Comments on: Pamela Cilia, Truman’s Bottling Girl

By: Justine

Justine — Sat, 12 Jun 2021 05:58:02 +0000

I wanted a photo of Bernie too…

By: Amanda

Amanda — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 09:20:55 +0000

For those with the intention to persevere with written objections to save Pam’s brewery from becoming a redundant ‘Shopping Mall’ – the most important post pandemic new fact to highlight is that people are NOT SHOPPING sufficiently in malls anymore for them to be necessary or profitable.
This consumer habit of mall shopping is now probably permanently broken along with much of our old lives.

Online shopping + returning items has taken over and without the risk of retail outlets’ rogue private car park operators issuing a sneaky £80 parking charge in the post via cameras, wiping out the savings from our bargains.

Recently browsing in a really huge fashion outlet first time since early 2020, l asked why so empty, save 3 or 4 others?

Online browsing + ordering has taken over. Even though now free to shop in person, having everything delivered to the door has proved to be more convenient and the way to purchase fashion + electricals + food 24/7 instead of the odd impulse buy.

Also post pandemic, the trying on of garments instore is prohibited, so how would that work for shopping tourists taking items abroad?

l presume tourists may be the sole customers in this pricey location when locals seem to have already deserted our famous-for-fashion and partly boarded up Oxford Street?

If a huge national treasure like Marks & Spencer are compelled to close down hundreds of outlets due to enforced changes in shopping, why is anyone thinking of developing
more doomed outlets ?

The fact they are spoiling the lives of those in the vicinity does not concern developers whose money is made by constructing not running it, but an outdated building project serving absolutely no purpose, SHOULD concern the Planning Departments’ decisions to either give permission, or not.

Do we NEED a shopping mall when the numbers going out to the shops has dropped? and tourism has been halted?

Inspired by Philip’s intriguing account of his student days there, including the working tunnels, if only an innovative body such as the Museum of London could take Truman’s Brewery under its wing much like the old Sugar Warehouse and thankfully old Smithfield’s Market to conserve their architectural splendour + historic intrigue for a few more lifetimes.

l wonder if any data exists on the radically changing shopping patterns?

By: Cherub

Cherub — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 16:33:21 +0000

I’ve had a really stressful few days this week, but let me tell you all reading Pam’s story has cheered me up and made me laugh. Where would we be without such characters because life would be very dull without them. Pam and her ilk are a tonic for these stressful covid times we are not yet free of.

By: Philip Mernick

Philip Mernick — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 15:26:32 +0000

As a student I worked my summer holidays in Trumans 1964-66. I can still remember the fantastic people and places where I worked. The beer bar where huge (to scrawny me) draymen and other workers came for their allocation of free beer. Many stirred in live yeast from containers on the counter. I also worked on the bottle filling line and, as Pamela mentioned, the noise could be incredible with the full bottles clanking together and not infrequently exploding in a shower of glass and beer. Also filling the one third pint (nip) bottles of Barley Wine during the summer in preparation for Christmas. My last summer was spent in the ancient tunnels under the brewery (have they been preserved I wonder) adding dried hops from huge hop pockets directly into the wooden barrels via a metal funnel to justify the phrase “More hops in Ben Truman”. Metal kegs had recently been introduced but I never worked with them. In 1966 Trumans celebrated their tercentenary and I still have my copy of the book they gave to “staff and workers”, the distinction was clear in those days.

By: Kelly Holman

Kelly Holman — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 14:01:57 +0000

I can’t help wishing you could bottle some of Pamela’s spirit.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 12:57:39 +0000

Pam sure was and still is an amazing Malteser !
Her hair + jewellery so chic in her day and for your interview decked out in a sweater to exactly match her cat’s eyes.

l love the uplifting morning exchanges with Sweary Mary.
l’d have been laughing so much l wouldn’t have been getting on with my “labelling.”

l agree with Alex, you must share more of her hilarious histories, she is a gem.

Her memories alone would pack a history of the workings of Truman’s Brewery because she can clearly remember names, personalities, their traits and the banter in such detail.

More than anything l admire anyone with such bottle.

By: Kay

Kay — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 12:13:41 +0000

What an interesting lady – reading about her life and experiences she comes across as a strong and kind person. I think it would make a great memoir.

By: Adele Lester

Adele Lester — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 12:06:32 +0000

What a character! Wonder what her kids made of all this?

By: Lynne Perrella

Lynne Perrella — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 12:05:42 +0000

What a fantastic lady! Spotting the headline of the post and the glamorous photo, I “assumed” that your Miss Pamela was the British equivalent of our “Miss Rheingold”. (Various beauties were “nominated” for the post of Miss Rheingold, their photos appeared on subway posters, and the public voted. Rheingold beer was a mediocre brew but the yearly beauty contest elevated the brand! )

CLEARLY, this lovely lady is way more than a pretty face; and has gumption and stories to go along with her great looks. Mo bettah! We’re so fortunate to have these treasured stories
(and beer labels!) this morning. Thank you, GA and thank you Ms. Cilia. (black cat lovers of the world unite………)

By: mary woodward

mary woodward — Thu, 10 Jun 2021 07:18:23 +0000

wonderful woman..& love the photographs….so stylish & pretty. There’s a novel here…