Writing that letter to The Manager of my most favourite shop WH Smith, I hardly even expected a response!
I received a reply within a week, saying that although they were not currently recruiting, their Wholesale Warehouse was and that they had passed on my application to them.
Within another few days I received a telephone call from Mr Jessop, Manager of WH Smith Wholesale Leeds. He invited me to an interview for their Trainee Manager position.
On Monday September 2nd 1974 I started my career with WH Smith.
Around eighteen months later, I helped them prepare moving premises to a very much larger unit.
The incredible training and experience which I received whilst working at WH Smith, inspired me to open my own very 1st Bookshop in the Spring of 1987.
That still trades online today and in 1999 became the very first website in the world to sell and redeem UK Book Tokens online.
