Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 12:29:40 GMT
Vic joined the GPO AT 15 Years old on pedal bike duties around the city centre,st judes,stonehouse Plymouth
once he reached 16 he went on to a shiny red motorised set of wheels
We were often referred to as the red devils
The uniform consists of navey blue uniforms with the familiar red stripe down the trouser leg and shoes,pouch and belt always polised and the clip properly brassoed or you weren't allowed on duty
With very limited phones in those day and faxes telegrams were very popular the telegrams were used for all kind of special occassions such as marriages and deaths etc
We were so often the bearers of bad tidings
When we went up the road you could see the curtains twitching as people would hope that we weren't going to knock their door
Unless it was Easter time when there were a lot of weddings
Most of the lads Vic worked with left the GPO, quite a few went into the RAF and all had to give up being a telegram boy when the reached their 18th birday
Vic was paid £3 and a penny per week at first and also given meal vouches worth 1/6d for free and their was a youth club for them all that cost 2d a week
I particularly remember the girls in the Co-Op Bakery across the road in Ebrington street the lady that ran the bakery eventualy had the windows painted over due to the girls kept on waving at us as we went by, the paint soon was scratched off of course in places !
I spent 45 years in the (GPO) Post Office and retired in 2001 how things have changed, we certainly had the best times
Like I said above we were known as the Red Devils
once he reached 16 he went on to a shiny red motorised set of wheels
We were often referred to as the red devils
The uniform consists of navey blue uniforms with the familiar red stripe down the trouser leg and shoes,pouch and belt always polised and the clip properly brassoed or you weren't allowed on duty
With very limited phones in those day and faxes telegrams were very popular the telegrams were used for all kind of special occassions such as marriages and deaths etc
We were so often the bearers of bad tidings
When we went up the road you could see the curtains twitching as people would hope that we weren't going to knock their door
Unless it was Easter time when there were a lot of weddings
Most of the lads Vic worked with left the GPO, quite a few went into the RAF and all had to give up being a telegram boy when the reached their 18th birday
Vic was paid £3 and a penny per week at first and also given meal vouches worth 1/6d for free and their was a youth club for them all that cost 2d a week
I particularly remember the girls in the Co-Op Bakery across the road in Ebrington street the lady that ran the bakery eventualy had the windows painted over due to the girls kept on waving at us as we went by, the paint soon was scratched off of course in places !
I spent 45 years in the (GPO) Post Office and retired in 2001 how things have changed, we certainly had the best times
Like I said above we were known as the Red Devils