The Engineer 614 Posted July 22, 2015 Report Share Posted July 22, 2015 First job after school was trainee lab technician at Spray and Burgess, Leonard Street, Bulwell (dyers and finishers - factory since demolished). Customers would send in rolls of fabric and their idea of what colours they wanted it to be, a bit like a paint chart. In the lab we had to figure out the 'recipe' of dyes and fixatives, etc. and dye samples for their approval. To get a sample meant accessing the rolls in the warehouse and snipping a bit off. The rolls were stacked high. Two other lads decided to initiate me by making me reach a roll on the top shelf (maybe 20-25 ft up). I was told to stand on the forks of a fork-lift while they raised it. Still couldn't reach so they said I'd have to put one foot on a shelf to get a bit higher so I did. They dropped the forks rapidly, leaving me hanging on the ends of the rolls. After a few seconds I fell and landed with my back arched across the fork-lift. They laughed but I was not amused. Amazingly I was not really injured, save some bruising but I could easily have broken my back. The lads as I recall (name and shame) were Andy Morris (son of a fruit and veg wholesaler of Henrietta Street) and Ian Beeson (of Bulwell Hall Estate I think). It's been 41 years; I await their apologies. On a lighter note I also had to get a water sample from the Leen every day and analyse it for acidity and hardness. I left after three months because I always wanted to be a lumberjack engineer. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Blondie 1,392 Posted September 24, 2016 Report Share Posted September 24, 2016 On 26/02/2015 at 5:07 PM, TonyW said: Hi ya Blondie. Alf Foster was my brothers Father in law. Which daughter did he marry? - I think there 6 of them and 2 boys.........they were neighbours of ours back in the 1950's at Hucknall Notts.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Blondie 1,392 Posted September 24, 2016 Report Share Posted September 24, 2016 I left school in 1961 and worked in a factory office - 7.45am to 5.30pm, for £3/10 a week, (approx 14/- a day) - don't know what hourly rate it was.......Stayed there because me mam said I had to do as I was told, she was in charge.......Cannot remember whether I liked it or not, just kept going........Had a Saturday/holiday job at the Beehive Stores on the town before I left school, went Potato picking regularly before that, I needed money as I wanted all the latest teenager things and knew how to earn it............Have always had a job until I eventually retired when I was 60 - loved going out to work, but I would not like working now...... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TonyW 0 Posted September 24, 2016 Report Share Posted September 24, 2016 4 hours ago, Blondie said: Which daughter did he marry? - I think there 6 of them and 2 boys.........they were neighbours of ours back in the 1950's at Hucknall Notts.... Hi Blondie I am no longer a member of this site but my Brother Pete married Diane, she is dead now, been dead about 3 years. She died exactly of what her Mother died of "Peggy" Brain cancer. They all took after her mother, a bit wappy or at least those i met did especially "John". Cheers Tony. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,464 Posted September 25, 2016 Report Share Posted September 25, 2016 On 9/24/2016 at 6:02 PM, TonyW said: Hi Blondie I am no longer a member of this site ?????? That is a bizarre impossibility. You have to be a member in order to post any messages. If you were no longer a member of the site, you wouldn't be able to post a message saying you were no longer a member of the site. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FLY2 10,108 Posted September 25, 2016 Report Share Posted September 25, 2016 Yer got him there Cliff ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Radford Boy 26 Posted September 25, 2016 Report Share Posted September 25, 2016 I left school (Cottesmore) in 1960 and went to work for a company called "City Electrical" as an apprentice electrician. I worked on what was known as "City House" on the corner of Friar lane and Maid Marion Way. I was back in Nottingham a couple of years ago and see that the old building is now a hotel. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Shaz58 21 Posted October 1, 2016 Report Share Posted October 1, 2016 My first job after school was at Boots on Station Street in the Sales Records department - started in August 1974 and left in April 1981 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
OLDIE 45 Posted November 8, 2016 Report Share Posted November 8, 2016 I'm new to this site, but I remember my first job all right. It was owned by a Fred Carr, and they made metal windows, and went into some gym equipment. Two of the guys who worked there were dedicated bullies, and made my life a misery. Ron and Phil they were called. It was in a yard close to a lace factory in Basford. In the same yard was a ramshackle laundry. Just remembered as I write, the factory was Birkins. The firm went on to bigger things I think, but I didn't hang around to find out. £2-10s a week to have the p*** taken, no thanks. Never went anywhere near engineering again. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
radfordred 6,284 Posted November 20, 2016 Report Share Posted November 20, 2016 Lumberjack here's photo of a job we did on Wollaton park down by the lake. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Oztalgian 3,284 Posted November 21, 2016 Report Share Posted November 21, 2016 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
radfordred 6,284 Posted February 17, 2017 Report Share Posted February 17, 2017 First job? I remember it like yesterday down pit wit me Dad! 6 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wheaty47 2 Posted February 18, 2017 Report Share Posted February 18, 2017 First job when leaving Claremont Bilateral School in 1964 was as an Engineering apprentice at the Royal Ordnance Factory in the Meadows, starting salary being £2.12.6. Fortunately, I had a birthday two weeks later and received a rise of £1.00. I was really lording it!!! Served at the Factory for over 37 years and was instrumental in the administration of it's closure in early 2002. Sad days. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeverilPeril 3,281 Posted February 19, 2017 Report Share Posted February 19, 2017 £2.12.6. Wheaty! You were lucky. I started there on £1.7/6. in 1952. That went up to £1.12/- 6 months later. Did you start at 16 or at 15 like me? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
trogg 2,016 Posted March 5, 2017 Report Share Posted March 5, 2017 Paperboy at Ingals Post Office Bestwood Estate till in 62 at 15 years old started at Bestwood pit as apprentice electrican , one week at Hucknall training centre next week at Arnold and Carlton College after 9 months fed up and left . Tried a few different jobs a week at each then to Basford Dyers Ryder street Basford for a year ,then back down pit till I was 18 and I joined the Fire Brigade did 30 years it was the best choice I made. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alisoncc 379 Posted April 8, 2017 Report Share Posted April 8, 2017 What a slack load of buggers. First job after leaving school, I was working before I left school. Ran a kiosk for W H Smith and Sons selling newspapers to early morning commuters on the front of the Midland Station. Used to open up before 6:00am and close by 08:30 am. This was in the mid/late '50's. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
radfordlad 1 Posted February 25, 2018 Report Share Posted February 25, 2018 On 28/12/2011 at 7:11 AM, mick2me said: Before leaving school I was a butchers lad for a butcher corner of Hartley Road where it met Alfreton Rd. Can anyone remember the butchers name? I had to pedal a delivery bike, one of those with a big basket on the front, all the way up to Bilborough and Aspley, in the snow! I know the butchers shop you mean as we lived at the bottom of Bovill Street. All I remember was his huge black Jaguar with massive headlights, can't remember his name. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
PeverilPeril 3,281 Posted February 25, 2018 Report Share Posted February 25, 2018 3 hours ago, radfordlad said: I know the butchers shop you mean as we lived at the bottom of Bovill Street. All I remember was his huge black Jaguar with massive headlights, can't remember his name. I was a delivery boy for the same butcher 1951/2. A lot of his customers were rehoused to Clifton estate and I had to make deliveries all the way there! It was a bit ridiculous though, only being able to deliver about 8 or 10 orders of a Saturday morning. A good foundation for my bike racing days though 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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