Anybody worked here?

[zakes]

NEVILLE WATTS (completed)

 

Hey up five005,

 

When I was at Neville Watts in the early 70's the staff were as follows:-

Mr Vernon Outram, the boss who lived at Froggatt in Derbyshire. Mr Greaves was wages manager among other things, John Hill was under manager (assistant manager in todays speak), in the office were Mrs Lunn, Mrs Banks, Mrs Anderson, Mrs Ros Hill (John's wife), Christine Booth (lovely long dark hair and gorgeous legs, used to love watching her climb the spiral staircase), and Julie who later replaced Christine. In the shop were Mrs Jessie Straw who was very popular, Kevin Connelly. Another person in the shop was Chris Taylor who was a musician (?). When any customer he didn't like left the shop and were out of earshot he would call them a 'hairy arsed faggot' male or female. Chris was a good laugh. Mr (Phil?) Beard was a rep for the company, another rep was a man called Frank who had a torch or dilly shaped object he pressed to his throat so he could speak, and he sounded somewhat Dalekesque. Mrs Lunn's husband Tom was the shop's van driver responsible for deliveries in the area. We were all very saddened when Tom passed away, he was a most genuine man. After all these years I still remember the tune he used to whistle ever so lightly (nobody seems to whistle these days). Some dinner times Tom and I would play at darts on the top floor in the rest room. When we sent heavy parcels to far away places they would be transported by BRS (green vans) or by B.R. (yellow lorries) and the usual B.R. driver was Les Cotton who was ginger haired with tinges of grey and he sported a thick looking moustache that were popular at that time. One other person worth (or not) mentioning was a regular customer who used to park over the road to the right his vehicle on the king sized asphalt car park which had rusted broken down fencing which is now Devonshire Green was Mr. Patnick. When he approached the shop I would hide in the back because when he came in he would tell jokes and when he got to the punch line he would start to laugh and look into peoples eyes forcing them to giggle in a false way. I couldn't abide him and that damned light purple coloured denim shirt he always wore with sweat stains under the arms.

 

I was employed as warehouseman, storeman responsible for deliveries, packing, unpacking, filling shelves and filling canisters, bottles and the other vessels with paraffin that was stored in the back yard, the toilets were also in the back yard (no joke in winter). Carrying dozens of door closers to the first floor was heavy work as was carrying weighty boxes of nails and screws of various sizes whether plain, galvanised or black japanned to the cellar. We had our nails delivered from Youngs wire on Green Lane (?). I also went to Harald's Locksmiths on Division Street to take and or collect keys and locks for repair. We also had dealings with Parkes, C.N.S. and G.K.N. in the midlands. Another part of my job was to write to customers informing them that their goods had arrived. Here is an example:-

 

Dear Sir or Madam,

 

The six rose design porcelain escutcheons you ordered are now to hand and await your collection.

 

Yours sincerely,

Zakes

 

It could quite easily have been acrylic or aluminium kicking plates, keys, picture hangers, mortise locks, etc.

 

On Friday's Mr Greaves would do his rounds dishing out the wage packets personally to each employee and when he got to me he would pass me my brown enveloped wages (circa 6.50 pounds) and with a glint in his eyes would ask ''are you sure you deserve your pay this week?'' and then his lips would slowly twitch with mirth. Mr Greaves' children Anne, Christine, Alan and Michael had formed a group called the Steeler's and they appeared on Hughie Green's Opportunity Knocks t.v. programme. A few days after their performance Mr Greaves gave me a pile of at least 57 postcards with the request (order) that I fill them out with a false name each time because they were to be sent to be used as votes for his children to win Opportunity Knocks. They came in second I think.

My last job of the day was to hang the two heavy wrought iron gates onto the posts directly outside the shop door (to prevent people from tiddling, puking or having it off in the doorway in the evenings). I enjoyed my 1 year and 1 week at Neville Watts Ironmongers and it was the only job I have ever had where i've been called into the boss's office to be told that I am to receive a payrise (extra 10 bob per week). Being called to the office usually meant ''here's your cards lad, on yer bike''. When I left and went to Globe and Simpson on West Street I had been tempted to go into Dundee Works on Eldon Street to ask for a job at J. Billam but changed my mind which turned out to be a wise decision. (Had to get the (silver) knife in there). Lol!

 

P.S's 1. Sorry, no sign of big lanky Reg!

2. B.R.S. - British Road Service

3. B.R. - British Rail.

[Robbiet]

My brother-in-law Mal Jackson worked at Globe and Simpson round about that date

[zakes]

British Steel Tubes Division

 

Nah then Manxdeedah,

 

At British Steel Tubes Division on Rutland Road I had the same job as three other blokes and that was unloading goods wagons from the rail track siding into the warehouse. The wagons contained long tubes of different diameters and lengths that were stored in bays and were wedged with dunnage (wooden blocks). We also loaded lorries that had come to collect. We wrapped chains around the tubes and used a manually remote controlled hoist to lift the heavy tubes from wagons and also onto lorries. One day we worked overtime because we had to unload a train wagon that had arrived late, we finished at 8 o'clock. Next day (12 hours later) we arrived to find the dunnage had slipped and the bay posts had collapsed allowing many tons of steel tubes to cascade onto the rail track. Had we been there when it happened we would have been crushed to a pulp and you wouldn't be reading this now. It took us days to set things right again. In another incident, one chappy had wrapped chains around a 12 foot length of tube and proceeded to raise it with the intention of plonking it onto the back of a lorry when one chain slipped and the tube came down like a spear and glanced off his boot taking away the leather and revealing the steel cap underneath. A centimetre more and he would have lost his foot without doubt. He was relaxed about it, but the rest of us were as white as freshly fallen snow in shock.

 

The only people I remember there were Neil, a Scotsman who weighed a minimum 20 stone plus whose favourite saying was "F-ck it, b-llock it and spin it" which was spoken in a broad Glaswegian accent, he was a nice block. Another was John who didn't speak to anyone before dinner time, that's when his hangover from the previous nights' supping had worn off. There was another fellow who used to declare "watch it lads, one of the puffs are coming", referring to any office worker who had the audacity to step on to the shop floor.

It was hot sweaty work which made my daily visit at dinner time to the Forest pub 57 paces away all the more pleasureable for my usual pint of refreshing shandy and minced beef and onion pie with mushy peas and gravy......yum.

[zakes]

Waring and Gillow Proctors - Fargate

 

This job was slash easy for anyone who happened to be of a slothful nature which meant I had found the perfect job. Here I was drivers mate and each morning at 8.30ish three of the companies removal type lorries would be parked outside the shop which was roughly opposite where Marks and Sparks is now on the left going down Fargate. We would go inside and have a cuppa and a chat then slowly load up with furniture that had been sold in the shop the previous day. We would then drive to our place of storage that was an old chapel somewhere on the left just off London Road/ Chesterfield Road in Meersbrook. Once inside we would get some other bits of furniture and load them onto the lorries, this was made easier because the depot had a few lads who did this for us (God knows what they did for the rest of the day). We would then receive our paperwork for the deliveries. Another cuppa and a chat then off we went at about 10.00. We would be finished with deliveries at 14.00 at the latest most days and I would get a lift home and the drivers were allowed to take their lorry's home with them. One naive little creepy short arsed driver who lived with his mum used to go back to the depot and ask if there was anything else to be delivered. Glad I wasn't working with him! My driver Len and me had a reight good time and a happening worth (in my view) mentioning is;

We were one day on the road near to the Black-A-Moor Inn and there was high winds and we got hit by a sudden gust and the lorry went over onto two wheels and after what seemed like an eternity the lorry straightened itself up. We had cacked ourselves big style.

[zakes]

Brightside and Carbrook Fretson Road/ Fairleigh

 

I was so much in demand during my working years and one of the jobs offered to me was in butchery as an apprentice fleischer/metzger. Working with and for Charlie my boss was good fun and the women next door in the stores were even more fun especially a young dark haired bit called Val. Charlie taught me how to chop chops, mince meat, roll brisket and how to clean down, scrub the wooden block, sharpen knives and how to put saw dust down and lots of tricks of the trade. I liked how the older generation came into the shop and asked for bones for the dog, but I feel the bones were destined for the stew pot......bless. I had a 2 weeks spell at the B & C shop in Manor Park slicing Australian sirloin which was the rage at the time. Whilst there I did a fair few deliveries in the area on one of those traditional butchers bikes with a big wheel at the back and a small wheel at the front with a metal basket in front of the handlebars. I departed B & C after a handful of months because although we worked only half day Saturdays by the time I had finished scrubbing the blood from the chopping block table, washing down and generally making everything spic and span it would be too late to get to the match.

 

P.S. Charlie's surname may have been Mills but I wouldn't swear to it.

[jackey]

Anybody work or had dealings at or with the following companies? Dates are approximate give a year or two lol! Between 1969 - 75

 

1. Davy's - Fargate - food 1969

2. Roberts and Belk - Furnival Street - silver 1970

3. Davison's - West Street - silver - 1971

4. Wigfall's - most warehouses - tellies, washing machines etc. 1971 - 72

5. British Steel Tubes division - Rutland Road - near Forest pub 1972

6. Brightside and Carbrook - Fretson Road / Fairleigh - butchers 1972

7. Neville Watts - Fitzwilliam Street - ironmongers 1972

8. Globe and Simpson - West Street - car spares 1973

9. Waring and Gillow (Proctors) - Fargate - furniture 1974

10. Farm - opposite Old Harrow - White Lane 1975

11. Francis Colley - Garden Street - safety clothing 1973

 

 

do you remember lacey ?

[Choirgirl]

Hi Zakes - I worked at Globe & Simpson from around 1955 - 1958. I was in charge of the teleprinter, telex once they had been installed. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

[poppins]

Hi Zakes - I worked at Globe & Simpson from around 1955 - 1958. I was in charge of the teleprinter, telex once they had been installed. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

My deceased brother-in-laws family owned Globe & Simpson.

[zakes]

Anybody worked here?

 

Farm on White Lane - opposite Old Harrow pub.

 

My tax rebates had been exhausted so it was time to return to work. The labour exchange had nothing to exchange, but they did offer me some jobs, and I opted for the 48th one and went to the farm on White Lane for my and their interview. The moment I saw the farmer (forgot his name), I knew he was one, because he had a furrowed brow. Terms and conditions were agreed and I was to receive poor man's wages. Becoming a farm hand had filled me with excitement and thought that if I knuckle down I too could have my own farm one day. After the first day's work I arrived home in Crossland Drive caked up in cow cack, the second day the same, and ditto on the third.

During my time there I took my own potted meat and polony sandwiches in my jacket pocket because the Old Harrow (Arrer) over the road didn't do food, which was a pity because I wanted to feel the part and order a ploughman's lunch.

On the fourth day the farmer, another lad (early 20's, blond kid) and I travelled to a storage place for hay in a field near to High Lane before the Phoenix Ale house which was on the other side of the main road. We were stacking bales of hay and mid afternoon the (sister)? of the farmer came to visit bringing with her a plastic picnic set with a large flask of tea and several slices of cake and set them out on a checked table cloth, and blond kid and me were invited down for refreshment. I was at that very moment stretching and straining myself to hoist a bale up to the other lad but lost my balance and the bale of hay went tumbling down to smash into the cake and tea and breaking a cup or two. There was a long silence, and you cud hear a needle drop. After what seemed like an age I picked up my jacket and told the farmer I would be back tomorrow for my wages (3 and a bit days) and walked off home. The farmer didn't look too disappointed......Lol.

 

P.S. The hay storage place may be Eckington Lees (Leys), few hundred yards away.

 

True story this......Equation!!??

[zakes]

Anybody Worked Here?

 

Globe And Simpson - West Street. Car Spares.

 

I worked at G & S as a storeman taking deliveries of mainly Lucas car spares , side lights, head lamps and loads of parts that belong on and in vehicles. The pay was okay considering I was an unskilled worker and the conditions were okay too. Everyone at Globe's seemed to be nice making it a pleasure to work there. Some of the people I remember there I have mentioned on another thread - INITIATIONS, was you initiated at work? We used to do a fair bit of overtime and it was my job to fetch the sarnies at 17.30 from the Beehive pub further up the road just past Kennings. The Beehive had a lazy Susan that seemed to have all the sandwich condiments and toppings in the world, brilliant. During overtime we would play and listen to cartridges of the Beach Boys - 'Went to a dance looking for romance, saw Barbara Ann so I took down her pants'...alternately - 'Went to a dance looking for a s--g, saw Barbara Ann but she was on the bloody r--'. We also heard Cliff Richard singing 'Oh Marie with the laughing eyes she tossed m- --f' instead of 'her hair'.

Another part of my job was STOCK TAKING, yes I took stock and after a few weeks my wardrobe at home was heaving with stuff including Champion spark plugs. I came home one evening to find all the stock piled up in the hallway and my mum ordered me to take it all back to work "You thieving sod". I planned each day to drop a few pieces into a waste bin on the way to work, but I took it all back to work gradually over the next few weeks. Respect for mum, eh? It had been more difficult to smuggle it in that it was to smuggle out.

Sorry Poppins Love. XX

 

Globe and Simpson definately treated me better than I treated them...Thank You.