Want a Job?

Apparently the HM the Queen is advertising for a trainee Butler to work at Buckingham Palace, with a chance to work also at Windosor, Holyrood, Balmoral and Sandringham.

What you may not know, and I can't remember if I have said, is that I used to work at Buckingham Palace ... way back in my history I was but a mere youngster at 19 and very wet behind the ears.. I saw an advert for a kitchen assistant and wrote off a letter thinking nothing more of it. Mum and I went off for a weekend to Paris, and on my return I was greeted with a thick white envelope inviting me for an interview.

I travelled up to London with Mum, as much for the day out, thinking that we would have an opportunity to do some sightseeing, but I was so long in the interview that we ended up going straight home; that was the Friday morning and on Monday they telephoned and said I had the job and could I start straight away... my boots were quaking, but I gamely accepted and started the following week although most of the Monday was taken with security things like passes and being shown around which as I had to travel to Scotland (Balmoral) the following day was all but forgotten for 8 weeks until my return.

My job was officially labelled Kitchen Assistant, but really just think Ruby in Upstairs, Downstairs.. I was at the beck and call of the chefs, but did have a chance to learn from some of the best although not all of it has stuck.. I was definitely at home in the pastry section and when I could I always wangled that part of the job.

I was there for three years, very memorable years, and the only place I didn't work at was Sandringham because it was too small to accommodate all the staff and we were considered surplus to requirements which meant I could always guarantee having New Year off.

To be continued.....