Yorkshire Business On The Spot: Charlotte Raffo on working at Pittards tannery and her love of Delia Derbyshire
Every week, The Yorkshire Post asks a notable local business person about their background interest and hobbies. This week, it's the turn of Charlotte Raffo, founder and director of The Monkey Puzzle Tree, art fabrics and wall coverings, based in Leeds.
What was your first job? I worked at the Pittards tannery in Cross Green, Leeds, developing finishes on leather. I was 21 and one of the only women on the shop floor, a real eye opener.
What was your best subject at school? Art and chemistry, but they wanted me to choose.
If you weren’t in your present position, what would you be doing? Hopefully not working in a bank as my mum once suggested.
What’s your ideal day away from the office? A day at the seaside with my kids, or else a gig or trip to the theatre with friends.
Name one person you’d like to have dinner with and why? Delia Derbyshire, an early pioneer of electronic music and creator of the Dr Who theme. She created something completely new against all the odds and prejudices of the time.
What would you do if you won the lottery? With big money I’d feel like I should do something really worthwhile, and at the moment growing my business is as much as I can handle. So I don’t enter the lottery.
What are your hobbies? For the last 25 years I’ve played indian harmonium in raucous jazz band The Devil’s Jukebox. As our saxophonist nears his mid 80s this won’t last forever so I’m trying to improve my piano playing.