JENNY CELEBRATES 50 YEARS WITH THE SAME EMPLOYER

Lyndon B Johnson was US president, Harold Wilson was Prime Minister, petrol cost just 6p a litre, The Sound of Music was on at the cinema, and England was yet to win the World Cup – all this when Jenny Hayman started work as an office junior in 1966.

This week she celebrated an incredible 50 years continuous service with the same firm, and over 100 colleagues at Lovewell Blake got together to mark the rare achievement.

Jenny started work at accountants E.J.Riches & Son  in Cathedral Street, Norwich on 29^th April 1966.  The firm merged with Lovewell Blake in 1988.

Lovewell Blake partner Douglas Young, who has been at the firm a mere 36 years, presented Jenny with a number of gifts from staff and partners to mark the occasion, while the firm’s ‘Poet Laureate’ Tim Bash performed an ode he had written especially for the occasion.

“This is the first time in the firm’s 158 year history that we have been able to mark 50 years’ service,” said Mr Young.  “Jenny has seen and absorbed huge changes in the way we work over that half century, from the advent of telex in the year she joined, through to the sophisticated computer systems we use today.

“It is an astonishing record of service, and we are very proud to celebrate Jenny’s huge contribution over the years.”

Jenny started work as an office junior earning £2 12s 6d a week, before progressing to be a typist and then becoming secretary to two partners.  Jenny  currently works as a marketing assistant.

She is married with a daughter and two grandsons.

Some facts and figures from April 1966

• US President was Lyndon Johnson, UK Prime Minister was Harold Wilson
• The Vietnam War was in full flight, and Apollos 2 and 3 took off
• At the cinema, The Sound of Music was showing, along with Gregory Peck and Sophia Loren in Arabesque
• The Spencer Davis Group were top of the hit parade with ‘Somebody Help Me’, and The avengers was the TV hit.
• In sport, Liverpool won the League under Bill Shankley, Henry Cooper knocked down Cassius Clay in the boxing ring, and of course, the England football team were looking forward to the World Cup finals.
• The average house price was £3558; petrol was 27p a gallon (6p a litre); a Ford Cortina cost £620, a pint of beer was 9p, the FTSE was at 93.93, and the average weekly wage was £20.