Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 14:46:05 GMT
Author. Ken Coates. Location, Fareham Hants..
I was bom in Plymouth, and when I was 10, my parents moved to the village of Crownhill, about 3 miles from Plymouth. One day when I was 14, a local postman who I knew, informed my Dad that there was a vacancy for a telegraph boy in the village. I thought about it and decided to apply for the post. After an interview with the local Post Master, and another at Plymouth Head Office, I was informed of the details of the job pay etc. I was provided with a uniform and cycle, and started work.
My area covered many villages, Honicknowle, Tamerton Foliot, Derriford, and up to the edge of Dartmoor, and two Army Barracks Over the years, I met many persons, who were friendly and helpful including one of the Postmen, a Mr Mortimer, and Mr and Mrs Julian, the Postmaster and his wife. The many visits to the barracks, delivering telegrams gave me access to the amateur boxing matches held in the evenings,
The local arrangements for the delivery of telegrams after the normal hours was that the postmaster could employ local people at 6p per mile, and I was often able to earn extra money doing this, sometimes with the help of the post drivers clearing the boxes. The telephone service was changing and the older people had difficulty with the call box machines. And when doing nothing, I was often asked to help with their calls. Life was very pleasant during those years.
I attended evening classes in Plymouth and my time as a telegram boy ended in 1937 when I was successful in passing a C.S.Exam and was appointed as a S.C.and T at Redruth and Camborne, in Cornwall'
Ken Coates
I was bom in Plymouth, and when I was 10, my parents moved to the village of Crownhill, about 3 miles from Plymouth. One day when I was 14, a local postman who I knew, informed my Dad that there was a vacancy for a telegraph boy in the village. I thought about it and decided to apply for the post. After an interview with the local Post Master, and another at Plymouth Head Office, I was informed of the details of the job pay etc. I was provided with a uniform and cycle, and started work.
My area covered many villages, Honicknowle, Tamerton Foliot, Derriford, and up to the edge of Dartmoor, and two Army Barracks Over the years, I met many persons, who were friendly and helpful including one of the Postmen, a Mr Mortimer, and Mr and Mrs Julian, the Postmaster and his wife. The many visits to the barracks, delivering telegrams gave me access to the amateur boxing matches held in the evenings,
The local arrangements for the delivery of telegrams after the normal hours was that the postmaster could employ local people at 6p per mile, and I was often able to earn extra money doing this, sometimes with the help of the post drivers clearing the boxes. The telephone service was changing and the older people had difficulty with the call box machines. And when doing nothing, I was often asked to help with their calls. Life was very pleasant during those years.
I attended evening classes in Plymouth and my time as a telegram boy ended in 1937 when I was successful in passing a C.S.Exam and was appointed as a S.C.and T at Redruth and Camborne, in Cornwall'
Ken Coates