Restaurant

Reminiscences

By May Gray

Photo:Connie Beak (S.M.) with May Gray (waitress) Serving behind the bar at a retirement party.

Connie Beak (S.M.) with May Gray (waitress) Serving behind the bar at a retirement party.

JLP Archive Collection

Photo:(L to R) Janine Simonds, Irene Goundry, Mary Cross, Terry Kelly, Peggy Maher, June Taylor, Mr. Niogi (manager), Bessie Andrews, Nellie Ellisdon, Doris (?), Trudy Burton (supervisor), May Gray and Eva Adams.

(L to R) Janine Simonds, Irene Goundry, Mary Cross, Terry Kelly, Peggy Maher, June Taylor, Mr. Niogi (manager), Bessie Andrews, Nellie Ellisdon, Doris (?), Trudy Burton (supervisor), May Gray and Eva Adams.

JLP Archive Collection

Photo:Branch Council Dinner. October 1982. (L to R) Peggy Maher, Janine Simonds, Irene Goundry, Mr Boggia, May Gray, Mary Cross and Eva Adams.

Branch Council Dinner. October 1982. (L to R) Peggy Maher, Janine Simonds, Irene Goundry, Mr Boggia, May Gray, Mary Cross and Eva Adams.

JLP Archive Collection

Photo:Restaurant with the check tablecloths

Restaurant with the check tablecloths

JLP Archive Collection

The restaurant opened in August 1965, in the new building of the old Trewins in Queens Road, Watford. It was a family restaurant (complete with high chairs etc.) which served morning coffee, lunches and teas.

When I was part of the team of waitresses, the lunches were served as Silver Service under the management of Mr. Adami. We had long queues of customers for most of the day. When we had a new manager we changed over to plated lunches, green check tableclothes instead of the white damask ones, which was also popular with our customers. Our waitresses had regular customers who were willing to queue for a table with their own preferred waitress.

We catered for Branch Council Dinners Silver Service, retirement parties and many other functions.

During my nearly 24 years service I had six different managers. When I retired, Mr Carlo Boggia was the restaurant manager, who was very popular with both customers and staff alike.

It was a very happy time for me as a waitress in the Trewins restaurant.

This page was added by Ian Hudson on 31/07/2007.
Comments about this page

How nice to see Christmas decorations in the customers' resturant.  Maybe we should suggest we decorate The Place to Eat.

By Diane Wise
On 20/08/2007

I remember going to the resturant long before I worked for Trewins.     My Dad used to take me and my young son there for fish and chips.  When I came to Trewins later on to work, I recognised May Gray and Peggy Maher as the two ladies who always made a fuss of my son as he was only small then.

By Maureen BONE
On 20/08/2007

Although the new restaurant opened in 1965, there had been a restaurant in Trewins for many years.

It was formerly known as James' and was further along Queens Road.  It was taken over by the Partnership in the fifties and joined to the rest of the shop by an entrance into the carpet department, which was housed in an enormous Nissen hut.  There were a few offices over the restaurant such as correspondence but it's main use was for the partners' dining room and senior dining room.

By David Sheehan
On 26/10/2007

My nan, May Gray, used to take me to Trewins restaurant in the early eighties when I was visiting her in the holidays. It was great fun seeing behind the scenes in the kitchens and seeing how all the staff had fun and enjoyed working together.

By Jennifer Sasserath (nee Gray)
On 29/12/2007

My sister, Vanessa, and I would visit the restaurant with my mother in the hope that we would get served by our Nanny, Bessie Andrews.  We would wait patiently and be quiet as we remembered it being posh.  Nanny would give us a wink and when she was free she would take us to one of her tables and treat us to ice cream served in a silver dish.  Mrs Burton would make a fuss of us as we were Bessie's grandchildren.  This was in the late 70's and we considered it a real treat.

By deborah brown
On 30/04/2008

My mother used to take me to Trewins a lot when I was young.  What a heavenly shop.  We used to go in the restaurant.  I can remember it as if it were yesterday.  I wish it was still there. Oh! Happy days.

By Cathy Vincent
On 07/07/2014
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