miss those kind of shops."

Des James: "Bought my only bow tie from them."

Phil Mullen: "Quality merchandise."

Tailor Phil Jones. Photo courtesy of his son, Phil Jones.

Phil Jones shared a photo of his dad, also Phil Jones, on Lord Street at R Stanley Craig's shop, who were credit drapers, and said: "This guy was not just the best tailor in town but the best dad by a country mile!!"

Ian Fraser added: "Phil Jones, and a lovely man. Also bought my first Byford jumper from The Bon."

The quality created quite a reputation, with Stephen Davies adding: "You had to be posh to buy from The Bon."

• If you have any photos or memories to share of a special purchase of job from years gone by, email claire.pierce@newsquest.co.uk