Ruby's Life

"THIS IS YOUR LIFE WITH THE TELEPHONE COMPANY, RUBY DIXON"

1936 - Ruby applied as an operator at the "London Telecommunication Region" which was Civil Service. She became a training operator 3 years later.

1939 - "World War II came to London. Ruby's place of employment was located 2 blocks from the Baker Street Station and just 3 blocks from the British Broadcasting Company. This area was one of the many targets for enemy bombs. Ruby had many close calls. When the bombing became too bad, volunteers would stay to handle the emergency calls and the other operators would take their gas masks and retreat to the safety of the basement. She was a member of the St. John's Ambulance Team and would render first aid when needed.

1940 - Ruby married Travers, Lesley's dad, who was in the Grenadier Guards.

1943 - Ruby gave up her career as an operator to have her baby, this was a company rule. Lesley was born in St. Mary's Hospital in Paddington, London. This is the same hospital that Little Prince Harry was born in. Ruby recalled that during her stay in the hospital, they had air raids and Lesley was born during one of these air raids. Five weeks later Travers went overseas, he never saw Lesley again.

1944 - Ruby went back to work at the American Embassy near Marble Arch and Hyde Park as a PBX Operator. She answered and directed calls for the Air Force, Petroleum Attache's Office and the Office of Scientific Research and Development during the D-Day action and the big bomb in Japan.  During this time, Lesley was sent to her Auntie's house in the country because of a new bomb. This "Buzz Bomb" or the V-I was very scary, so were the V-2's later on!

1945 - Ruby's apartment was bombed.  Luckily, Ruby and her friend and roommate Madeleine were out with their babies.

Jan. 1945 - Ruby received word that her husband, Lesley's dad, was missing in Burma and was later reported as killed in action. He had been overseas for two years. Seven months later was introduced to Davie (Vivienne's dad), he was in the Canadian Seaforth Highlanders. It took him 6 days to make up his mind to ask her to marry him, but he was from Canada!!! They were married the end of 1945. Davie went home to Canada right after Christmas. So...

1946 - She moved to Canada. Ruby was 6 months pregnant when she came across the Atlantic on an Army Hospital Ship and Viv was borned in Canada. Davie had been a successful Junior Amateur Golfer before the war. So when Ruby came out to B. C., he turned pro, but the only courses left without a pro were in the "boon docks" in the middle of the Rocky Mountains - most beautiful scenery imaginable. They had never had a pro and required the wife to do the catering! So she did! Just in the summer however, the winters were too snowy. They went back to Vancouver and a couple of golf courses later, they went to Horseshoe Bay just outside Vancouver and she worked part-time for B.C. Telephone (now a subsidiary of GTE).

1956 - Then they decided to come down here (California). No problems, because Davie was considered a "Goodwill Ambassador because of the tournaments he had been in down here before the war.

Jan. 2, 1957 - Ruby came to work for General Telephone as a Directory Assistance operator.  Six (6) months later, she was made supervisor; 6 months later, she gave her title up! Two and one-half (2~) years later, Ruby left to be a housewife but was called back as occasional for the cut over to "All Number Calling". She put her name down for a vacancy in the Business Office when they were on Catalina and she got the job.  Another 2~ years later, she left to become a housewife again and got called back as occasional when the PV part of business office was downstairs at the 102 Building.

WORK STOPPAGE

Ruby transferred to Equipment Maintainer or (Switchman) for 4 months, flunked one of the schools - back to the Frame - then transferred to Assignment.

Quite a varied career