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Post by Matt James on Apr 13, 2009 15:21:07 GMT
HI John - great posting - I would love to hear from you if you could contact me either through the site or on 01952 242424 ext 5333. I am putting together a piece for the Shropshire Star with other memories and would love to include yours in Shrewsbury. Do you have any pics from those days? Ben Bentley features Shropshire Star 01952 242424
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Post by Matt James on Apr 13, 2009 15:20:48 GMT
John, Thank you for bringing a big smile to my face your story about your dads pools win �75,000 was hillarious,BRILLIANT SITCOM. thanks again ..... Ted Knott.
John Ellis Jones _________________ Ted knott 12 Davids road Droylsden Manchester m43 6ww
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Post by Matt James on Apr 13, 2009 15:20:31 GMT
I started as a Telegram messenger Boy in Shrewsbury on December 28th 1948 two days before my fifteen birthday
I rode a bicycle as a messenger and I had finished as a messenger before we had the Bantams Motorcycles
I went on to work as a Postman then on to Postman Higher Grade (P.H.G.) until I retired after Fifty Years Service, I did National Service from 1952 -1954
As a telegram messenger boy I broke my arm when I ran over a cat.
We used to work on a Sunday Mornings 9am until 1 pm, One sunday I sent my father a Telegram saying he had won �75,000 on the pools coupon it wasn't until the Monday I told him , it was a silly trick on my part
John Ellis Jones
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Post by Matt James on Apr 13, 2009 15:19:43 GMT
Originally posted by Bidstonhall
fabulous story, more please, many thanks _________________ paul girling
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Post by Matt James on Apr 13, 2009 15:19:17 GMT
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Post by Matt James on Apr 13, 2009 15:17:43 GMT
Rewarded for �Exceptional� Driving I was awarded the �Wilf Duckett Memorial Cup� in 1880 for the best driving record (no accidents in one year) as well as the cup which has been engraved with my name, I was also given �10 cash reward The trophy was displayed in the Telegram Delivery Room on the L.G. Deck of Birmingham P.LS.O The cup was presented for the first time this year it was donated by the family of Mr Wilf Duckett who was a former Inspector of Messenger Boys at the Birmingham sorting office who died a year earlier before he was due to retire The trophy was to be awarded annually, with a small cash prize, to the best Junior Postman driver with the best accident free record Assistant Head Postmaster Mr Ian Dakin awarded me the trophy who said �it is not easy to drive around Birmingham for a year without having the odd bump or scratch� I was 20years old at the time and was a Birmingham based driver for Expresspost Roger Green (Badge no 3371)
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Post by Matt James on Apr 13, 2009 15:16:43 GMT
I worked for Royal Mail Derby/East Mids Airport/EMDC for 41 years The pics attached are of a Derby postie in the 1975 Ldoy comp - I drove another similar truck. The PO driving instructor, me (David Humphries) and a Burton on Trent postie in the cab of our ntraining vehicle at Desborough in 1971. A line-up of PO trucks and Nottingham, Leicester and Burton drivers before the 1985 Ldoy finals at Silverstone - my truck is in the middle. One of many pictures of trucks I drove at EMA. David Humphries
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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.
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Post by Matt James on Apr 13, 2009 15:15:12 GMT
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Post by Matt James on Apr 13, 2009 15:14:16 GMT
Originally posted by Bidstonhall
hi yes, i think you are right about the change in the law, both my bikes are B175's, incidently one of them has the original tiny post office carb, apparently these are as rare as hens teeth as what usually happened when the bikes were eventually sold on, the newboy racer who bought it would scrap the leg shields and the carb
make a great sound though, takes you right back
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Post by Matt James on Apr 13, 2009 15:13:56 GMT
Originally posted by Ray Broadfield
hi paul great pics. of your bike.i think the 125 bikes were governed by having a slightly longer longer throttle slide than standard civy bantams we used to try and fiddle the lead seal off and put the needle up a notch and carefully twist the wire and seal back on,i'm not sure if it made much difference in speed but we seemed to think it did.i believe the reason for the change to mopeds was,when B.S.A. stopped making the 125 they changed to the 175 and then the law changed restricting youngsters to 50c.c.machines untill a certain age, 17 i believe, although i stand to be corrected . all the best ray broadfield
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Post by Matt James on Apr 13, 2009 15:13:02 GMT
Originally posted by BidstonHall
hi ted, although both my bikes are 1971, more or less the last year they were used ,i was at l.n.t.d.o. 1967-1968
1969 they introduced mopeds in liverpool as we had 2 deaths at our office in the preceding couple of years
some of the lads were a bit wild and did all kinds of crazy stunts
getting them on mopeds got the hardline element out of the picture and the lads who rode the mopeds were a bit more sensible
HI TED, CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY USED TO KEEP THE SPEED DOWN, I THINK THEY USED A SMALLER NEEDLE IN THE CARB AS SOME OF THE LADS CHANGED THEM BACK AGAIN TO GET A GOOD SPEED OUT OF THEM, HAD TO PUT IT RIGHT WHEN IT WENT TO THE DEPOT AT BOOTLE FOR SERVICE
I REMEMBER ALL THE SPEEDOS HAVING A RED LINE MARKED AT 28 MPH WHICH WAS THE OFFICIAL SPEED LIMIT FOR ALL P.O. VEHICLE
MY 2 BIKES HAVE THAT RED LINE ON THEM AS WELL
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Post by Matt James on Apr 13, 2009 15:11:55 GMT
Originally posted by Ted
Hello Paul, its Ted from Manchester here
what years were you a messenger? I can remember playing against the Liverpool messengers at football home and away in 1965, I think we played at Bellwood in the first game we lost 6-1 and in the return fixture you beat us again 5-3.
looking at the reg plate it is 1971 so you were still at school when we p[layed you at football,what was the top speed of your bikes and did you have a small lead seal on the carburettor so you couldn't adjust the needle to increase the speed? >ted< 1961 - 1965 _________________ Ted knott 12 Davids road Droylsden Manchester m43 6ww
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Post by Matt James on Apr 13, 2009 15:11:29 GMT
hi roger, I have attached some photos of one of my bikes, this was used at Liverpool South T.D.O. Great site and becoming a great success, think you hit a nerve there, cheers Paul Girling
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Post by Matt James on Apr 13, 2009 15:09:38 GMT
Hi Photo below it was me on my post office bantam and it was 50 years ago (where did the years go). Bruce (Dave) Davidson outside Forest Gate Office in east London E7 1957 I had some great times as a messenger Here is another photo of me with some of the other boys outside the office. I am second from left in picture. Regards Bruce (Dave) Davidson
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