Working at Fenn Wright 50 years ago

Now, half a century on and retired from full-time work, Sue Powell from Clacton, wrote and asked if she could pay a nostalgic visit to the Fenn Wright Colchester branch at 146 High Street. 

She was welcomed by Partner Graham Buxton and Amy Holloway pictured below.

Although the office looked very different from the one she worked in, the visit, exactly 50 years from the day she joined us, brought back many happy memories for Sue.

A secretarial student at North East Essex Technical College and School of Art, Sue Snedden (as she was then) worked as a shorthand typist for several of the partners and agents, reproducing house particulars and farming sales catalogues on the Gestetner machine. Sue recalled that if the senior partner (of the time) Herbert Whybrow had important clients in his office, he would request tea, which had to be bought from Jacklins next door, and tea pot, milk jug, sugar, hot water, cups and saucers all carried upstairs to him. Fridays were a special day, when several of the girls would get together for lunch at a Chinese restaurant in the High Street – being sure to be back within the allotted hour. 

Sue left Fenn Wright in 1969 and though she missed her friends and colleagues, she earned almost twice as much as a payroll clerk in her home town of Clacton.  It was here she met her husband. In 1971 they bought a house in St Osyth through Fenn Wright for the princely sum of £4,050. Sue went on to become a political agent, looking after local authority politicians, MPs and MEPs. She has two children and now lives in Clacton once more. 

We wish her every happiness in her continued retirement.

If you fancy a career at Fenn Wright, have a look at our list of current vacancies. We could be welcoming you back in 2066 – assuming you would ever want to leave!