Sheila Lamb
Sheila was born in 1928 in Bournemouth. She went to Parkstone Grammer School from ten to fifteen and a half when she left having got her school certificate. At that time she was still living in the same family house.
She trained as a nursery nurse — the training for which lasted 2 years — it was done “on the job” that is to say, lectures by various doctors with whom she worked with, also from first aiders. And advice from air raid wardens on what to do in emergencies when the sirens went i.e.; where to take the children to air raid shelters, and how to deal with incendiary bombs etc. The salary was small — £1 – 8 shillings per month, but it was residential. A uniform was required.
Sheila stayed in this job for 2 years and then went to Southampton Children’s hospital to train as a sick children’s nurse. She didn’t stay long as she found it too distressing seeing some of the little ones dying. There followed a short stay in a boarding school looking after children, but she then decided to do a two year teacher training course at Salisbury.
Her first teaching job was at South Road teaching infants. She then moved to Heatherlands where she stayed for 32 years and was in charge of the lower school. Smart dress was required and ladies didn’t wear trousers. Of course at that time women were paid a lot less than men, so when a law was brought in for equal pay for women, their salaries were increased by increments annually until they became level with men.
This job was by far her favourite job until she retired. Sheila had always been a Guider in her spare time and, as such, became a trainer — then a treasurer.
Over the 27 years as a Guider she has traveled to other countries in this capacity, and is now Vice President.
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