LIFE at the Talbot Hotel in Malton during the late 1950s and early 1960s was remembered with great fondness when former employees met up to reminisce and share their stories.

They had all responded to an appeal for memories in the Gazette on behalf of local writer Norman Maitand who is compiling a book about the Talbot on behalf of the Fitzwilliam Estate.

Liz Ireland, née Brigham, Margaret Boyes and Eileen Bulmer, née Fields, all went to Norton Girls’ School where they were told about the employment opportunities at the hotel.

“I was 15 when I left school and started as a chambermaid at the Talbot,” Liz said.

“On my first day I was so nervous and I remember my mum being upset as I was going to live-in but it was the only job available.”

Liz shared a bedroom at the top of the hotel looking onto the River Derwent.

Her days started early with the morning teas to be made between 6.30am and 7am.

She said: “We had to take the trays of tea to the rooms, then while the guests had breakfast we had to go round with a bucket and empty all the chamber pots which were used during the night as there were no en-suite bathrooms. Not easy for a shy, young girl.

“We then had to strip and change the beds and clean the rooms, finishing at 3pm before we were back on duty again at 5pm.”

As there was no central heating, trays of hot water bottles had to be carried up to the 26 bedrooms with Liz finishing work at 10pm.

“It was hard work but we enjoyed ourselves and we all got on well together,” she said.

“We worked six days a week and everything was provided from our wages, leaving us with about £1.50 a week.”

There was clearly some time to socialise, as Liz said: “I met George who was working as a joiner across the road and we were married five years later.”

Margaret Boyes also joined The Talbot from Norton Girls’ School in 1958 and stayed for eight years.

“I started as a kitchen maid and worked my way up to cook in charge of the kitchen when the chefs weren’t there,” she said.

“I used to bike there every day from my parents’ home in Scarborough Road, rain, sleet or snow, to be there for 7.30am to do the breakfasts.

“Lunch had to be organised from noon to 2.30pm and then dinner from 5.30pm-9.30pm as well as cleaning the kitchen. We got £2.8s.9d for a 60-hour week.”

Kath Bulmer, née Umpleby, left school at Great Habton, aged 15, on Maundy Thursday 1958 and on Good Friday cycled the five miles to start work at The Talbot for 8am.

She worked there for five years until she married David at the age of 18.

The couple still farm at Amotherby and celebrate their golden wedding anniversary this May.

“We were all a good team and have lovely memories of our time at The Talbot,” Kath said.

“One of the waitresses – Val Sowden, known as ‘Saucebox’ was a bridesmaid when I married and she lives in London now but we still keep in touch,” she recalled.

“Every Wednesday we used to go to York on the bus to go dancing which as very exciting.”

Kath added they had also had great staff parties at Christmas and famous faces regularly came to stay.

“Freddie Truman was a friend of Mr and Mrs Hopper, the managers, and always stayed in room number 26 overlooking the river,” she said.

“He was a typical Yorkshireman and liked a good steak.”

Also on the guest list over the years was Tommy Steel, television presenter Wilfred Pickles and dance band leader Victor Sylvester.

“I always remember Sophia Loren coming to stay with a film crew when they were filming Lady L at Castle Howard,” Kath said.

“She was very beautiful and very tall and captivated everyone.”

By coincidence, Kath’s sister-in-law Eileen, married to her husband’s brother Richard, also worked at The Talbot but as a nanny.

“Someone came to Norton Girls’ School and asked if anyone was interested in being a nanny to the manager’s baby,” Eileen said.

“I had no qualifications but I got the job and spent two years at the hotel looking after their daughter, Sarah.”

All four former workers recalled Miss Westmorland, the housekeeper who wore a large chain round her middle with a master key on it and lived in Chancery Lane, Malton.

“There was also a permanent resident Miss Saunders who lived in room four,” Kath said. “She was quite elderly and a stickler for having her tea on time.”

The hotel apparently had a ghost called Clanky whom no one ever saw but staff remembered a drop in temperature and a cold atmosphere in the cloisters area.

They also remembered how a baby was nearly born at the hotel when a chambermaid went into labour.

“She was quickly taken to Westow Croft,” Eileen recalled.