Dorothy and Geoffrey Hope

I began working at The Standard Triumph at the age of fourteen years.  I was originally expected to go into service when I left school, but during the war, each evening we had a family who escaped the bombing by coming to stay with us.  It was this family that encouraged me to aim for something better and I applied to work in the offices.

I began working after my initial training just doing basic filing, I then went on to train and work as a Comptometer.  I spent a good many years working in the same department, cycling each day from my family home in Balsall Common to Tile Hill Station where the Blacksmith would look after my bike while I finished my journey to work on the train.

The Standard Triumph was a good place to work, when any new model came out we would congregate at the front of the factory to celebrate its launch and this made us feel part of its production and proud of the companies achievements.  The pay was good and each Christmas there would be a party in the evening which is where I met my husband, Geoffrey who also worked for the company.

During the winter months when it was difficult to get to work from Balsall Common  due to bad weather I stayed with two sisters who also worked at Standard Triumph.  I continued working even after I got married until I found work nearer to home but have really good memories of my time with Standard Triumph.

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