Post by Matt James on Apr 13, 2009 14:49:26 GMT
I started my postal career at Wimpole Street in 1933 age 14 years old
I was 4'9inches tall and they sent me out with a messenger boy who was 6'2inches tall to learn the district, I suppose it was quite a commical sight
We had to line up each morning to be inspected for smartness all the brass buttons , belt buckle and cap badge had to be highly polished the black leather belt had to be polished too
Those of us who were complimented were called ' dazzers '
The big boots took some getting used to , I thought I had nails coming through , but when my boots came off my feet were full of blisters
I was on 12 shillings a week and was paid four pence an hour over time and also had to pay two pence to join the union per week
I got to know every street in the westend, and was often asked by people who were lost, and I always knew where to direct them I soon got to know all the big hotels and was always interested to see what they were like inside
It was also good to get messages for stars at theatres, because going round to the stage door you would sometimes meet the stars.
I never ever got any tips but we always want to take the messages to one bookies (Turf Accounts) in Bond Street because we were always given 3 cigarettes upon delivery of the messages
The BBC at Langham Place was also interesting, but you never got beyond the reception desk
Some of the addresses in Soho were a little scary at times I had a message once for a 'Lady of the Streets' and when I knocked at her door she called out "Iam in here" a door opened on the landing and she was sitting on the Loo and calmly held out her hand for the message
After a time I left Wimpole Strret and was sent to Rathbone Place ,sometimes when there were a few boys waiting to be sent out , we were given a job which we called 'dirt track' we had to visit a few post offices and sweep the floors with a dustpan and broom and get our dockets stamped to say we had done the job
I forgot to say that when I first started going out on my own I was frightened to take too long because your docket was stamped "Excess"
once or twice I would run most of the way.
The first time I went out I forgot where the post office was , so I had to ask a passer by , he must have thought I was joking
My last two years at Rathbone Place was as a "Tube Attendant" messages came from HQ through a tube in a small pouch and I had to put the messages in envelopes and pass them to the person in charge of the messengers who of course would deliver them
When I left at 18 years old I was a postman for a few weeks then a sorter at the Foreign Section at chief office and then on to the counter.
When I left the counter I became a Postal Execative mostly in charge of the P.O.Counters
In 1940 I was called up and joined the Argle & Sutherland Highlanders Infantry I was with them for 6 years .I was on the beaches of Normandy,was wounded,and after a long time in hospital spent the rest of the time in Scotland.
I married my wife Peggy in 1940 we have been happily married for 67 years.
Peggy is 84 and I am 88 years old (2007)
Charles (Bob) Gibbins
I was 4'9inches tall and they sent me out with a messenger boy who was 6'2inches tall to learn the district, I suppose it was quite a commical sight
We had to line up each morning to be inspected for smartness all the brass buttons , belt buckle and cap badge had to be highly polished the black leather belt had to be polished too
Those of us who were complimented were called ' dazzers '
The big boots took some getting used to , I thought I had nails coming through , but when my boots came off my feet were full of blisters
I was on 12 shillings a week and was paid four pence an hour over time and also had to pay two pence to join the union per week
I got to know every street in the westend, and was often asked by people who were lost, and I always knew where to direct them I soon got to know all the big hotels and was always interested to see what they were like inside
It was also good to get messages for stars at theatres, because going round to the stage door you would sometimes meet the stars.
I never ever got any tips but we always want to take the messages to one bookies (Turf Accounts) in Bond Street because we were always given 3 cigarettes upon delivery of the messages
The BBC at Langham Place was also interesting, but you never got beyond the reception desk
Some of the addresses in Soho were a little scary at times I had a message once for a 'Lady of the Streets' and when I knocked at her door she called out "Iam in here" a door opened on the landing and she was sitting on the Loo and calmly held out her hand for the message
After a time I left Wimpole Strret and was sent to Rathbone Place ,sometimes when there were a few boys waiting to be sent out , we were given a job which we called 'dirt track' we had to visit a few post offices and sweep the floors with a dustpan and broom and get our dockets stamped to say we had done the job
I forgot to say that when I first started going out on my own I was frightened to take too long because your docket was stamped "Excess"
once or twice I would run most of the way.
The first time I went out I forgot where the post office was , so I had to ask a passer by , he must have thought I was joking
My last two years at Rathbone Place was as a "Tube Attendant" messages came from HQ through a tube in a small pouch and I had to put the messages in envelopes and pass them to the person in charge of the messengers who of course would deliver them
When I left at 18 years old I was a postman for a few weeks then a sorter at the Foreign Section at chief office and then on to the counter.
When I left the counter I became a Postal Execative mostly in charge of the P.O.Counters
In 1940 I was called up and joined the Argle & Sutherland Highlanders Infantry I was with them for 6 years .I was on the beaches of Normandy,was wounded,and after a long time in hospital spent the rest of the time in Scotland.
I married my wife Peggy in 1940 we have been happily married for 67 years.
Peggy is 84 and I am 88 years old (2007)
Charles (Bob) Gibbins