'Hanging up her boots'

Margaret, who turned 65 on Tuesday and celebrated her ruby wedding anniversary on the same day, has announced her retirement from the shoe trade.

She’s worked under four different bosses in Church Place and Margaret reckons she may have fitted up to five generations for shoes.

Margaret, originally from Aghalee, but now living in Thornhill Park, said: "My first boss was John Bustard, then Sidney Cairns, then Gordon Lunn, then Michael Donaghy took over.

"I was working as a warp knitter for Saracens for six years before going full time here. About two years into that I was Mr Bustard’s Saturday girl.

"Somebody left and he asked me would I come in and cover. I’ve been here ever since - 44 years full time.”

She added: "I like shop work. I like working with shoes and I like meeting the customers. I’ve got to know some lovely people over the years. I've always loved working with the wee children - they’re adorable."

The 'MAIL' learnt how one lady was prepared to travel a great distance to have Margaret fit her daughter's first shoes.

“There was a lady came in from Augher or Clougher or somewhere near there,” she explained.

“Her mother had told her that I'd fitted her for her first shoes when she was a wee girl. So she'd brought her daughter in for me to measure her and keep up the family tradition.

"I've maybe fitted up to four or five generations of the same family," commented Margaret.

The 65-year-old continued: "There were no foot gauges in the early days never mind computerized ones like you have now. I did it by looking at the child's feet. I could tell if they were narrow or broad and roughly what size they were and we took it from there.

"Shoes have become such a fashion thing - there’s so much more brands," said Margaret. "The wee boys and girls are very fashion conscious. They come in and know what they want. The children get to choose their own shoes."

She added: "I’ve seen a lot of changes over the years. The boxes all used to be out on the shelves on the walls. The shoes were on display in the middle of the shop and if someone asked for a pair of shoes you knew where the box was from memory.

"Gradually the boxes ended up out the back and the shelving was down to the floor."

Margaret recalled some memorable moments from her 44 years in the shoe trade: "I've had a few things happen in the shoe shop," she said.

"A woman came in in labour and we had to get her a pair of slippers and get her over to the hospital. It took me unawares. Me and the other girl that was in just got her the slippers as quick as we could - we didn’t want her to have the baby in here on the floor.

"A woman took an epileptic fit in the shop and another woman had a stroke. Thankfully no one has died in the shop."

Margaret has been manager at Michael Phillip's since Michael Donaghy took over the business.

"I’ve enjoyed it all," she said. "Like everything else, you have good days and bad days.

"My mum who is 89, Mrs Lappin of Aghalee, had been on at me to retire since my husband retired. She wants me to spend time with Ronnie while we can still go places and enjoy ourselves."

Margaret and her husband Ronnie celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on Tuesday. Ronnie used to work at Express Dairies in Magheralin and was also patrolman at Carrick school.

The Lurgan couple are partial to the odd cruise. They've been on several Mediterranean cruises and another which took them to Russia via the Fjords of Scandinavia.

"I’d like to try Turkey and I’d also like to go on an Alaskan cruise," said Margaret. "I’ve worked for 50 years and I think I’ve done enough to deserve it."

Margaret concluded: "I started here on the 4th or 6th of June. There used to be writing on the wall upstairs to say when I started but it’s gone now. I’m retiring on the 5th because it’s in between.

"I will miss the routine of it all. I'll miss the girls and the customers.

"I want to stay busy. I love walking. I'm going to do a few things round the house. I'll maybe be able to take up reading again. I'll call in here from time to time to say hello to the girls.

"I'll probably think I'm on holiday for a while then reality will set in."