First day at work and end up with a horse.

[cuttsie]

We still have problems with metric .

 

[cuttsie]

Here you are Lil , you asked me to  get the thread back  , may be some thing to add  will have a look through .

[Alextopman]

On 31/07/2011 at 23:56, cuttsie said:

The biggest day of your life til then arrives you are starting work!

 

I cycled the six miles to my first days ever work at the building site at Wollerton Road Bradway.

 

The first thing i did was introduce my self to the forman of Parkins Rotherham who,s name was Jack Horne.

 

Jack looked at me and asked if I was sure I was fifteen and then when convinced asked me what trade I would like to learn i said I would like to be a joiner, He replied that joiners were two a penny and I had better start with the bricklayers.

 

He then told me to start work by finding Bonny and taking the gobbo round to the bricklaying gangs.

I walked round the site and asked if Bonny was around and was greeted with lots of **** taking. Any way at last I found the mysterious Bonny who turned out to be the biggest bloody Shire Horse that ever walked.

 

Apparently my first job was to lead this great big bloody horse and cart around the various bricklaying gangs and load up any gobbo , lintels ,bricks,etc that they needed.

The problem was that if Bonny didn't want to move she just would not until she was ready and no amount of pulling and tugging would change her mind and then all at once she would be off like s--t of a shovel.

 

My other job was to fill the copper boilers with water and light them for the tea and dinner breaks ,this I

did using the bucket that I had previously given my new pal her oats in ,

When the water boiled I had to fill all the mashing cans and take them round the site to there owners.

I had much trouble with this task the biggest being smacked in the nose by a joiner who objected to having the bloody horses oats swilling around in his tea.

I also had to mash the formans tea [Jack Horne] who insisted on having his delivered to the site cabin in a china cup what a bloody first day in the grown up World.

P.S. I used to see the joiner who cracked me in the nose many years later in the Carlton Club at Gleadless and knew I could have got my own back ,He never recognised me so I let bygones be be bygones but as far as the bloody horse goes every time i buy a tube of glue I think of her.

Great post, these things should be published and not lost in time.

[cuttsie]

On 09/04/2021 at 11:46, Runningman said:

Any lads on here worked for Freddie Glynn who had a workshop and office on Shirebrook Road ?

Slinney worked for him i believe),   He used to drink in the Round house on Heeley Green along with Bunny  Deakin who was a hod carrier , We were all on the same job at Bramley in the sixties , The builder was Colin Hustler who came on the job in a Rolls Royce , he treated us well did Colin best money we ever had in the sixties at a  time  when the main contractors squeezed us dry for every penny .

Times have changed now , bricklayers are kings on the sites and they do not have to graft for it like we did back then .

Edited November 24, 2023 by cuttsie

[Runningman]

23 hours ago, cuttsie said:

Slinney worked for him i believe),   He used to drink in the Round house on Heeley Green along with Bunny  Deakin who was a hod carrier , We were all on the same job at Bramley in the sixties , The builder was Colin Hustler who came on the job in a Rolls Royce , he treated us well did Colin best money we ever had in the sixties at a  time  when the main contractors squeezed us dry for every penny .

Times have changed now , bricklayers are kings on the sites and they do not have to graft for it like we did back then .

Hi cuttsie and thanks for this, even though a little late.

Remember my Dad talking about Colin Hustler

My pal Tony Hardwick knew Bunny Deakin

Dad's labourer whilst working for Freddie Glyn was Walter Mellors

Dad's foreman was Dennis, cant remember his surname, had an open top flash car !

Lots of memories going out on surveys with my Dad and Freddie on a Sunday morning and

when Dad was working close to where we lived, I used to take him his pack up and mash can on a Saturday morning

 

I'll shurrup and stop waffling !

[cuttsie]

57 minutes ago, Runningman said:

Hi cuttsie and thanks for this, even though a little late.

Remember my Dad talking about Colin Hustler

My pal Tony Hardwick knew Bunny Deakin

Dad's labourer whilst working for Freddie Glyn was Walter Mellors

Dad's foreman was Dennis, cant remember his surname, had an open top flash car !

Lots of memories going out on surveys with my Dad and Freddie on a Sunday morning and

when Dad was working close to where we lived, I used to take him his pack up and mash can on a Saturday morning

 

I'll shurrup and stop waffling !

Smashing to hear about those times , , Tony Hardwicks  name rings a bell , My memory as to names is getting hazy but Slinney will probably know the people you mention , He remembers every thing , he can tell me what shirt I had on one Saturday night in the 60's if I ask him . me !!!!!!!!  well I would forget my head if it was loose ,  as my old ma used to say .

Colin Hustlers foreman was called Sid Bennet , Sid was the real hustler when it came to how the job was run , He liked his little kick backs .