For 15 years Mildred Davis has been a loyal employee at E.R. Aubrey Jewellers as a sales associate and it was 45 years ago she became one of the late E.R.

Aubrey's first customers.

Mrs. Davis reflected on the early 1950s: "Mr. Aubrey knocked on our door. He started out selling door to door. He was selling Benrus watches out of velvet cases and the currency used at the time was in pounds, shillings and pence.

You could buy a nice Benrus watch in those days for 30 pounds and up.'' The late Mr. Aubrey would allow his customer to take merchandise for a week and he would return in a week to collect a payment, whatever you could afford to pay. This way people of varying financial means could enjoy nice jewellery through instalments.

"He was such a fine gentleman, very conservative, yet kind and a very good business person. His store opened in 1954 and in those early days we bought our wedding bands from Mr. Aubrey. Later on I bought two small gold crosses for my daughters and eventually I purchased chains and pendants.'' According to Mrs. Davis people "loved Mr. Aubrey to death''. He had many friends and he was flexible and extremely kind.

"You see, he thought about people and he allowed people the chance to purchase things they thought they would never purchase ordinarily,'' she said.

The aspect Mrs. Davis most enjoys about her work is working in a family environment and repeat customers. People from away come back again and again as well as local shoppers.

Her favourite stones are garnets and those beautiful Colombian emeralds.

Mrs. Davis has a passion for her job and says: "I plan on remaining until I can't give a good day's work.

"Mr. Aubrey loved his staff and tried to make each person happy. Linda Gittings (the current managing director) has followed through all the way and Mr. Aubrey would be proud of his business today.

"We have always thought about the people,'' she concluded.

Mildred Davis, dedicated employee of 15 years.