Jeanette Mitchell has become a familiar face at The Swan on Wood Street in Liverpool, having worked behind the bar for nearly 50 years. The Walton native originally dreamed of becoming a school teacher, but a change in her family circumstances led her to a career in hospitality.
Early Career at Flintlocks
Mitchell started pouring pints at the now-closed Flintlocks nightclub on the same street. She recalled, "I was doing A-levels, and a degree at Padgate College in Warrington, and I needed some work. They didn't ask your age back then, so I'm sure they didn't know I wasn't quite old enough. I pretended I knew what I was doing. The girl I worked with said, 'Within a month you'll know how to do it.'"
Teaching Dreams Dashed
After completing her degree, Mitchell hoped to enter teaching. However, she said, "I did a four-year BEd Honours, but there were no jobs when I came out. And there were no jobs for quite a while. So, I carried on working in Flintlocks rather than sign on."
A Difficult Choice
Still hoping to teach, Mitchell faced a tough decision due to severe depression. She explained, "The psychiatrist said, 'You're going to have to make a choice. You've got no extended family to help you, and you've got to decide how to split your day up. If you want a career, you may have to give up your child for adoption.'"
She added, "That's the point where I went, well this works. It gives me a wage, I don't have to sign on, people are friendly, you get to socialise. At times it's really hard, but all jobs are like that. I accepted that you can't have a teaching job because you can't give enough of yourself. This works as an alternative."
Moving to The Swan
In 1982, Mitchell moved from Flintlocks to The Swan, where working became more than a job. She said, "The pub has been a means of socialising. You're working, but you're also socialising. I know my customers; some have become friends over the years. I've started things up—we go to the theatre, I arrange nights out. On Saturdays, one customer brings me my lunch. He'll phone and ask, 'Shall I get you a Greggs?' He's really kind."
Customer Kindness
Customers have supported her in tough times. Once, when her bed frame collapsed, a customer gave her an envelope with cash to buy a new one and said, "Give me £10 a week till you pay it back." Mitchell recalled, "He didn't even know me that well. I felt so honoured that he trusted me this much."
Welcoming Atmosphere
The Swan has long been a haven for alternative crowds, including bikers and goths. Mitchell shared a story about ejecting a customer: "I tried to put someone out, and he looked terrified. I turned around and saw three hairy bikers standing behind me with their arms folded, going, 'Do you need any help?' I think the poor fellow thought he'd be launched through the window. I said, 'No, it's fine. This gentleman's just going to walk out, aren't you?' The customers wouldn't let anything happen to you. They defend you because you're their barmaid."
