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Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 16:48:23 GMT
I've written a rock'n'roll song called The Wag Song and it'll be out on i-tunes in a few weeks so you will be able to download it and make a CD out of it or even leave it on your i-pod if you use one. Next week it should be a video on YouTube but anyway here are the lyrics -a word: Kenny Mortiboys was the head wag when I started at Selly Oak and his name was the easiest to rhyme with so I hope he doesn't mind:
The Wag Song (Heroes of Yesterday)
Little Kenny Mortiboys Was chief of all the naughty boys On the GPO in nineteen sixty one Lady Chatterley made the day We found the pages then threw it away Cos we would ride our motor-bikes And that’s the way we’d take our fun Way back in sixty one.
Chorus: We heard the wop bop bop bop doo dah day On the juke box every day We heard the wop bop bop bop doo dah day We were the heroes of yesterday.
Riding on our motor-bikes Around the streets both day and night On the GPO in Nineteen sixty one The cops would try and slow us down Whenever we came into town We’d lose them at the traffic lights Cos that’s the way we’d take our fun Way back in sixty one
Chorus:
Coffee bars and rock’n’roll We danced the twist we tried the stroll On the GPO in Nineteen sixty one For rock’n’roll you need to bop And dance and dance until you drop Then back upon the motor bikes If that’s the way we’d take our fun Way back in sixty one
Chorus:
Where is Kenny Mortiboys And where are all the naughty boys From the GPO in nineteen sixty one? Time has taken them away The heroes of yesterday Have gone to wearing wedding bands And that’s the way they take their fun But back in sixty one.
They heard the wop bop bop bop doo dah day On the juke box every day They heard the wop bop bop bop doo dah day They were the heroes of yesterday.
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Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 16:47:51 GMT
I was with Charles Tye at South Kensington Sorting Office, where I stayed until National Service reared it's head. 1956 was the first time I walked into where the PSM was sitting, and being new I was shown the ropes, and when I was given my first telegram to deliver I could not get there fast enough!! Oh how things changed so quickly, especially when I found other messenger 'waxing me out'. I delivered to Doris Day, but was not as fortunate as Charles to actually meet her, but there was the famous Jack Train, remember the song about The Runaway Train? Other messenger colleagues were, Austtin Gobby whom I am still in touch with 50 years on, Eddie Elliott who went on to Buckingham Palace, I keep in touch with him as well, Derek (Jim) Beswick was my PSM, also, a Mr Pepper, great days, wonderful job, until 1958 when I was called up.
Woodie,
I have recently spoken to Jim Beswick he is ok, and he remembers me after all these years at South Ken, (see heading under Charles Tye
LES SIMMONS
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Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 16:47:31 GMT
Hi WOODIE. THO I WAS A MOPPER IN WC2 59-62 I THINK BESWICK
YOUR PSM WAS AT FULHAM IN THE EARLY 70S AS A.I. WHEN I WENT
THERE ON OVERTIME FROM SW5 ( EARLS COURT ) IN THE AFTERNOON,
I FINALLY RETIRED AT 60 AFTER 40+ YEARS
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Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 16:47:07 GMT
Hi Charlie Strange we should join this site the same day. I joined Sou west as you left 1956. I too remember Watneys Stag brewary by the stench which hung over Victoria. People forget we Moppers as we were called never heard the name wags? we did Railex, to all London terminus. We did messanger all the way , I remember Saturday mornings doing the weekly shop for someone in Ashley Mansions , walking Andrew Cruickshanks dog around St James park which cost him one shilling a mile.The main guvnor of moppers in the DO was in 64 Victoria Street his name Vincent, PSM was Bond another guvnor Beswick. Please excuse me I contracted Meningitus in 1967 was off sick for a year I lost all previous memory of work , loved ones inclueding my financee so if I can excercise the old brain box makes me happy. I ended up at Buck Pal. Then took P&TO but never went higher due to my illness retired 1992 . I have just met up with Austin Gobbles from South Ken joined in 1952 Just remembered another boy Doubleday from Brixton.
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Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 16:46:51 GMT
Delivering a telegram to what was Watneys Brewery in Palace St London in the early 1950's l had to walk though the bottle washing plant which was staffed by lots of women and young girls,all of a sudden someone shouted " Let's get him and see what he's got" I don't think I have ever run so fast in my life.
South West District Office at that time was a very busy with about 30 boys on each shift, no bikes or motor bikes all delivering was done on foot
Another story ,when l was at South Kensinton office l was in Chelsea one day with a mate ,as you did. We called it SAPING. When a beautiful girl called out " Hey Boys give me a push" It was Diana Dors. We got her car started and she gave me a hug.
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Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 16:46:28 GMT
Hi
I thougth I would just drop a line to say that I met Dave Duncan at my sons' wedding on 2nd August 2008 in Dundee and talked about the telegram messenger boys (as you normally do at wedding) memorablia that he gave and which is now on display in Birmingham Mail Centre and the photographs are on this site of the items that he had kept for many years
Roger
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Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 16:46:03 GMT
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Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 16:45:39 GMT
Posted: 09 Aug 2008 12:13 pm Post subject: Hampstead Heath,Scrambling
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hi John, I note you were on the other side of the heath to me i was at Belsize Pk, on motors till Sep 1946. Have you heard the story about mgrs using the heath as a short cut, i don't suppose any of your mates did the same? we regularly had complaints from parkies and police,it wasn't me Guv. Tom Andrews _________________ North West London
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Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 16:45:20 GMT
It's certainly nice to remember the past days when I delivered telegrams, and some of the things we did as youngsters,ofcourse almost all of us smoked, unlike today, sadly I didnt stop until I was 60YRS old when my father -in- law died of cancer, he retired as an overseer on the post office.he started as a messenger in the 20s. I often wonder how we did it, considering the weather during the winter of 1947,some days when we left the office to deliver telegrams on our motorbikes, it was thick fog in London with a visibility of 5 yards and freezing cold, I had woollen gloves inside my post office leather gloves and still very cold, and it was an effort to change gear, there wasnt much traffic about then, as petrol was ration,but the snow stayed around a long time, until the weather improved. December 1947 when I was on duty ,I had to deliver a cable gram to the Russian Trade Delegation at west hill in Highgate North London. ,When I delivered them during the week the receptionists ,were very serious and solemn,however this Sunday when I arrived,everbody was happy and merry ,I was offered a cigarette and a drink which I accepted, when I returned back to the office the PSM sent me to the rest room to lay down and sober up , so I spent you rest of the morning coming round, apparently they had given me vodka which I was unaware of ,and they were celebrating Stalins birthday.
KIND REGARD, JOHN
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Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 16:44:52 GMT
My 14th birthday was on the 4th November 1934 and messenger service started (I think) at Exeter HPO either late in December of that year or early in January 1935. I am also uncertain of my last D.O.S as a messenger and start as an S.C.& T at Torquay. In order not to be thought too ga-ga or confused I do at least remember; as a level 2 Senior Sales Supt, retiring from the Exeter Telephone Area almost 28 years ago on my 60th birthday the 4th November 1980. I have also managed to find a not too faded pic of self bursting with enthusiasm - dolled up in his first uniform, and looking more like a gigolo than a lad about to take his first tentative steps into the big wide working world. You will I am sure know the allocation of badge numbers was a random affair - presumably based on the system of and 'old' messenger leaving and his number dished out to the next recruit which in this case was me. The number however was '1' and very much coveted by my mates. The number '1' is very clear in the pic both on the high neck brass buttoned tunic and also on the pillbox peaked hat. Even more interesting (to me ) is the fact that I still have a brand new pillbox carrying the sparkling brass blue enamelled No.1 badge. I shall send u a separate pic of this item soon. However - coming up '88' the memory is sluggish and even worse is the inclination to do things which a few years ago I did without thinking. I will nevertheless eventually get around to sending the anecdotal info. Meanwhile during the week your press release about the website and its purpose appeared in our local evening rag. The appearance of your press notice may of course result in the trawl of local readers producing details of my old colleagues of which at present I am unaware are still living in the locality. If any new names of former EXETER messengers comes to light please let me know - from a combined recapitulation exercise may emerge some very interesting long forgotten gem of a tale. Apologies for wandering on a bit. regards ron dyson.
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Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 16:44:26 GMT
Hello
I was a telegram messenger boy in Gerards Cross .Buckinghamshire . because it was a sub office I was only boy messenger and had a bicycle .I did the job until the service was scrapped .I went on to be postman and postman driver.1963-64 I am a retired person now ,but I would be glad to hear from any body in that area . Stuart Ball
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Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 16:43:59 GMT
Hi I Thought the Telegram Messenger Boys web site maybe interested in my Buckingham Palace Badge that Young Postmen attached to Buckingham Palace wore on their Navy Uniforms on interior duties at the Palace. Adult Postmen also wore the badge bringing the mail from South West London DO. When the Court went to Windsor, Sandringham or Balmoral adult Postmen went as well. My Badge dates from 1956. Cheers Paul Wood London SW 2396
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Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 16:43:37 GMT
We were four youths who were telegram Messengers in 1941/42/43 thus experiencing several enemy air raids on the City. The worst one of course being The Blitz of Canterbury in the early hours of 1st June 1942, as a result of which our telegram service was inundated with hundreds of incoming telegrams from anxious relatives around the country. John May, who normally worked as an Indoor Messenger at Telephone House, was given one of our famous heavy red pushbikes and sent to help with deliveries. We were later referred to as "The Blitz Boys". JOHN MAY recalls: "The City itself was in chaos, the streets blocked or littered with masonry and glass, with fire hoses everywhere and the air filled with the stench of fire and dust. It was surprising tho' how quickly the streets were cleared, allowing us to cycle to most places." The backlog of telegrams lasted two or three days, after which John handed back his bicycle and returned to the peace of Telephone House. FRANK SULLIVAN recalls: "The normal telegram service involved certain regular deliveries to business houses, bookmakers, fishmongers, auctioneers on cattle market day. These deliveries would often earn a penny tip, rarely twopence, and on such occasions we would pop into Taylor's Bakery on the corner of Best Lane/High Street to buy a pennyworth of "stale wads" (yesterday's unsold cakes at three a penny) and back to the Messengers' Room for a feast. We were paid an extra shilling per week if our bicycles were clean and oiled. They were carefully inspected before we got our shilling." RON COLEMAN recalls: "Cycling all day and every day wore holes in the seat of our blue serge trousers, so off to the Head Postman, Mr. Ernie Austin, for a ready made patch which we took with the frayed trousers to a one-legged tailor, Mr. Deverson, in King Street who machined the patch on in no uncertain manner and for the next day or so the trousers were slightly uncomfortable!! All around the City were RAF balloon sites, also Ack-Ack sites (Anti Aircraft Gun Sites) all of which had a cookhouse where a thirsty messenger boy might scrounge a cup of tea. Sometimes to get to the gun site meant cycling through a fruit orchard, well now, we could all ride "no hands" and pluck a nice rosy apple as we rode by." Every Friday morning all messengers 'paraded' before the Chief Inspector, Mickey Jonnings, a very strict, ex-Army sergeant-major. He would check our collar and tie, our clean shirts and shoes and all the brass on our uniforms, ie hat badge, buttons and belt buckle. If all was satisfactory we would receive our weekly pay of approximately ten shillings, and now the four gentlemen below are the same four boys above fifty-seven years later. From being messenger boys in Canterbury we became telephone engineers in Canterbury. We now meet occasionally and recall those past times and events, pranks and mishaps but then that's what memories are for aren't they? Ron Coleman Dave Wigmore as his shirt suggests is now living in Australia
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Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 16:43:09 GMT
I joined the G.P.O. as a telegram messenger boy in 1941 at the height of the Second World War My first office was the South West District office in Howick Place SW1, behind the Army Navy stores in Victoria Street and in the shadow of Westminster Cathedral.
From the outset it was impressed upon us that we must be smart and clean at all times. Boots, leather belt and pouch were cleaned and polished until they shone like glass and the brass buttons, buckle and hat badge were polished until you could see your face in them
On reporting for duty we were lined up and inspected by the postman supervision messenger (P.S.M) not only the uniform but your hands, nails and behind the ears. Hair had to be cut short back and sides.
Within a very short time I was transferred to Parliament Street Post Office which is at the bottom of Whitehall here, we were at the heart of Government Building and did in fact work on a rota system in the Houses of Commons Post Office. Unlike today there was just one Policeman on duty at the main gate and his only act was to salute the MP’S as they entered and left. The one outward sign of security was a machine gun post in Parliament Square facing up towards Whitehall. It was made to look like a W.H.Smith bookstall with books and magazines painted on the outside with the figure of a man behind the counter. What strikes me in hindsight, as remarkable, is the fact that we could walk in and out of all the major government offices without any hindrance whatsoever, this include Downing Street (no gates in those day) and even Buckingham Palace.
I remember on one occasion whilst working at the Commons I was told to go to no.10 and collect a package and take it to the War Cabinet rooms in a bunker under Great George Street, it turned out that the package was a pair of glasses for Winston Churchill , the bunker, deep under ground, where all the important decisions were made , was a series of rooms leading on from one another with doors 18 inches to 2 foot thick, these doors were secured by air locks and each one guarded by an armed soldier, to open them the lock had to be shut off and even then it took all the service mans strength to open them, at the very end was a room furnished as a bedroom and it was here the Mr Winston Churchill spent many nights, (and days too , when he had been up all night)
I also worked for a while in the post office inside Buckingham Palace where you often ran messages for various members of exiled European Royal Families in grace and favour apartments inside the Palace , the most notable of these were the king Haakon of Norway, Queen Juliana of Holland and King Constantine, who I think was a Greek. King Haakon was a very tall man, well over six feet, at the time I was barely 4’8’ and had considerable difficulty understanding him.
At the age of sixteen I took the civil service exam and became a telegraphist at the central telegraph office (G.P.O) in King Edward Street, opposite St Pauls Cathedral.
It was here that I was to send many hundreds of telegrams containing the three stock phrases used by the War Office “We regret to inform you that (Rank Name Number) is missing in action ‘Missing belived Killed’ and the more certain one ‘Has been Killed in action’ it was not by any means all doom and gloom and many friendships were formed with operators in other parts of the country.
One memory that stands out at this time is when a bomb hit the nearby Smithfield Markets and all our windows were blown out. During the clearing up of over 50 broken windows there was nothing we could do but just carry on working.
The one station nobody wanted on Friday nights was Belfast that was when all the Irish workers in London sent money orders to their loved ones back home there were hundreds of them
Before I close I must go back to the beginning as a boy messenger, although the general public referred to us as telegram boys the official job title was boy messengers this was because we carried out other duties apart from delivering telegrams. Commercial companies and individuals could hire us to be of service to them, there request were many and varied ,the most common ones were delivering flowers from a florist taking packages and parcels from place to place and even shopping and dog walking for rich elderly ladies.
I remember quite clearly one occasion when I was sent to collect a book from a publisher and took it to George Bernard Shaw at his home in London (Whitehall Court) it was a dictionary of phonetic spellings which he was promoting as a more sensible way of dealing with our illogical language.
Lastly I must tell you of an incident that has stayed with me throughout my long life; it was when I was still at the S.W.D.O. I was first in line to be despatched when a member of the public wanted a parcel delivered to an address in Wandsworth, instead of sending me the PSM offered it to another lad who lived in Wandsworth so that he could go home, off duty, after delivering the parcel, he was a friend of mine name Ted Nettlefield (We joined the Putney sea cadets together) tragedy struck when the bus he was travelling on received a direct hit and he was killed.
My short career in the Post Office ended towards the end of 1943 when I volunteered for the Royal Navy and became a signalman / teleprinter operator, signalman at sea and when tied up to a communication buoy a teleprinter operator So my training in the Post Office did not go to waste
I hope you find some of my experiences of interest
T.C.TURVEY
Now living in Penzance
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Post by Matt James on Apr 16, 2009 16:42:41 GMT
With regard to your telegram messenger boys web site you may be interested to know that my mother, then Edith Grenfell, became the first female telegraph messenger in the West of the Country during W.W.I, based at Penzance Post Office. Born in January, 1900, I think she was sixteen when she commenced duties the day following Whit Monday. As she was the first she became "Tl". Eventually there were seven other female telegraph messengers. I don't know when they left but on a group photograph taken on Peace Day, 1919, there are only men. The girls delivered telegrams over a wide area including ,Madron, Gulval and Nancledra, lonely and unlit roads. They worked evening shifts in their turn and bicycles were their transport whatever the weather conditions. Too often they knew they carried the dreaded information to next of kin that a loved one had been wounded, was missing or killed in action. Their great dread was a recipent, either unable to read or too frightened to do so, asking them to read the telegram. These were the only occassions messengers were permitted by the Post Office to enter a recipents house and were expected to call in a neighbour if possible . Miss E.C.Collins Daugther
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