Barry Richardson and Napsbury Hospital

Secretary at Napsbury

I worked at Napsbury hospital in the Transport Department prior to moving to Edgware. What a beautiful place to work. The surroundings were marvellous and I never felt I was at work.

The people I met were very friendly and I made many friends whom I still keep in contact with. The people never wanted to go home after work, they went to the social club or, like me, walked around the grounds enjoying the beautiful scenery. The patients were all very relaxed and had the freedom of being able to get out of the wards, they were always pleasant considering they were ill.

Barry Richardson

I will never forget the day I went for my interview with Barry Richardson, Manager at Napsbury and Edgware hospitals. He was looking for a secretary in the Transport Department. I got a lift to the interview and arrived two hours early. I stayed with Shirley in the laundry room until it was time for me to be seen.

I had my interview with Barry and Sean Flowers. Following this, I had to get in a car to go and do a typing test at what was known as The Cowshed. I remember thinking: “I am getting in a car with a strange man” – I was very frightened as I was taught never to get in a car with strangers and now I had done exactly that!

On my first day, I did not have a computer, paper or anything to write with. Sean found a pencil which he cut in half. When I went to file the fuel receipts, I opened the box file and all the receipts flew out. There were no files and they were using an old diary to do their writing.

When I got the job, Barry told me, “Be careful of Joe”. After almost two weeks, I asked when I was going to meet Joe and was told he was on his honeymoon. Consequently, I was expecting somebody young. But when I did meet him, I was shocked – this was his third wife! He had a very loud voice and smoked heavily. Joe and I became very good friends and are still friends to this date, along with other people I met whilst working at Napsbury Hospital.

Happy Memories

Lovely happy memories, plenty of fun. I enjoyed my days at Napsbury and eventually retired after almost 20 years. Barry was a wonderful boss he was kind and human. I loved working in the Transport Department as I learnt many things and made plenty of friends.

I enjoyed working for Barry at Napsbury Hospital. There will never ever be another place like it.

Barry Richardson passed away on 14th October 2018.

If you have any memories you would like to share of Barry Richardson or the Transport Department, please do so in the comment section below.