Post by rogergreen on Sept 17, 2009 19:09:21 GMT
Don Simpson 1943 Petworh
My service started in 1943 at Petworth Sussex where I remained until I retired as P.E.C.Postmaster after 44 years
This area was occupied by thousands of troops leading up to D-Day, being a rural area the boundries were 3 – 4miles and on a bad day it was likely that we could cycle 100 miles .One could get very fed up if after having been to one of the distant addresses another message was waiting at the office for the same address – great on a wet day !
Travelling around after dark with ½ the cycle lamp blacked out was difficult although I believe we regarded it as fun. I only remember two “I regret to inform you “ telegrams but was warned what the reception might be .
Petworth being a Head Office any spare time was occupied with an addressogragh machine heading up forms for sub offices and printing bag labels I was not allowed in the sorting office ,telegrams were put through a hatch to the messenger room. My hours were from 8am to 1pm and 5pm to 8 pm Monday to Saturday plus 2 hours on Sunday , on one occasion I was hauled before the Head Postmaster for damaging a cycle this I denied but others knew better , this resulted in the loss of 1/- cleaning allowance and 1/- from my 11/- weekly wage
On the subject of handstamps I remember a small oval stamp with the office code 144, this was used on unsealed printed paper items in excess of 20 ,which I believed were 1/2d cheaper than the normal rate .
I do have an ordinary message form and 3 different greetings forms , a reminder of our wedding in 1952.
In 1947 I was on a clerical course at Bletchley Park , at that time a Post office training centre , I vaguely remember seeing the Enigma Machine although at the time not realising its importance
Don Simpson
My service started in 1943 at Petworth Sussex where I remained until I retired as P.E.C.Postmaster after 44 years
This area was occupied by thousands of troops leading up to D-Day, being a rural area the boundries were 3 – 4miles and on a bad day it was likely that we could cycle 100 miles .One could get very fed up if after having been to one of the distant addresses another message was waiting at the office for the same address – great on a wet day !
Travelling around after dark with ½ the cycle lamp blacked out was difficult although I believe we regarded it as fun. I only remember two “I regret to inform you “ telegrams but was warned what the reception might be .
Petworth being a Head Office any spare time was occupied with an addressogragh machine heading up forms for sub offices and printing bag labels I was not allowed in the sorting office ,telegrams were put through a hatch to the messenger room. My hours were from 8am to 1pm and 5pm to 8 pm Monday to Saturday plus 2 hours on Sunday , on one occasion I was hauled before the Head Postmaster for damaging a cycle this I denied but others knew better , this resulted in the loss of 1/- cleaning allowance and 1/- from my 11/- weekly wage
On the subject of handstamps I remember a small oval stamp with the office code 144, this was used on unsealed printed paper items in excess of 20 ,which I believed were 1/2d cheaper than the normal rate .
I do have an ordinary message form and 3 different greetings forms , a reminder of our wedding in 1952.
In 1947 I was on a clerical course at Bletchley Park , at that time a Post office training centre , I vaguely remember seeing the Enigma Machine although at the time not realising its importance
Don Simpson