Working and Sharing

In the year 1912 I became 14 years old and graduated from school. I was given a certificate to that effect. Now I was considered old enough to earn my own living. I was frightened of this new experience. There were still effects of the depression and it was hard to find work. My parents were always happy as each one of us became old enough to contribute towards the house­keeping and our own upkeep.

Mother and I went from place to place looking for employment but it seemed like there was nothing to be had. Finally a friend of mother's said she would speak for me at WD & HO Wills Tobacco factory. Father didn't want me to work there, neither did I, but mother was insistent and I had no choice in the matter. So in January 1913 I started work in the Redcliffe branch of the firm.

At first I worked with girls my own age. I liked these girls and enjoyed working with them. The room we worked in was called the "crushing room". The steamed tobacco leaves were brought to us in huge trolleys. The leaves were knotted together in bundles and it was our job to open them and spread the leaves onto a moving band which took them between two huge rollers and mangled or crushed them, dropping them onto another band which took them in to another room. We passed the time in pleasant chatter sometimes giving book reviews. I enjoyed this because I liked to read and retell stories.

We had to be at work at 8:00 A.M. That meant I had to be up at 6:00 and leave home by 7:00 as we lived clear on the other side of town. Sometimes I walked which took a full hour. Sometimes I took the tram part way. Even now I sometimes dream of running to catch a tram only to see it pass me by.

I used to wonder what would happen if those girls and other people working in my room ever found out that I belonged to the Mormon Church. What would I say or what would I do. I hoped it would be a long time before they did. My hopes, however, were short lived.

One Monday morning I went to work as usual and as I entered the room the buzz of voices suddenly stopped and all eyes were upon me. My heart seemed to jump clear to my throat. I knew they had found out. The girl who was at the head of the next machine called out, "Hey! I saw you coming out of the hall where the Mormons meet yesterday. Are you a Mormon?" Everyone's eyes were upon me as they waited for my reply. I was so tempted to say I was just visiting there, then I thought of the time we were mobbed and of how proud I was to be numbered among those who were persecuted for the gospel's sake, and that had been the theme of our Sunday School lesson yesterday morning, so I quickly and proudly said, "Yes, I am a Mormon". Then I turned towards my machine as the buzz of voices started again. I silently prayed for strength and wisdom and knowledge to answer all the questions that I knew would be fired at me. The girl next to me said, "What is a Mormon?  I always thought they were wicked people but I don't think you would be one if they were".

 

So started my missionary career. I began to study the gospel in real earnest and the Lord opened the eyes of my understanding so that through the years I have been able to answer the many questions put to me and to stand boldly against the ridicule that was heaped upon me at various times. This came gradually. The Lord gave me good friends who stood by me and strengthened me in time of need. I was never tempted again to deny my membership in the Church. It also helped to strengthen me to have to read to my father who had lost the sight of one eye with small pox when he was but nine years old. He liked me to read the Book of Mormon aloud to him.

 

*These photos were more than likely taken after the time that Grandma worked there and may or may not have been the same rooms where she worked. They were probably taken sometime in the 1930s. However, it gives us an idea of the environment in which she worked.

A Malodorous Mystery

On Saturday Aunt Nell's people returned home and I was put on the train to return to Barry. My few belongings were wrapped in some brown paper which had been wrapped around a large gorgonzola cheese--that’s worse than limburger. The day was hot and humid and the train was crowded with people going to the beach at Barry to cool off. The English trains have small coaches holding about twelve people--six on each side facing each other.

A plump gentleman offered to squeeze me in so I sat on the very edge of the seat bracing my feet on the floor to keep from sliding off. I watched the landscape flying by, then I began to realize that I had room enough to sit back and the fat man next to me was almost hanging out of the window for air and the other passengers were crowding away from me towards the opposite window, giving me looks of absolute disgust. By this time we had arrived at the first Barry station. I left the carriage here and thanked the gentleman for making room for me. He didn't answer but looked very relieved.

I made my way to Aunt Annie's house which wasn't far from the station. They were just sitting down to their evening meal when I arrived. So I put my parcel on the machine behind Aunt Annie's chair and seated myself. There were some cousins visiting her from Cardiff by the name of Reakes. The girl, a little younger than I was, was named Doris. I think there were three boys.

You would have to know Aunt Annie to see the humor in this situation. She was very aristocratic in her bearing. She wore her hair piled high atop her head. She always wore high lace collars with bones in around her throat to keep them up. As dinner proceeded she laid down her knife and fork and looking at the nearest boy she said, "Henry, go outside!". He looked at her in astonishment and was about to protest but he saw the look on her face as she said, "immediately!". This happened to each one in turn until all four were outside looking hungrily in the window. By this time I had begun to put two-and-two together and realized it was the cheese paper that was causing all the disturbance.

Uncle Herbert married Aunt Nell and they were very happy. They adopted a baby boy just a few days old. His name was Bernard. His parent's name was Evans but he went by the name of Bernard Yard. The Doris Reakes mentioned above became the Great-Aunt of Janet Reakes of Australia I will write about later on.

A Family Photo

Neal Family Photo, taken about the time they were baptized.