An interview with Mo Ann Shanks
Mo Ann Shanks was a legal secretary until she retired at 63. She missed using her brain, so she set up her own secretarial company and started doing ad hoc work for a solicitor. She is also in the process of completing her third autobiography.
Are you local to East London?
Yes, I’ve lived in and around Walthamstow all my life. I lived on Erskine road for 8 years as a child, on Priory Court Estate. I then lived in Leytonstone for 6 months when I got married, before moving to Upper Walthamstow for 13 years. I now live in Higham Hill.
What do you like most about the area?
I used to love the market back when you could buy anything there. There used to be two cinemas called the Carlton and Dominion, which I used to go to a lot as a child. I remember the old Granada cinema (now the EMD). All the other cinemas we used to climb in through the toilet window, but at the Granada there was a man called Ernie who worked there who stopped us getting in. There was no getting past Ernie!
When I was 15 and courting my husband, we used to go to the market and share a bag of cherries or a bag of hot chestnuts in winter. I remember we use to buy Sarsaparilla outside the Carlton Cinema, which used to taste amazing. It was served hot or cold depending on the time of year. I hope someone wrote that recipe down as it would be a shame if it’s been lost.
Now I like The Mall in Walthamstow as I’ve been there 3 times for book promotions and they have accommodated me, not charging for the stall or for parking. I usually do very well catching passing traffic when people stop to talk to me and admire my stall. I display a folder with old photos of Walthamstow in it and it acts as a good talking point.
Can you tell us your age?
I am 75 years old, having been born on the 12th of November 1941, 2 years after the start of World War II
What work did you do before you retired?
Over my working life I have had a variety of secretarial positions, as well as acting as a Personnel Officer for one company. I know Shorthand and can type 85 words a minute. Prior to retiring I worked for a solicitors company near the Bakers Arms. I retired at the age of 63.
How did you get back into work once you had retired?
Eight months after I retired I realised I needed to do something where I used my brain. I set up my own secretarial business helping people write their CVs. It’s called Bizzy Fingers and I have a Facebook page. A few years after setting up Bizzy Fingers I was contacted by a solicitor, who asked me to come and work for him. I’ve now been working for him on an ad hoc basis for 7 years.
Why did you decide to continue working after you reached retirement age?
My main reasons were financial as I would only have had a very small pension if I had retired. I was given a married woman’s stamp early in my career and I didn’t realise that I had the option of paying more into my pension pot then. I also love to be active though, and I enjoy the work.
What else do you do when you are not working?
I have written 2 autobiographies about my life growing up in Walthamstow during and after the war. I’m still working on the third book, which takes me up to the present day. My grandson, Daniel, used to love it when I told him stories from my childhood in Walthamstow and one of my friends encouraged me to write them all down and publish them. The books are available on Amazon and in Waterstones. The Talking Newspapers have serialised my books and I have become a volunteer for them, reading my book for the blind and partially-sighted.
I took up playing golf in my late 60s and play on a regular basis with my 2 sons and my grandson also comes along. I wouldn’t say I am very good, but I can certainly hit the ball and score and I thoroughly enjoy the game! I also love gardening and solving crossword puzzles, basically keeping active and young at heart.
Can you tell us what each of the books are about?
The first book, ‘To Dear Daniel with Love’, tells how my parents met and married, my early life and how I met my husband and got married.
The second book, ‘The Family’, starts with our early married life and the births of our 2 sons, up until our eldest son himself got married.
The third and final book continues the story, with our youngest son’s wedding and the birth of our one and only grandson. This is still in the editing stages but I hope to have it published in the spring.
What advice would you give to others who are approaching retirement?
I would say fill your days with things to do, keep active and most important of all, keep your brain working. Don’t give up just because you are no longer working, there are such a lot of opportunities out there for retired people. Join a club if you are lonely or take up evening classes. Most of all, don’t think your life is over because it isn’t, it’s just beginning!
