Former Littlewoods employees fondly remember their time, citing strong company culture.
Sir John Moores founded Littlewoods in 1923 with two others. Littlewoods first sold the pools, and it became a part of family life. People listened to football scores at teatime and marked coupons hoping for winning lines. Workers sorted lots of mail at Littlewoods too.
Vernons and Zetters were also popular pools companies, based in Liverpool and London. In 2007, Sportech united these three companies and called it the “New Football Pools.” The Pools brand has different owners now and is located on Charnock Road.
The Pools relaunched with a rebrand on February 26. Ads for the game are on Liverpool buses and billboards. We are looking at the history and memories now.
Kathleen Donaghy started at Littlewoods as a teen in Kirkby. She was old enough for a Saturday job, as her aunts already worked there; one was a supervisor. She got a full-time job after a year and a half.
It was hard to get a job at Littlewoods, as many families worked there together. Kathleen was 18 when she started full-time, and some workers stayed until they retired. Littlewoods was bigger than Vernons. Almost everyone played.
Kathleen remembers rows of tables in sections. Workers used rubber thumb guards for sorting papers. Mondays were spent marking the pools and sorting overseas mail with coupons or cash. They handled postal orders and address changes.
John and Cecil Moores cared for their workers and paid the highest wages in Liverpool. They organized trips to seaside resorts. Workers got a week’s wages as a Christmas bonus, and there were parties for everyone. Overtime pay was great, and everyone got along and had fun. She said it was the best job ever.
Kathleen worked at Littlewoods for nearly ten years. She is still friends with former colleagues. She described the workforce as a big family. They went to a nearby club for lunch and drinks before returning to work.
Security now would never allow that. It was just like one big family back then. Everyone knew each other, even the managers, and people looked out for each other always.
Nothing has been the same since that time. The way people work now is very different. Littlewoods was the best place with the best people. Nothing will ever top that job there.
Angela Gilbert, Kathleen’s friend, worked there from 1987 to 1995. Angela got the job through a friend. Five of them got jobs together, and they have remained friends since then.
Angela marked coupons and checked for winners. She processed mail and paid out winning checks. Angela moved to the query unit, which handled customer questions. Littlewoods and Vernons were big employers. Most people knew someone who worked there.
The company held events like Christmas lunches and had sports teams. Teams played football and netball. Angela’s friend was a Miss Littlewoods finalist.
Angela believed it was the best job ever. It was filled with constant laughter. Her desk neighbor rented them videos. Payday was on Wednesday for them, and they spent their money in a local shop. A vendor sold sweets and fruit outside, and summer gave them options for less work.
Colleagues went to Blackpool and London. They celebrated birthdays and weddings. But the lottery changed things at Littlewoods.
The lottery impacted the pools. They offered workers voluntary redundancy. A group went to London to lobby parliament, arranged by the union. They also went to Blackpool with the union.
Angela misses Littlewoods a lot. The building is gone now, but she still has good memories. They played jokes always. It was very fun, and she felt like she was doing something besides work. She would happily return anytime.
Littlewoods’ success inspired Vernons’ creation in 1925. George Kennerley met Vernon Sangster at Peacock’s. Sangster collected bets from pub patrons, and Kennerley suggested making it a proper business. Vernons became one of the big three companies.
Vernons grew more famous. Vernons Pools launched The Vernons Girls in the 1950s. The singing choir appeared on TV and made their own records too.
Zetters became popular in the pools game. Sportech brought these companies together. The new company was called ‘New Football Pools’ in 2007.
The Pools is now under different ownership entirely. They are based on Charnock Road. On March 26, The Pools relaunched with a rebrand. The new advertising campaign is in Liverpool.
Customers can now pick a game and their spend level. It is a digital membership. Other features are free games and bets.
James Arnold is the CEO of The Pools. He said it’s a huge day, relaunching a loved and iconic brand. He said their campaign feels true to past clients. New ads look toward a new generation. He wanted ads with humor and personality. It celebrates the happiness of playing and the thrill of every win. He is happy with the retro-modern feel, appealing to new and old players. The Pools has very much returned today.