A retiree who worked at the Battersea Power Station in the 1950s was given a trip up one of the famous chimneys, roughly 60 years after she was ticked off at work for trying to do so.
Rita Kelly, from Wimbledon, worked as a junior shorthand typist and relief telephonist for six years.
One day Rita, now 89, persuaded two of her colleagues to join her for their lunch break on the Power Station’s roof.
Her real aim, however, was to climb up one of the four 109m-tall chimneys.
Rita said: “When lunchtime arrived, we left the office as usual but instead of heading to the canteen we crept up the backstairs to access the roof.
“Once there we decided to have our lunch first to give us energy for the next phase of the adventure, climbing a chimney, but sadly we were caught before we achieved our goal.
“We were fortunate not to lose our jobs.”
Having reopened as a shopping centre and flats last year Rita, who was born and raised in south west London, was this week treated to a trip up the chimney in one of the new elevators.
Asked how she felt about it being reopened she said: “A feeling of excitement, it played a part in my early days of married life, as I got married whilst working there and then a few years later being pregnant with my first child.
“When I hear news or speak of Battersea Power Station it sparks wonderful memories of my family and friends of Battersea gone by.”
Rita visited the the top of the chimney using Lift 109 which has recently opened at the power station.
