Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 15:02:36 GMT
I joined the Post Office the day after I left school aged 14 in 1938 and 47 years later I retired from British Telecom as a sales manager.
I was one of five messenger boys at Ashton and Stalybridge Head Post Office that covered the towns of Dukinfield. The three towns had a population of 1000,000 so was hard work for the five messenger boys working in shifts from 8 am to 9 pm.
We started the day by inspection from the Head Postman, polished brass buttons, cap badge, clean boots, white shirt, and black tie, and clean hands and nails. More than two minutes late we were find 2 pence (old money) we rode heavy bikes and given 2 pence to keep them clean and mend punctures. The early start was 8am and should finish at 4 pm we never did!
You could only finish if no telegrams to hand but this was rare. We were paid overtime, which brings me to an interesting money compassion. We were forced to work alternate Sunday mornings from 9am to 10-30, there was always telegrams usually greeting for Birthdays or Anniversaries. We were paid time and a half for the 1 ½ hours worked a pricely 4 pence (old money) calculated on 9shillings 6pence a week for a 48 hour six days a week.
We had little social life especially when I was 16 for then no boy under 16 could work after five o’clock during the war and only two boys were over 16 I had to work permanent lates to 9pm.
The work wasn’t easy, we were timed for every delivery and with a round trip at over six miles on occasions we hadn’t time to stroll. When I retired I said in my farewell speech that I always had fun and this started from being a boy messenger, even when we had to work easily in the night to call up the TA, to report to the territorial Quay Barracks the following day, as was expected.
I’ve worked in hot summers, heavy rain and six foot snow drifts, Half hour for lunch and 20minutes for tea, with only a gas stove and kettle in the rest room that’s all we needed to eat sandwiches each day. I did join the Air Training Corps when I was 16 years old and was the only boy going straight from work on alternate Sunday’s parade in a three red stripe Post Office uniform. We did have some bad moments when delivering “we regret to inform you” letters, but the SCT’S let us know what was on the telegram so that we didn’t wait for any answers.
I could go on with experiences but only bore you, especially with my months as a Postman, the next move from a messenger, but at 17 ½ years old I joined the R.A.F. but that’s another story
Hope some of my earlier career was of some interest
Jack Webb
I was one of five messenger boys at Ashton and Stalybridge Head Post Office that covered the towns of Dukinfield. The three towns had a population of 1000,000 so was hard work for the five messenger boys working in shifts from 8 am to 9 pm.
We started the day by inspection from the Head Postman, polished brass buttons, cap badge, clean boots, white shirt, and black tie, and clean hands and nails. More than two minutes late we were find 2 pence (old money) we rode heavy bikes and given 2 pence to keep them clean and mend punctures. The early start was 8am and should finish at 4 pm we never did!
You could only finish if no telegrams to hand but this was rare. We were paid overtime, which brings me to an interesting money compassion. We were forced to work alternate Sunday mornings from 9am to 10-30, there was always telegrams usually greeting for Birthdays or Anniversaries. We were paid time and a half for the 1 ½ hours worked a pricely 4 pence (old money) calculated on 9shillings 6pence a week for a 48 hour six days a week.
We had little social life especially when I was 16 for then no boy under 16 could work after five o’clock during the war and only two boys were over 16 I had to work permanent lates to 9pm.
The work wasn’t easy, we were timed for every delivery and with a round trip at over six miles on occasions we hadn’t time to stroll. When I retired I said in my farewell speech that I always had fun and this started from being a boy messenger, even when we had to work easily in the night to call up the TA, to report to the territorial Quay Barracks the following day, as was expected.
I’ve worked in hot summers, heavy rain and six foot snow drifts, Half hour for lunch and 20minutes for tea, with only a gas stove and kettle in the rest room that’s all we needed to eat sandwiches each day. I did join the Air Training Corps when I was 16 years old and was the only boy going straight from work on alternate Sunday’s parade in a three red stripe Post Office uniform. We did have some bad moments when delivering “we regret to inform you” letters, but the SCT’S let us know what was on the telegram so that we didn’t wait for any answers.
I could go on with experiences but only bore you, especially with my months as a Postman, the next move from a messenger, but at 17 ½ years old I joined the R.A.F. but that’s another story
Hope some of my earlier career was of some interest
Jack Webb