John Player and Sons. Free cigs being sued.

[letsavagoo 842]

In the early 70's I worked at Players for about 18 months. I caught on the news today, the tail end of a piece that someone or a group of people are suing players for the health implications of the free cigs that employees got given as a perk. I think I got 200 a week. Anyone else here worked at Players?

[Paradiddle 133]

Left school in 1965, started as an electrical apprentice at Players.  Thought if I started puffing away I might not be able to stop so sold my allowance (Perfectos) to a relative.  As I was there until around 1979, made a few bob without any damage to my lungs!

[Cliff Ton 10,009]

My grandad worked at Players almost his entire working life (approximately 1930 - 1970).

 

He used to get free cigarettes all the time...but he didn't smoke. He always gave them to my dad - who did smoke - but my dad never liked Players cigarettes for some reason, so he gave them to someone else.

 

Who would do the suing in that case ?  

[letsavagoo 842]

I think the someone else would sue your dad who would sue his dad who could sue Players. I guess you might need a good medium as in spiritualist though.

[FLY2 10,106]

This scenario is akin to a road accident victims relations, attempting to sue Henry Ford.

[radfordred 6,278]

It was actually Rothmans @letsavagoo  that the fellow worked for, not John Player, (hope they do not come looking for you for slander!)  you are going to need deep pockets to take on any cigarette company. 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-48050476

[letsavagoo 842]

Definitely mentioned Players on the news I saw. I wasn't paying attention but when they mentioned Players I looked up. I'm actually quite impressed with Players as I worked there for 18 months 1973-4 and they recently traced me via an agency to my current address as apparently I'm due some pension contributions back. I started browsing new cars until they told me it will be about £98.00. It's the thought that counts but the cash would be better.

 

[AlanB 13]

I had a holiday job at Players during my university years. I didn't want to work there but in those days you could sign on the dole in the summer vacation and my parents encouraged me to do so - but of course they always found you a grotty job which you were then obliged to accept! I remember being given cigarettes in leiu of part of my wages. I didn't smoke but there was no option to opt out. I think my dad sold them to someone he knew who was a smoker.

[Beekay 4,411]

'Er indoors worked in Players labs for a few years, about 4/5 ,can't remember for sure. She used to get a cigarette allowance and asked if she could save them up prior to our wedding and it was agreed. I used to smoke at the time so I usually got a handful till she started saving them.

She tried smoking but never took to it. At our wedding reception, each table had a large tin of ciggies in the middle to go with mints and coffee. 

At the close of the reception there wasn't a fag to be found. Some must have found their way out in guests pockets. It never occurred to us to flog 'em. Think she packed in about 1966/7, when she was carrying our first nipper. Beekay.  

[MRS B 332]

My dad worked for Players for 40 years, my mother reckoned she only married him for the free cigs!

I always justified smoking Players to keep my mother getting her share of my dad’s pension which was a substantial amount.

He ended his time there as the manager of the bonded warehouse on Triumph Road (the big white building, not sure if it’s even still there) 

 

Mrs B

[Brew 5,007]

Although a smoker from an early age I always found the smell of Players factory to be quite  nauseating when cycling into town.

[Cliff Ton 10,009]

25 minutes ago, MRS B said:

He ended his time there as the manager of the bonded warehouse on Triumph Road (the big white building, not sure if it’s even still there) 

 

They've been demolished. One is still there because there's a phone mast on it, but eventually that will go as well.

 

There's an old thread here on the subject.  https://nottstalgia.com/forums/topic/15308-players-bonded-warehouse-triumph-road/?tab=comments#comment-57216

 

[MRS B 332]

Hi Cliff Ton

Oh those pictures are so sad, my dad loved working there, he used to tell us about all the tobacco that had to be disposed of (accompanied by customs). Think it used to be incinerated.

 

Also remember they used to get their best baccy from Rhodesia (as was) and then had to swap to other markets including British American tobacco. I can remember visiting their offices in North Carolina and there was an area that was like a shrine to John Player with all sorts of memorabilia. 

 

Mrs B

[AfferGorritt 868]

Spent many, many frustrating hours building spreadsheets to try to arrive at the value of the stock in the Bond. Not an easy task, as it wasn’t used in chronological order, so you could have stuff bought years ago at one value, and then the same grade of tobacco from a different year crop bought at a different price. Bloody confusing, even to the external auditors who went all glassy eyed when we presented the leaf accounts to them!

Who was your Dad, Mrs B? Might remember him.

[philmayfield 5,518]

I used to love spreadsheets. I used the very first one, VisiCalc, on the original Apple Mac back in the early ‘80’s. It was brought to the factory for a demonstration by one of the directors of Parr Computer Services. They were doing our sales, purchases and wages on their mainframe with punched cards at the time. I was the company accountant then and it revolutionised my accounts preparation. I bought the computer and the software there and then. I wouldn’t let him take it back! I used spreadsheets over many years for multiple applications. It’s now been years since I’ve needed to knock out a complicated layout so, although I have the latest program on my Mac, I think I would have to have a rethink.

[AfferGorritt 868]

Me too, Phil. Built some quite complicated stuff on Lotus 1-2-3 until we were forced down the Excel route by Head Office. I still think that the macro writing in Lotus was far, far easier than Excel - but that’s “progress”. Can’t let it go, and still use a far too complicated spreadsheet to reconcile my bank account! (But I did enjoy building it!)