Post by Matt James on Apr 13, 2009 15:15:49 GMT
I started my boy messenger life in March 1936 under the watchful eyes of Inspectors P Weekly, D Bird and Bill O'Shea, woebetide you if you needed a hair cut, your buttons not cleaned, your shoes dirty, you were sent home to rectify these faults. Our 'duties' were 6-2; 7-3; 8-4; 9-5; 10.30-6.30pm and 1-9pm depending on your senority. Other duties performed consisted of Instrument Gallery (IG), Stock Exchange (Margaret Street). Bromford Racecourse (once), Investigation Branch which included the Postmaster's Office and the watering of his rubber plant! At the age of sixteen I passed my driving test for a motorcycle and proceeded for service to Erdington Post Office. The machines were BSA 250 cc, hand change with a choke for speed reduction. I spent some time at Aston Manor Post Office. During several months here I remember mostly the smell of Ansells Brewery and HP Sauce during break times. When the Head Office was bombed my duties were extended to riding a sidecar combination to deliver telegrams to outlying offices, ie Bromsgrove, Walsall, etc. As senior messenger in 1940 I was put on 6 am-2 pm duty delivering telegrams to Meat, Fish and Fruit markets. My service finished in 1940 when I started in the Postmans Office at the West End Ballroom. These are the colleagues I can remember: Herman Blunn; George Littlewood; Johnny Hooper; Len Smith; Geoff Baugh; Walter Stockley; Ethelred Roberts.