I'm sure we've all seen tea ladies in old movies and TV series.
They'd go around in office buildings with their wheeled trolley that had a giant urn of hot water, many cups and saucers, a selection of biscuits or small cakes, along with jars of sugar, coffee and teabags.
A covered jug of cold milk was on there too.
In much earlier days, there'd be a huge pot of tea, because teabags hadn't yet been invented.
In TV shows, these ladies were usually plump, curly-haired and always happy.
They'd go from office to office, hearing snippets of phone conversations and gossip, as they dispensedmorning and afternoon teas.
They got to know all the workers, from upper management down to the lowliest newbie and usually knew everybody's family history and their secrets too.
Fifteen or twenty minutes later, around she'd go again, collecting the now empty cups and sandwich or cake wrappers.
In between the rounds she'd be in the kitchen washing up, wiping down, refill…
