Post by rogergreen on Oct 10, 2009 22:18:47 GMT
I commenced as a messenger aged 14 ½ years old after having stayed on six months at school.
I attened S.W.D.O. London office for training, stayed one month and was transferred to S.W.7 South Kensington .
There were no bicycles at S.W.D.O., it was an all walking office.S.W.7 delivered south Kensington and Chelsea S.W.3 split into three groups.Queengate,left Chelsea and right Chelsea.
The inspector would ‘hide’ around a corner in order to intercept a messenger not wearing his hat An inspection was held each day in the messengers room in order to check correct uniform and especially shoes.
As far as I can remember, I was only sent home once in order to polish my shoes,you then had to make the time up.
If you got a puncture you would phone the office and a replacement cycle would arrive by van, you would ask the operator for a service message.
Freddie Welsh was our bicycle repairer, out of interest there is a G.P.O., film about a letter posted in the North East of England to South Kensington, and Freddie Welsh clearly recogisied as the bag opener (he was a postman by then of course), we cleaned our bikes once a week , my one had a huge brass bell.
On Sundays and all holidays we would have postmen from S.W.D.O. with three vans and deliver telegrams with them, in those days there was only drivers seats,so we sat passengers on mail bags .
When we were with the postmaen they would buy us a tea down in a café’ in Kings Road Chelsea, opposite Duke Of Yorks Barracks and occasionally you would get a lift home with your own bike on the postmans way back to S.W.D.O.
Additionally on Sundays and holidays, we cover Kensington W8 we went down to Paddington D.O. this was on bicycle often wondered what the W8 boys thought of no ovetime those days .I was placed on a special duty day about with a coleage 7am – 2pm where I would take a packet up to E.C.D.O. Room 7 c,the packet would contain certain letters to be checked and returned for G.P.delivery.
Age sixteen I applied for motor cycle duty and moved to Wimbleton SW19, with an attractive driving allowance was paid.all this of course was bliss, for a boy of sixteen on a motorcycle and being paid !.
The delivery covered SW19 and SW20 again the area was split into three,Wimbleton main,Parkside and West Wimbleton. The duty times were 8am – 3pm or 10-30am -7-30pm , day about Monday to Saturday.
Plenty of incidents in the two years,two most embarrassing, were getting stuck in a tramline and wedged to the ground (the great british public came to help) other was around a corner on a icy road and my bicycle falling away while I with momentum,did a low crouching position running toward a department store window and ended up next to the window, looking across the road as I returned to retrieve my bike, I realised the cinema there and being a Saturday evening, a very long queue! I was ok and scurried away very quickly.
The bonus at Wimbleton being a little older, were the instrument room girls !
The library was opposite our retiring room which was on the first floor, with the Branch Office below ,there was always plenty to see
When 18 years old I did National Service and was put in the Royal Engineers (Postal Section) this involved sorting mail, courier work around stations and sorting offices in London.
I was posted to Germany where I was despatched to six towns and in three was I/C of the F.P.O.,Also the three months , I was my own Mobile T.P.O. between Bad Oyenhousen and the Hook of Holland by train
On return to Great Britain I became Postman / Postman Higher Grade and worked on the T.P.O. the rest is another story !!!!!!!
I was also a postman in Australia and New Zealand .
All the best
John L.Nicholas
I'm the one in the glasses
I attened S.W.D.O. London office for training, stayed one month and was transferred to S.W.7 South Kensington .
There were no bicycles at S.W.D.O., it was an all walking office.S.W.7 delivered south Kensington and Chelsea S.W.3 split into three groups.Queengate,left Chelsea and right Chelsea.
The inspector would ‘hide’ around a corner in order to intercept a messenger not wearing his hat An inspection was held each day in the messengers room in order to check correct uniform and especially shoes.
As far as I can remember, I was only sent home once in order to polish my shoes,you then had to make the time up.
If you got a puncture you would phone the office and a replacement cycle would arrive by van, you would ask the operator for a service message.
Freddie Welsh was our bicycle repairer, out of interest there is a G.P.O., film about a letter posted in the North East of England to South Kensington, and Freddie Welsh clearly recogisied as the bag opener (he was a postman by then of course), we cleaned our bikes once a week , my one had a huge brass bell.
On Sundays and all holidays we would have postmen from S.W.D.O. with three vans and deliver telegrams with them, in those days there was only drivers seats,so we sat passengers on mail bags .
When we were with the postmaen they would buy us a tea down in a café’ in Kings Road Chelsea, opposite Duke Of Yorks Barracks and occasionally you would get a lift home with your own bike on the postmans way back to S.W.D.O.
Additionally on Sundays and holidays, we cover Kensington W8 we went down to Paddington D.O. this was on bicycle often wondered what the W8 boys thought of no ovetime those days .I was placed on a special duty day about with a coleage 7am – 2pm where I would take a packet up to E.C.D.O. Room 7 c,the packet would contain certain letters to be checked and returned for G.P.delivery.
Age sixteen I applied for motor cycle duty and moved to Wimbleton SW19, with an attractive driving allowance was paid.all this of course was bliss, for a boy of sixteen on a motorcycle and being paid !.
The delivery covered SW19 and SW20 again the area was split into three,Wimbleton main,Parkside and West Wimbleton. The duty times were 8am – 3pm or 10-30am -7-30pm , day about Monday to Saturday.
Plenty of incidents in the two years,two most embarrassing, were getting stuck in a tramline and wedged to the ground (the great british public came to help) other was around a corner on a icy road and my bicycle falling away while I with momentum,did a low crouching position running toward a department store window and ended up next to the window, looking across the road as I returned to retrieve my bike, I realised the cinema there and being a Saturday evening, a very long queue! I was ok and scurried away very quickly.
The bonus at Wimbleton being a little older, were the instrument room girls !
The library was opposite our retiring room which was on the first floor, with the Branch Office below ,there was always plenty to see
When 18 years old I did National Service and was put in the Royal Engineers (Postal Section) this involved sorting mail, courier work around stations and sorting offices in London.
I was posted to Germany where I was despatched to six towns and in three was I/C of the F.P.O.,Also the three months , I was my own Mobile T.P.O. between Bad Oyenhousen and the Hook of Holland by train
On return to Great Britain I became Postman / Postman Higher Grade and worked on the T.P.O. the rest is another story !!!!!!!
I was also a postman in Australia and New Zealand .
All the best
John L.Nicholas
I'm the one in the glasses