Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 16:42:04 GMT
The boys who delivered telegrams in a bygone era, I was a telegram boy, official number T13, from May 1941 until September 1944. During this time I served at Birmingham Head Office, Selly Oak Postmans Delivery Office and as an indoor messenger at Telephone House. I shall always remember my first Christmas as a telegram messenger boy being scheduled for duty on Christmas Day in 1941.
I only had one telegram to deliver to a house in Shenley Lane but the telegram envelope was marked in red lettering GOVERNMENT URGENCY, ABSOLUTE PRIORITY. I had no idea what the contents of the sealed envelope were but upon delivery the screams and tears of the couple to whom I had delivered the telegram made me realise that it must have been informing them that their son had been killed in action. What a Christmas gift that was for them!
I also have recollections of a very bad air raid on the centre of Birmingham when proceeding to work the following morning, The bus that normally terminated in Navigation Street could not get any further than the Horse Fair and the passengers then had to walk. I walked up John Bright Street towards the Head Post Office amid buildings still burning and fire hoses spraying water everywhere. I think the fact that I was in my uniform was the only reason that the police allowed me to continue.
I made several friends amongst the my fellow messenger lads but over the years have lost contact with them except for one or two that I still hear from at Christmas time.
Time and age dims the memory as I am sure there must be other anecdotes to recall, some perhaps best forgotten and others certainly no longer mentioned, but I hope the above memories will prove useful to you.
Yours sincerely,
G.H.R.HIDEN
now living in Truro Cornwall
I only had one telegram to deliver to a house in Shenley Lane but the telegram envelope was marked in red lettering GOVERNMENT URGENCY, ABSOLUTE PRIORITY. I had no idea what the contents of the sealed envelope were but upon delivery the screams and tears of the couple to whom I had delivered the telegram made me realise that it must have been informing them that their son had been killed in action. What a Christmas gift that was for them!
I also have recollections of a very bad air raid on the centre of Birmingham when proceeding to work the following morning, The bus that normally terminated in Navigation Street could not get any further than the Horse Fair and the passengers then had to walk. I walked up John Bright Street towards the Head Post Office amid buildings still burning and fire hoses spraying water everywhere. I think the fact that I was in my uniform was the only reason that the police allowed me to continue.
I made several friends amongst the my fellow messenger lads but over the years have lost contact with them except for one or two that I still hear from at Christmas time.
Time and age dims the memory as I am sure there must be other anecdotes to recall, some perhaps best forgotten and others certainly no longer mentioned, but I hope the above memories will prove useful to you.
Yours sincerely,
G.H.R.HIDEN
now living in Truro Cornwall