Phyllis bows out of West Bromwich firm after 64 years
It has taken 64 years but at last 'the mother' of all workers has finally bid farewell to the factory where she started as a 15-year-old schoolgirl.
Phyllis Cuthbert was not only an excellent machine operator, she also became part of the social fabric of the National Spring Company in West Bromwich, said her colleagues.
Managing director Richard Hill described her as the 'mother figure' of the workforce, who took new staff under her wing and showed them the ropes, and also organised all the whip-rounds for birthdays, anniversaries and other celebrations.
"She's always happy – and was still one of the fastest press operators, even at the age of 79," said Mr Hill, grandson of the founder of the company.
The great-grandmother joined the Grafton Road business after leaving George Salter School in 1954, initially packing springs into boxes before moving on to work the presses.
After taking time off to have each of her five children, she always returned to the firm, just five minutes down the road from her Ruskin Street home. In all, she worked at the factory for 54 years over a span of six decades.
"When you're happy in your job, you're happy," said Phyllis. "I've loved working there, and the work has got easier rather than harder. You can work the new air presses with a touch of your foot now.
"I'll miss everybody," she said. "I've always said I'd carry on working until my body told me I'd had enough. My children said 'You're 80 next birthday mom, have some time to yourself' so I decided it was time to stop.
"But I'll find it hard because I'm never idle. My neighbours have seen me cleaning my windows at 6am – they say 'Do you even sit down?'I shall call in to see them. Even when I had the children, I never really left, I was always popping in," she said.
Working at the company has been a family affair, with three of her sisters having worked there, too. Her daughter Elaine and a niece and granddaughter also work at the plant.
Long-serving Phyllis was showered with gifts at her leaving presentation, including a gold bracelet, cash, a large cake, bouquet of flowers and theatre tickets to see Mrs Brown's Boys later this year.
