Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 14:57:59 GMT
Thomas Fewster Newcastle on Tyne 1902
My Father Thomas Fewster was born in January 1887, In 1902 upon leaving school, he applied for a job as a telegram messenger boy at Newcastle on Tyne, where he lived, because a uniform & boots were provided which was an important consideration in those days.
At the interview he was measured, & found to be a ½ inch short of the required height- A kind inspector suggested that he went home & put 2 more pairs of socks on, & to come back which he did and he had grown that extra ½ inch
As a telegram messenger boy then he was guaranteed 9d a day /week –not sure of this plus ¼ penny –a farthing for every telegram delivered over a basic number.
Most of the telegrams were for the shipyards & quay area, which meant running up & down the step alleyways from the city centre to the riverside.
At that time I think there were about 22 telephone connections (not sure of this) in Newcastle.the Wheatstone sender was in use, & my father developed an interest in telegraphy- he became a telegraphist, but was warned by a postal inspector to “stay with the postal side sonny, the telephone will never catch on “!! My father stayed with the telephone side of the then G.P.O., & ended his career as a chief clerk for the Norwich telephone area
He died age 92 in 1979, just as carphones, almost suit case size ! were coming in
I often think how amazed he would be at the mini mini size of todays mobile phones & their facility to send calls so far and wide
I hope this may be of interest to you all and wish you well in your venture with the web site
Dorothy Whanstall Daughter to Thomas Fewster
My Father Thomas Fewster was born in January 1887, In 1902 upon leaving school, he applied for a job as a telegram messenger boy at Newcastle on Tyne, where he lived, because a uniform & boots were provided which was an important consideration in those days.
At the interview he was measured, & found to be a ½ inch short of the required height- A kind inspector suggested that he went home & put 2 more pairs of socks on, & to come back which he did and he had grown that extra ½ inch
As a telegram messenger boy then he was guaranteed 9d a day /week –not sure of this plus ¼ penny –a farthing for every telegram delivered over a basic number.
Most of the telegrams were for the shipyards & quay area, which meant running up & down the step alleyways from the city centre to the riverside.
At that time I think there were about 22 telephone connections (not sure of this) in Newcastle.the Wheatstone sender was in use, & my father developed an interest in telegraphy- he became a telegraphist, but was warned by a postal inspector to “stay with the postal side sonny, the telephone will never catch on “!! My father stayed with the telephone side of the then G.P.O., & ended his career as a chief clerk for the Norwich telephone area
He died age 92 in 1979, just as carphones, almost suit case size ! were coming in
I often think how amazed he would be at the mini mini size of todays mobile phones & their facility to send calls so far and wide
I hope this may be of interest to you all and wish you well in your venture with the web site
Dorothy Whanstall Daughter to Thomas Fewster