I did not really get in to the high fashion stakes in hairdressing in '79 as I was still very much a 'mother', I had suffered a mis-carriage this year which left me devastated, I never thought I could feel so empty and so alone, yet it is a very regular occurence with the majority of women. You don't think so at the time though, so another year passes and I am still enjoying 'keeping my hand in'. It is now spring 1980 and we decided to go to Majorca for a holiday, we went with Sharon and Keith, very good friends of ours then and still today. I was pregnant again and this was not planned, so I was not happy about the thought of maybe not carrying this child with 100% love that I had when I was pregnant with my first child.........Majorca was fun, sunny, warm and loved being together with our friends and my adorable Adelle, until one evening I realised I was losing my 12 week old unborn child.....again, so I was taken in to hospital in Palma and without going in to further details, that was it as far as I was concerned regarding having more children.
Then, when I came back to England, infections set in, so I was taken in to hospital at York and that's where I met my friend Chris Lacy, she was in the bed to my left, suffering from an ectopic pregnancy, but what a lovely lady, with two beautiful girls, Nicola and Jo-anne. Chris had her own Salon in Huntington, York. Eventually this friendship blossomed and Chris offered me a job in her Salon, I loved it, I helped develop Chris' thriving business by my input and this worked well for a few months. Adelle was at school, her Nana helped me whilst I worked.
In March 1981 a Gent's Hairdressing business came up for sale in Tadcaster, this was the opportunity I wanted, I needed and with the financial help of my Mother and Father in Law, this became possible. So I bought 'Mr Knibbs', it had great opportunities as it had a first floor which was un-developed. Within one week, I was in the shop, changed it's name to 'Reflections', we were at the side of the River Wharfe, hence the name as well as the mirror reflections. This business was turning over £3,500 per annum, but I raised it to £17,500 in the first year. The ladies' business was growing rapidly, the mens side of things was not what I really wanted, but did not turn down this as it was a regular form of income.
I joined the NHF, (National Hairdressers' Federation) as I was employing staff (Janet and Anne), this trade body and it's meetings were essential in helping me with the laws of employment, holidays, sickness etc. They also arranged demonstrations to demonstrate the skills of competition work, this was given by David and Michael of York. Wow! I was amazed at what these men could do with their models, ....I wanted to learn how to do it....and I did, by 1982 I was the North East of England Men's Champion Hairdresser! I learnt from David how to taper, texturise, create shape and most of all finish the style to perfection.
I was buzzing, I loved been competitive, I has a good model and it was not long before Anne ( we called her Gemma as their was an Ann previously at the Salon) wanted to compete, so as a team we toured the north and entered at all available competitions, finally to Blackpool - this was the the icing on the cake. I had been to Blackpool exhibition in the 70's with Michael Aldrich from Jack Lee's as he arranged a salon trip, so I knew it was a huge event...............
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