New Job

STORE KEEPERS AT CROWN CORK LTD.
I remembered the storekeeper at Lyons. At one stage I went with the casuals FOC to see the financial secretary. Who told me in no uncertain terms that my chances of employment in or out of the printing industry were very poor. (There was Government retraining schemes at that time). Crown Cork was out at Southall and had advertised a Ink mixing and store keepers job I applied for it and phoned up for an appointment. At three o’clock I was weighting in Crown Cork Office Scots, Road to meet the machine room overseer. Allex *****. He gave me a tour of the works, which was mainly empty of personnel, but full of clanking machinery and tin plate I was eventually shown to his office. We talked about the job ,I gave him my CV.I had had my sister Mary type out for me on two sheets of foolscap. He asked about my recent work I told him about Colibra, He knew one of the overseers there and immediately phoned them up, to ask about me. That was it I had the job!. We did have a talk about money and hours It was 37 ½ hours but If I wanted I could work 39 ½ hrs and have the option of accumulating the difference to add up to days off, I also said the money was not what I had been used. Allex said the money was not his domain but he would arrange some overtime if I wanted. I also talked about the times of trains etc. and he said I could have flexible time. I think that was just a sweetener. I don’t think he had the authority to offer such things. I started the following week I got congratulated by the union financial secretary ( a very strange happening.)

INK MIXING & LOVELETTERS.
The first morning I was shown by the apprentice where all the ink formulas were and how to use them, they could be mixed in a large industrial dough mixer. The inks were either ultra violet, or conventional heat setting. The inks were cooked onto the tin plate. Each printed sheet was then cut up and welded together to make aerosol spray cans. Eddy Stobbarts lorries eventually transported these about the country. After about a week in the ink store I was on top of the job enough to be left to get on with it. Allex sometimes came in, in the morning telling me to concentrate on certain jobs, apart from that I was left to do jobs roughly in the order of the dockets, but in a convenient order. All new jobs were checked for colour, and some customer vetting or signed copies were approved before a print run was started. In the first week several notes appeared on me worktable complaining about mixes I had not done. The note was signed Tony. ( he was a machine minder only working at night) so if an urgent job came up he would have to mix his own colours. On showing a note to one of the machine men he said,” Oh! A love letter from Tony he writes lots of those”. So I screwed it up and into the wastebasket it went.

EASTERN DRIVING RULES.AND LAST DAYS OF BRITISH RAIL.
The factory at Southall was employing many different nationalities Indians, Sikhs, West Indians, and Chinese. Joe was an Italian and got at me one day by using the main office phone pretending I had ordered a pizza from the local pizza parlour and asking about what topping I needed. The station at Southall declared the land of exotic spices, but their driving rules!. Scott’s road was quite long without many side turnings. The drivers drive down the center of the road expecting the other driver to give way. One day on the way to work I watched to Turbaned Gentlemen smash into one another head on
The train journeys were another problem at the time British Rail timetables from Paddington seamed to be a bit varied. If I was told that a train would be late it was possible to go and get a bus and still get to work on time. So if there was no announcement I would go and inquire in the platform office .One day when this happened I inquired about an announcement on the tannoy. The stationmaster in charge said had I heard of noise pollution. I said you cheeky bugger. Anyway he was so upset that after making an announcement he forgot to turn the annoy off.. And all his passenger produces were given out in a loud voice including where he would like to send some of his XYZ F*****Passengers. The apprentice I was with burst out laughing. . He must have told some of our work mates, as I had several inquires about train times. There was also a happening about a month later on reading a poster about the Hapden Court flower show. The same Stationmaster inquired If I would like to visit there as there was a nice maze I could get lost in. I replied that he would not need to go as he was already lost in a maze that was called British Rail.

MISTERYS OF THE CENTRAL LINE
One evening after work I had got to Ealing Broadway and on a Central Line train; the journey was taking a long time and at Ealing West there was a commotion in the carriage in front. I was sitting in the only available group of four seats, the rest were occupied. Some of the passengers deportd from the noisy carriage into ours. A little gentleman dressed in a grey overcoat collar and tie with a coloured carrier bag in witch was a record box. He sat opposite me while the rest of the passengers watched interestedly. I thought no chance of him being the weird one. When the train started he very carefully opened the bag and took out the box and placed it on the seat opened that and thumbed through the records, and selected one. I thought he was going to read the cover but no. He withdrew the record from the cover walked to the now closed door of the train and posted the record through the gap onto the track, returning to his seat he carefully closed up the box and returned it to the carrier bag. He then took out a paper handkerchief and carefully wiped the immaculate bag each side bottom and each edge with the paper handkerchief, then blew his nose in it and through that out of the window. The train stopped at North Acton. He got out and returned to the carriage he came from. The other passengers were all smiling, perhaps over my look of puzzlement, perhaps because he had not sat opposite them? The following day I told George at work, and he said it must have been a Des O’Conner record.

DRINKING AND OTHER MATTERS
About the second week working on my own Bill Mallaly said he would pick me up on the West way if I wanted to work Saturday morning, as Allex had asked. I put my alarm clock, on and was on the West way by half past Five, but Bill never turned up, so I legged it to the station. I did arrive a little late, but Saturdays were rated at time plus a half until twelve o clock then it was double time. On Monday Morning I did not mention it but found out Bill had been out on the beer on Friday Night and had not felt well enough to come in. Dav Otley was quite a drinker I asked him one morning how he could bare coming to work where there was all this crashing and banging of tin plate after a night on the beer and still with a bit of a hangover. He said you get used to it. Tony the one who had distributed love letters, moved to days. Because he had been breathalised and had lost his driving license, although it had been six to eight hours after he had been drinking. I asked Dav why Tony,s eye lid drooped , his comment was too much tity. Tony,s hobby was minature train sets, Dav,s was historical minature figures and war games. I made tea one morning and went and asked who else would like one and one of the new machine men said no thanks I have already had one then he showed my an opened pack of four beer cans. I cannot remember his name but he was very interested in jazz, he also told me he had a friend called Hane. Hane had been Oswold Mosley,s body guard and a very hard man. I asked what he was like now, and was told he was a very nice man, who new his past was bad. Anyway this machine minder did not last very long. He left after a short time.

SPORTS CLUB OUTINGS.
I joined the firms sports club, not for the sport but so that I could go on the outings one was a weekend at Warners Holiday camp on the Isle of Wight. It was a” We will meet again weekend.” They had all wartime songs, and some war time food such as bread and dripping, and cups of cocoa. The weather was not very warm but I did manage quite a few sketched which I afterwards worked up into finished paintings, of boats near Yarmouth. When I got back I felt pretty cold and treated myself to an Irish coffee in the bar. The second outing we had was to Bath I arranged to go straight from work. The weather was not very good (it rained). The Hotel was good it was Pratts. The food was excellent and they had Yellow plastic Ducks to play with in the bath. As I said it was raining so I went around the town in the morning and did the town bus tour which was free in the afternoon, I drew the cathedral, and Poultney Bridge, and the river. We got home late Sunday.

Alex always said Crown Cork Ltd were like the American mafia. and he was right one Friday night I said have a nice weekend and on the Monday morning I heard he had been sacked. And a new manager straight from college would be installed the next week. By this time I only had less than a year to retirement, the new management was like most young men. Do it this way I know that I am right. But I new he was wrong, but had to bend my methods a bit so that it looked as if I was following his instructions, but really continued as Allex allowed me as much as possible. The work just took longer. A few weeks before I retired there were rumors that the firm might close and move to the Welsh branch at Tredeger. I was to finish work on my birthday the23 Dec 1994. The office told me a car would come for me at 11 o clock on the 22nd Dec and a party would be arranged at 12 in the canteen. Retiring was very strange, and I had not realized the number of friends I had made. The firm did move after I retired some of the machine minders had been in tin printing all of their lives and might have had a job getting work unless moving to a new area.

On the Papers

METAL BOX.-JOBBING. CASSUAL WORK.
The only job suited to me was one a Heidelberg at Barclay and Fry’s at Southwark. It was a long way to travel and it was numbering, which I did not care for but it was the only chance so I took it. Barclay & Fry’s were a branch of Metal Box. Metal Box closed and went into Laser printing. I did an extra four weeks to finish up the firms existing orders I then took casual work on the out of work rota on the news papers. The first working I had was on the Mirror, after surviving that I gradually worked my way through all the papers except the Observer and the Morning Star. Then my casual document came through and I was a recognized casual worker. At first I got lots of work and could have worked seven nights a week. In the express building one day I mentioned that I intended to go to the Chelsea flower show the following day. This was during set up time in the machine room. Assisting the machine minder with getting the paper through and the page numbers marked up. Then I was up in the warehouse when the machines started up to check the copies. At lunchtime if we were running well there was a break while a new issue was plated up. After the run ended there was a phone call for me to go to the machine room. On getting there I was given tickets to the flower show by one of the machine hands that had contracted to work on that day. He would take no payment for the tickets that at the time would have cost at leased a fiver

THE FINANCIAL TIMES.
Sunday and Holiday working produced the best money, each paper worked differently, and paid from about fifty pounds a night to 135 pounds, being the Financial times. I found John Swaboda there. He had been working at Weatherby, s when I was apprentice. He had been F.O.C. there until replaced by Charley Miller. Who was more of politicians than John would ever have being. One night in the F.T. I was put in the warehouse and was solely in charge for the whole night as no replacement was available, as the regular staff had called in sick. It was half past six in the morning before the lift that morning. Charley Miller said the next time I was in I would get an early. The F.T. was right near St Pauls and the flood lighting looked good so, so I took camera and tripod the next time I was there. The F.T. started at seven thirty. And I only did till 12 o1clock when I escaped with my money, and went to take pictures of St Pauls and St Brides.
In the Mirror I was usually on the machine when the run was on you had to look out for the joins that were all red tabbed. When the bell rang a join would come through on one of the units. The minder had to scoop all the copies out of the igranic. And separate the good from the bad for use or rubbish. If more than one bell rang in quick succession you had to act a bit lively. One night in the Mirror warehouse, we were getting near start up time ((9 o/clock) when the regular minder asked me wake up a man who was asleep on top of the work bench I refused saying it was his job. When he woke the man up the man said it was all right as he had done his work and was sleeping it off before going home. Captain Bob issued orders that all machines would start up 15 minutes after the last plate was down to the machine. This edict was strictly adhered to the result was a heap of waste in the warehouse which took at least an hour to salt out. I think I was in the warehouse that night and two lorries had to be unloaded.

LEARNING
The newspaper machine men always watched how you performed at work. Whether you got on with the job preferably without being asked, and if you were on top of the job at all times. In my experience they quickly assessed if you were to be trusted and if you were up to it. If their verdict was yes. Then they would help you all they could. One night in the Mail, I was on the machine with John Hutton .I don’t remember ever having worked with him before, but we set up the machine, I saw the paper in , A machine minder from the Mirror told John that he was rather worried as he had never done a start up before. At the startup John went off to help him and I was left to do a five-unit start up on my own. The register came in fairly quickly and the ink only needed small adjustments. By the time John came back every thing was O.K John. Was a very good machine -man I met him several times afterwards. Another night on the mail I met Colin Saggs he had been an apprentice at J Lyons. By this time he was a floor walker . He said how he got through his apprenticeship he never knew (I remember him always rowing with the overseer). I rowed with him, but he was a good printer even as an apprentice, that’s why he got through his time, which was about five years, by then

THE BREAK HANDE
One night in the Mail the machine minder said watch the break hand he falls asleep. The Break hand controls the machine the minder just watches the print and register and issues the orders. In the Mail the break hand is in a gantry over looking the press. A join came through and the register started to roam I made the appropriate signals two fingers ie second unit this way; nothing happened I dashed up the gantry and there he was driving the cows home, I shook him a wake and clattered down to scoop the waste out. When the regular came back I went for my break; on my second tour of duty the break hand during did the very same trick. During this time I had various nights some good some bad but at least I managed to steer clear of getting suspended. Harry Web Had rotten luck in the Sun lost a plastic plate and 3 thousand copies, that was only a few minutes, especially at start up as they had natsoper machine minders who were in the same union as the break hands and probably started up before Harry was ready. There was also a case in the Mirror Holbourne.Where they printed copies of the People on Saturday night. In the Mirror the plates were sent to each machine on their own delivery travelator. On one of the mirror machines two People plates arrived. They were correctly numbered and there was no wording or other means of identification so the folios were checked so away they went. Nobody noticed. When the mistake was discovered it was already on the streets. All staff involved was suspended.

THE TIMES GREYS INN ROAD
The Times was a good venue, easy to get to and fairly easy to get home from The F.O.C. a Mr.Bedson was easy to get on with but his second in charge was a bit tricky, The units in the Times were marked in chalk on the machine frame according to the layout which was displayed on the office wall, because the layout had insets, or the paper was folded in separated sections, A certain casual warned me about Peter one of the regulars, he said he would not let him touch anything. The first time I was on with Peter I found he had marked up the entire machine and did not leave for his pint until the paper was in. I saw the plates on and he was back dead on start up I looked after the ink on two units he did the folder and the rest. He watched me for a few minutes and then went off for another pint. The machine ran perfectly and Peter was back dead on time for my break. After a while I was sent up to the canteen to get ten coffees Peter then produced a bottle from the draw and topped up the coffees with whisky then sent me off to get my money and go home. I afterwards found out that Peter had lost his left foot so he set up the machine as perfect as possible to avoid climbing about on the run. Every night on with Peter was as good so he must have known what he was doing.

A TRICKY REGULAR
A particularly tricky night I was on with a machine minder I had never met before, I had chalked up the lay-down, but he wanted it done differently no chalk but bits of sticky tap on each unit. I complied with this and then he left me to get the paper in and set the machine up. The break hand was very helpful and I marked up all the twister register bars for each unit. At the start up he just said you look after the folder and those two units. The start up went very well then he went of for a drink by midnight I was beginning to get apprehensive. Then he turned up and I went to get my money when I got back I found him dosing in the chair. I asked the next machine minder what I should do. He said” go home I’ll look after it”. I was very apprehensive for a few days but I did not hear anymore from the incident.



DRIVING HOME
There were several stories I heard in Grays INN Road at break times. One was of the machine minders who had worked nights nearly all of his life and was inclined to like a good drink and a good party. His mates said they had a party lined up, if they got an early lift, they were all invited, so all bundled into cars in the early hours of the morning as they traveled one of their number started moaning about getting home afterwards as his wife would be worried. It turned out that the party was at his house and he knew nothing about it. Another man said he was driving home in the early hours and had briefly fallen asleep at the wheel of his car, and had been very lucky in straitening up his steering as he was on the motorway at the time. Both the Times and the Guardian were good venues for money and working. I learned a lot by just watching, If I had a disastrous night I tended to avoid that venue for a while be fore going back there. My first night in the Guardian was not very good. The regular minder was away early leaving a more senior casual and myself in charge (the practice in that office then was to put layers of make-ready under solid pictures to make them come up strong without flooding it with ink). The overseer came around (I did not even know who he was) and tried to panic me by saying that the pages were in the wrong order I checked them and proved him wrong, then he got onto me about one of the solids and eventually instructed me and supervised me while I adjusted the impression on that unit to make things slightly better. I got a lecture from him about doing what he asked immediately but I also got the impression that I was not the main cause of his displeasure. I also remember having a talk from Mr Bedson The F.O.C. in the Times’ about a miner infringement of his rules. It made a big impression on me, but I realized afterwards that he had not remembered the incident

Back to Work

LYONS HYTHE ROAD HOGARTH PRESS

After the Christmas I went to the union offices to sort out a job. I explained that I had only experienced work at Weatherby and Sons, the chairman said if I did not like where I was: to come and see him and he would find me another job. The job they suggested was J Lyons and Co. I got a green card and went to have a look at the job. It was about half a hour away from Ladbroke Grove where we lived. The building was glass-roofed garage, it was nice and light and airy. I was to start on a small demy hand fed mehlie two rev. doing bread and butter work at first. Mr. Smith the machine room manager said the basic wages was not great but there would be quite a bit of overtime, I looked at the variety of machinery they had and accepted the job start Monday morning next.

The first morning I was introduced to my Natsopa assistant Albert De Feu. Mr. De Fue was also known as Darky I innocently thought it was due to his jet-black hair and swarthy complexion. I afterwards discovered it had other connotations to do with his actions in the dim past. Darky was very good and assisted me well. The first jobs were all proformers that is bakers round sheets etc. Mr. Smith examined each pass sheet looking at the back for impression as well as the front for excess ink. On the second day I was asked to work overtime and was put on a small automatic machine (stream feeder and pile delivery) I managed!. In the next few weeks I had to learn very fast. One job was Ready Breck wrappers. When I started to run the newspaper kept tearing out of the grippers. Mr Casemore the F.O.C. Father of the Chapel, came over and sorted me out. I was very surprised at the thinness of the ink he mixed and the amount of waste sheets he used up before the solids were nice and solid and the small print was clear and clean. I was also impressed with his method of setting the ink duct by running a finger over it to help judge the amount of ink coming out across the duct roller. After a month, which concluded a trial period, I asked for a raise and got an extra five bob a week in my wages. At this time Mr. Smith did not check every sheet for passing but just ask if it was O.K. if I said yes he would just sign it without looking.


LONDON FOG BEFORE THE CLEAN AIR ACT
At that time London Fogs happened every winter because every household had coal fires to keep warm, and all factories could belch any amount pollutants they liked. The fog on occasions was very thick and you could only see two yards in front at which point a grey- green mist would bar your vision (a pea soup). The fog usually only lasted a day or two but the affect on the throat was not good. By this time all the trams had been replaced by Trolley Busses and routemaster busses would soon replace Trolley busses. This was mainly due to rising coal prices and cheap oil. One morning I had started to walk to work down Cambridge Gardens when a large black dog came at me out of the fog it growled loudly and came as if to attack me but then trotted around me in a circle with mouth open as in a big smile. The owner followed the dog out of the mist and asked what had happened, when I told him of the dog’s behavior he said that the only person he did this to was hi sister. He had me stroke the dog while he watched. After this I saw him and his dog fairly often and each time the dog would try the same trick, and if I was on the other side of the road watched me while pretending to sniff at a lamppost or another doggy distraction. I came to the conclusion that he was a very intelligent dog . I did not see the dog and this master for quite a time. Then one morning I saw the man without his dog ; when I asked where it was he said. “ I had to go on a business trip; It meant an over night stay so I had my sister feed the dog and take him for walks but when I returned the kitchen was torn to shreds and the dog had bloodshot eyes. So I took him to the vet .The vet said he had a brainstorm, and suggested that it could be a one off, but might return unexpectedly and cause the dog to go berserk. So in the interest of safety I had him put down”. He sold me this with tears in his eyes.

UNION MEETINGS
At work the F.O.C.came to tell me it was my turn to attend the Quarterly Union Meeting, I was given fair money and enough for a snack and a cup of tea and set out after work on the designated day to find the meeting venue. These meetings were generally held in differing places around central London. I remember being a bit confused as I had been instructed to write down a full report of the proceedings. This amounted to four or five pages to put down the general direction of the debate some of the delegates expressing their views in the vernacular (very expressive). I had never herd so much swearing in public but that was at a time when we had no woman delegates. The chairman ignored it: years after they were very strict about bad language. The first meeting I went to was quite difficult as all of the delegates were new to me but after a time I began to recognize the Fathers of the prominent Chapels Odhams press and the Radio Times man Reg Prosser who I remembered from a short spell as a casual machine minder at Weatherby and Sons, where I was Apprenticed. On return to work on the following morning I handed my notes to the F.O.C. who also asked me for my opinion of the meetings feeling on various subjects. During the time after coming back from Cornwall I went to art classes at the Kensington Men’s Institute to do life drawing and portraiture in oils and large landscapes. Also did a wood caving class at fox school. After joining Lyons I did not do so much art but I still kept painting on holidays and weekends. At the time after Dad retied and we moved to Bentworth Rd I acquired an allotment. and spent all my spare time growing vegetables and fruit.

At work I gradually progressed to bigger and better classes of work. I was eventually asked If I would cover the dinner break on the gravure press, this meant an extra two and a half hours on my wages each day because of a double deferred dinner break. J.Lyons was a huge firm their basic wages were not high but if you were willing to work they were very good. One of the Lady feeders Flow entered the competition to name the new hotel at London Airport.. The Arial she said. We all laughed but she won and went to the topping out ceremony and met Norman Joseph and had a good time

WASGOOSE
The firms’ outings were not as many or as elaborate as the Weatherby ones but we did go to Southend a few times to see the lights! This was before it was taken over by the Mods and Rockers, in any case firm outings were beginning to become a thing of the past. On one occasion we went to the Southend Kersal for the day I remember Peter Conovchu who was a big Rumanian .He was dressed in a suit with a large cigar in his mouth and was watching the young lads attacking the ring the bell with the wooden mallet “.Look at them he said hitting it like mad men” so we asked if he could do better . He paid his sixpence and calmly hit the bell three times and got his money back. The showmen said have another go and he said I can do it with one hand and he did. Peter was the reel hand on the gravure we got on well but on one occasion I upset him and he lifted me straight of the floor and held me suspended in the air for what seamed quit a long time. Peter said he was going to be nationalized; we said no you mean Naturalized. He changed his name to Peter Peters. The gravure machine was originally bought with the Idea of printing very long runs of bread wrappers on it, there was some mistake in the size and was unsuitable. The machine was just right for all of the tea labels, but the longest runs was on waxed Swiss roll wrappers. By the time I got to be on the regular staff of the gravure the Swiss rolls were all printed on cellophane, This was more tricky and the pull rollers had to be built up to make the cellophane pull through straight. The first time they set this up it took a whole day to get it to work correctly. It also re-reeled onto two separated spindles. To change over a complete job might take a whole day, so it was beneficial to do all Swiss roll wrappings then all tea: labels, and so on. The machine A Gobel Regina had an entire switch room filled with electronics made by Cross- fields Ltd. To control the register each of the four printing cylinders had a register mark on to which a scanner was set, as long as this was printing well the electronics would pull the sheet forward or retard it to keep it in register. The side register was Manual and was adjusted by moving the cylinder across the machine by the screw on the larger. All though the machine would run for long periods without attention you did not dare leave it un watched Usually one machine minded watched the ink and the other did the register.

MINATURE RADIO
The first time we saw a minature radio a Cross-fields engineer had it. He was traveling all over the world and bought it in Japan it was twice the size of a matchbox, and was making an awful din.
The Firm ordered a new gravure machine, which was designed to print in four colours and to cut and trim and produce separate tea labels ready for the tea packing machines. They recond it could produce a million labels a day when running. Derrick Beckham was put in charge and another minder brought in to replace Alf Gower who had left to open a pub at Neller Hall. I was a bit put out at this as the new minder had the senior position. I afterwards discovered I was receiving more wages than he was.

The new minders name was Cliff; I found out that he was a relative of Derricks. He was OK. And I got on with him very well but I had more practical experience than he had. One an occasion when I had been in charge the cellophane rolls for the Swiss rolls had slipped on their stocks I had them all put to one side, reporting the fact to Mr. Smith. He was a bit gruff but said he would get the rep in. When the rep arrived he agreed with me that the re reeling was irregular and agreed to take them back; they were up to a dozen in all. When Cliff went on holiday to a holiday camp we decided to send him a present we picked out the pretty birthday paper then John went to a shop and hunted their stock of Swiss rolls until he found one, which was seriously out of register and of the sort that Cliff hated to print. The parcel was wrapped up and tied with ribbon and addressed to him at the camp. When he came back off holiday he said they had him stand on a chair at breakfast while the camp band played happy birthday and he had to undo the present in public. He knew immediately who had sent it and although he professed profusely that it was not his birthday. They were not having it.

DERRICK JOHN& BLACK TOM (UNCLE)
Derrick used to drive all the way from Richmond every day on his Lambretta. After a while when he had built up his bank deposit decided to get a car. I think he got a good deal from some one he knew who did not like the modern automatic gearbox. Derrick was rather small in stature and very evenly tempered and it did take a while to get him wound up. He told us this one morning that over night he had picked up his mother in law in his car and it was raining heavily. There was a Lambretta on the crown of the road, who he gave a toot to make sure he had been seen that he was going to turn right. At the next set of lights there was a knock on his window. On winding the window down a stream of bad language came at him from the Lambretta cyclist. When he remonstrated with the man saying he had a Lady passenger the man threw a fist at him through the window. Derrick said that’s where he made his mistake he had to hold on to his scooter while I clobbered him to the ground. This must have been a very early incident of road rage. John Kerins was the first one to coin the fraise Uncle! This was in reguard to the assistant manager Tom Field otherwise known as black Tom. John was eating a sandwich with one hand while winding up a reel with the other. Mr. Field asked him if he was concentrating fully on the job. John asked him which task he meant and continued to do as he was doing. All the other overseers were referred to in the same way.eg. Uncle Albert, Uncle Tom Uncle Frank etc. In later times, at Ward and Foxlows someone actually asked me if I was the Governors Nephew. Although I account many incidents of larks at work the main thing was we always produced a good body of workday in day out. I was just finishing an after time wash-up one evening: The main machine switches were outside of the machine room ,for safety reasons( mainly Fire as the inks were spirit based).As I walked in Ken Ransom The waxer, was standing blocking my entry with a finger to his lips, while he said” No Miss Pierson yes Miss Pierson “. I thought he had gone mad. I pushed past him to find John standing stark naked in a small washing up bowl of water holding his main parts. He was in the process of having a wash down be fore going out on a date. Miss Pierson was the company personnel officer; the company did act very quickly in cases of accidents. When washing-up the gravure machine the doctor blades could be a hazard. We had an unwritten rule that no person would speak to you while you were handling them (They were razor sharp after running on the machine) and cuts from them were usually deep and needed Hospital treatment ie. Stitches.

THE TILES
Cliff lived at Richmond and at the back of his house was waste ground and then a very old large house which he heard was going to be demolished. He had a look around the property out of curiosity and found some very nice tiles in the bathroom. So one Sunday morning he decided to acquire the same. He was working away with a chisel and hammer when he heard a noise down stairs. Then a steady plod on the stairs thinking it might be a policeman he was in a flat panic, when the door opened and a man producing a large screw driver started to unscrew the door hinges, while starting up a conversation about what else could be gleaned from the old property.

ACCIDENT
One day we were printing on cellophane and the register would not hold so Cliff said slow it right down and he went down the units to check on the state of the impression rollers, we had tried to convince him that it was bad cellophane. The machine cut out and the web broke. Cliff came towards me holding his hand .It had been pinched in the machine and the nails were all there but flattened. I shouted for Peter to wrap it up in a clean rag and get Cliff up to Miss Pierson the personnel officer immediately. Cliff was off from work for a couple of months and received quite a bit of compensation I believe the accident was one of the reasons that Lyons eventually sold the machine back to Gobels . I remember their Chief engineer coming in to conduct a test run. It all went well and he said we buy. During the time the machine was still in the firm, it staid idol for about a month I realized we might get put off, so asked to return to the letterpress shop to familiarize myself with the Heidelberg cylinder. Unfortunately the Union had decided that I was in the gravure department and when it closed I would go with it by that time I had worked for Lyons about twelve years. I got a redundancy payment of about five hundred pounds

JOBING THEN CHIMES AT MIDNIGHT
. Jobs were a bit thin on the ground I was very disappointed with the Union Officer who told me to look out for jobs in the paper. I got upset with him and asked to see his senior, after waiting about I was offered a weeks jobbing at Harrison’s at Bedfordberry, Covent garden while there I used to escape at lunch time and have a walk about the area or go into the Flag and Lamb and have a pint and a piece of game pie. After three weeks they asked me if I would like a regular job, but I did not fancy working there as a regular thing as it was all rush with very little make ready. My next job was at Ward & Foxlows They had a number of their own magazines which were either weekly or monthly They were mainly short runs, and mostly in colour. They also printed the Academy Cinema posters, which were to be mounted up on parker boards, before printing. The machine was double demy size aproximately22 1/2 inches x 35 inches. The first poster I had to print was Chimes at Midnight with Orson Wells. I remember that it had not dried by the time it was taken away for putting up on the London Underground. When I saw the poster on Nottinghill Gate Station. I had a quick feel of it and some of the ink came off in my hand. The next poster I printed was well dosed up with driers especially the last printing (there were usually Four).

HARCOURT STREET
Ward and Foxlows was in Harcourt St.The mews behind it was where Shelibeers the first London Omnibus Company had started from it ran from Marylebone to Euston originally horse drawn. The Swedish church was opposite (we did a lot of their brochures). The area was littered with unusual shops at this time, a tropical fish shop, a tailors where he sat on the table top cross-legged sewing a paper shop which sold all the foreign papers it was possible for them to inquire several little art gallery’s including the Spinx; which later moved to St James, s.it was also possible to walk to Tyburn, Regents Park or just stroll around the shops during lunch break. If we worked on a Saturday there was also Chapel St. market to visit before going home. The Firm W&F .Ltd bought out a small local printers sold their premises and moved their staff and machinery in with us. This was arranged in conjunction with the union, and I got voted in as father of the Chapel.

UNION BUSINESS.
A team of men with clip boards arrived and looked like time and motion study I phone the union to tell them about this and the managerial consultant the board of managers had installed their comment was a rose by any other name would smell as sweet ,and to tell the management that either the consultant should leave or all staff would. I was stuck in the middle of this battle for about a month until it all got sorted out. Apparently the board had tried to oust Mr Foxlow from the board as chairman but in the end he was re-installed. I was at the firm for about 16 years. In the end the firm closed. Mr Foxlow was retirement age, lithography had taken large steps forward, and was cheaper and faster for certain jobs, I got a redundancy payment , and was looking for another job. Having filled an application form for the national papers I checked one the state of my application but I was about a year off gaining a place.

National Service

THE ROYAL ARMY SERVICE CORP.
Immediately after the New Year I was off on a train to Aldershot, the army collected us from the station and taken straight to Blenhiem Barracks. On arrival we were given a large mug of tea then numerous forms to fill out. We were next allotted a bed, a locker, and then sent to collect our gear, kit, clothing, blankets etc. This was all done in platoon groups. The Quarter Master would look at each man and order B.D.size, trousers size boots, vest pants, shirts, socks, beret and overcoat. All were piled onto your outstretched hands. Webbing, big and small packs, and a kit bag. A sergeant out side the door would point you in the right direction for your billet because you were unable to see owing to the pile of equipment in front of you. After clothing there were sheets and blankets. By this time the afternoon was gone and we were now marched to the cookhouse for a six o’clock meal then we were marched back again. With our own mug knife fork and spoon clenched in our left hand which was positioned on our hip while swinging the right to waist height as we marched. The rest of the evening was taken up with getting everything into military fashion. Including us. Before lights out there was a rumour about being terffed out of bed in the morning. The soldier sleeping near the door vowed it would not happen to him so he stood a stool up against the door to give him news of the sergeants’ arrival in the morning. When the stool went down with a bang and the sergeant fell into the room he was not very pleased and promptly turned the first three beds strait over on the floor occupants with them. “Yelling get your feet on the floor”. After washing and shaving then breakfast and making up the beds the next thing was to prepare for parade. The rest of the morning was taken up with square bashing, then lunch, and then more drill. Everywhere we were marched. To the barbers shop to be shorn, etc, etc. At the end of the week we had a passing out parade. The next stage was a move to Badagos barracks for 16 weeks occupational training. this meant, more square bashing and office routines and typing, practice firing rifles and sten guns.

OUR PRIVATE DRILL INSTRUCTOR.
Badagos barracks was two Guards blocks which faced one another across the barrack road they were about six floors high on one side was the cookhouse on the other was the sergeant majors office and other staff offices, there were about twenty rooms on each floor and about twenty beds in each room. The rooms had a long balcony at the front with metal staircase at each end. The rear of each room looked out onto the parade ground. On the first morning after breakfast I stood on the balcony waiting for my squad number to be called out I must have missed it, so proceeded down to the road to ask! And was told they were already gone to the Q.M stores to draw denims and rifles, I hurried to catch up and although avoiding punishment was in serious trouble, with the private instructor who was already in a bad mood doing a job which he was not getting paid for. He leaned on me all day long and in the evening I had to appear in front of him with a clean rifle, as he had my rifle barrel was full of rust and shit.

THE STEN GUN.
The rifle range was another cause of disquiet. The weapons instructor. Drilled us for two days in the use of the sten gun which could also fire single shots but was liable to let fly with twenty five rounds at one press of the trigger if the button was depressed, or left in the depressed position. The weapon was also liable to jam. In the event of a jam the weapon was to be placed on the ground pointing down the range: raising your hand to draw the attention of the officer who would attend to the jammed gun. One of the conscripts in the squad in front of us had a jam and turned around with the sten at waist height shouting for help. He could have killed us all. A 2nd lieutenant and another instructor knocked him straight to the ground taking the weapon from him. He was immediately escorted to the Guardroom to be charged with disobeying a lawful order. The cookhouse was a noisy place there was always shouting and a yelling! Going on all through our meals new squads were ushered in to adjoining tables. After the meal there was always a tap with hot running water to wash our plates and utensils under. At our first platoon meeting we were asked for suggestions and for complaints: one barrack room lawyer said he did not see why we should be subject to the continuous noise at meals; it had nothing to do with discipline, and was not condusive to proper digestion. This was put forward and in fact for the next day or two quietness prevailed but not for long, in a week things were back to normal, by this time most of the claimants had been posted and moved on to other units. My first weekend pass was nearly canceled by the fact that I was unsure of my army number, the corporal watching me make out my pass saw me check with my army book. I therefore had to learn it by heart, before a pass was issued.
I caught the train home, dressed in army kit with the injunction to get my overcoat pressed up in proper military style; it took about 2 hours to get it right, this included shining the buttons enough to blind any inspection of the same. At 2359 hours on Sunday night the pass expired so I had to insure I had checked in at the guardroom before the allotted time. Guard duty if or when it came on orders amounted to an inspection, then a two hourly walk about or nearly always a prelongated session in the cookhouse peeling spuds. Or cleaning large cooking pots, on one occasion a large rice pudding pot we asked the cook sergeant if we could get our plates and demolish it we got an extra feed as it would have been thrown away.

THE BATH BOOK.
One of the army ideas was cleanliness including routines about changing and sending to the laundry clothes especially socks to insure against damage to the feet through fungus etc; also a peculiar idea about bathing. There was a bath book which had to be signed when you had had a bath: presumably so that they could charge you on finding you UN- clean. The company had a designated bath day one Monday morning; we were marched to the bathhouse with our towels under your arm, the weather was freezing ice and snow on the ground. Water was supposed to be hot but so much was used up so quickly by so many lads bathing, it was not even Luke warm. I quickly opted for a shower but even then was watched to see if I had staid there long enough to get clean or catch a severe chill: both taking the same amount of time. Even after drying well with the towel I felt cold and did run back to the billet to get warm, and sign the book.

TAB JABS
January was pretty cold but we were paraded in plimsoles and shorts for P.T. next up were our jabs i.e.: injections to stave off all diseases. One of the soldiers in front of me saw the doctor‘s technique with the hypodermic syringe and promptly feinted all six feet six of him. We were to be given 24 hours free of duties to get over TAB. Now the army never gives you time off for unknown reasons. So I opted for a walk straight back to the barracks sit and write a letter home then when I got a bit shivery to get undressed and into bed this way most of the bad effects were avoided. Other of the soldiers adopted different strategies; some ran all the way to their billet with the idea that they were tough enough to avoid any effects. One Geordie lad who was back in the billet before myself sat on the bed and his teeth started to chatter and he had trouble removing his clothes so one of his mates undressed him and got him to bed, while another fetched a doctor who ordered a wheel chair and our friend was whisked off to the hospital to have tests done to assess the extreme reaction. The Geordie was back in his own bed in a few hours.

ORDERS
Coming back into camp, with another soldier; it must have been a Sunday evening as there was no body about we decided to have a quick look at orders, which were displayed on the sergeant majors office board. A quick look showed us we were both designated for guard duty within a few days. The soldier said have you got a blue biro pen? When I produced one he promptly opened the glass door of the case and drew lines over my name and his. I enquired of him if the alteration would be found out. No he said they would just think we were off duty for some reason or other, sick on leave, whatever and would fill the places with other available names from their lists.

SOLICITORS CLARK
Some way or other I did not get the assault course. We had all seen it with the walls to scale the muddy ditch to swing over crawling under pipe-ways etc. A soldier in our platoon came into the billet he had his best battledress on and was covered in green brown mud all down his front face hands. He had put his second best BD. Into the tailor for alteration as instructed. He was consequently wearing his best BD and was unable to draw denims as they were all-out, when he went to draw them, so had had to attempt the assault course as he was. He described the rope swing over the mud he got a good takeoff but slipped face down on the landing side; to top it all found himself on guard duty that evening at 6-30.His only chance was to borrow a BD which fitted plus gaiters and boots which I leant him. He went on parade with half the platoon’s kit. And got stickman for the smartest soldier on parade which meant that he was released from guard duty forth with. He was training to be a solicitor in Civy Street he told us about visiting a prisoner who had criminally assaulted a young girl. They questioned him. About what he had done in all of the politest ways they could think off did he touch her in any way? Did he interfere with her? Each time the answer was NO! In the end the solicitor lost his temper and ask, look here” did you fuck her?” “O ay” he said.

CLEVER & SMART ARE4 NOT COMPATICAL
One morning I awoke early and had to go to the toilet it must have been about 5 o clock in the washroom was one of the soldiers shaving. When I asked why he was up so early? He said he would never manage to be ready for parade in time if he did not get up early. I remember he was generally in trouble for not looking very smart. When he passed out he got an interpreters job he could speak and write five languages

RSM,S PARADE
The RSM. Regimental Sergeant Major always run an Officers training parade once a month we were very interested to see what happened so we sneaked a look out of the rear window. If we had been caught it would have been a charge for certain. The RSM had a very loud voice and one of the junior officers dropped his rifle. The punishment was to double all around the parade ground while the RSM hurled allsorts of abuse at him swearing included but always finishing in” Sir.” RSM Clark (Nobly) also had strong aversions to being saluted by new recruits as I had found out on my first days at 2 Training Battalion. I did it and was quickly shown the crown on his uniform denoting a non-conditioned officer. Which meant he had to be called “Sir but did not rate a salute. I remember getting off with just a dressing down.

AWAITING POSTING
After all my training I was then Awaiting Posting with the designation of private clerk. Five of us all had to go to Southampton being the eldest I was placed in charge. After changing trains at Eastly the train stopped at this tiny station where we got off. The railway clerk on the opposite platform phoned up our unit without even being asked and a Tilley took us to 49 Company RASC. The camp was almost empty. It was in the month of May. The sun was shining lovely. We had our Tea at the back of the cook house with tables on the grass, we then had a chance to settle in on Sunday and get ourselves cleaned up ready for Orderly room on Monday morning. After parade I was introduced to the company office and its staff. The chief clerk, Sergeant Smith and a civilian lady clerk. I also got to know various other officers. Captain Treasurer (Sports Officer) a second lieutenant (Transport Officer) there was also a REME unit attached with its own Major Dilnot.There was also a Transport officer a second lieutenant, because the company was a transport company. Every day 20-ton trucks went to all parts of the country they also towed guns and radar to very many locations. The men on the unit were from all over England and Scotland Wales and Ireland. The Geordies and the Scouces’ were the funniest.

SW3IMMING SOUTHERN AREA CHAMPION
The new Co in charge of us had just come back from the Far East; he was very keen on sports and Regimental weekends. On Wednesdays we had sports day. In the summer this was cricket, those of us un- interested in the game were made to watch. Getting fed- up we applied to go too the Southampton Lido. One of the lads pushing for the swimming was a lad called Roscoe. I always thought him a bit slow and ponderous. At the Lido for the first time I had fairly quickly had enough, as it was quite cold Roscoe said to me. “Could you count the number of length I do?” I stood there, counting. After 30 I said I was cold and would have to get dressed. I had completely miss judged Driver Roscoe he told us he was Southern Area champion for distances around half a mile. This he proved one weekend by coming second in the marines half a mile dash at Lee on Solient in a very choppy sea. Our Co was very pleased and asked Roscoe what he would like to do in the afternoon. The outcome was we all went to the soccer game at the Dell. In the winter there was football. To keep every one occupied we were split into two large teams the rules were anything goes but no fighting or punching etc. One of the tactics was to all get behind the ball and push. This ended in a pile of struggling men. After it was realized that the walking wounded were increasing week by week, this game was band. The next regimental weekend we were to have a dance. The local girls were to be invited by Posters, which I was to paint and distribute around all the large shops in Southampton. I had to go into the shops ask to see the personnel manager and ask if the poster could be put up in their canteen or staff room

AUDREY BOLTON
When the weekend of the Dance came around I was designated meeter and greeter, showing young ladies wear to leave coats and hats and advising them to keep their bag with them. The dance was a success. I had got friendly with a girl named Audrey and after the dance I walked with her down the road to her brother’s car. The next Friday evening I arranged to take her to the pictures in Southampton. We met in the town by her bus stop, found a film after the film there was just enough time to walk her to her bus stop and catch the last bus back to Itchen where she lived. By the time I got to my bus stop the last bus had gone so I started to walk. It was about 5 miles to Hedge End where the camp was and I only done about half a mile out of Southampton When a Matador (Army Tractor) appeared. The Welsh soldier known as Taffy turned it round and run me almost back to camp, he did not want to go too close incase he was spotted by anyone. I asked him about petrol but he said he could fiddle that easy

TRICKS& BIRTHDAYS
My bed space was nearest to the door Taffy’s was opposite; Roscoe’s was in the middle of the room the light switch was at the far end, with the corporal’s room in the passage of the spider H block. I had an evening out with Audrey and was therefore last to get ready for bed. The other men seemed interested in having the light turned off and getting to sleep. I walked down the room and switched off the light then sat with my feet just under the clothes while still talking to Taffy. There was more encouragement to get to sleep. When I put my feet into the bed I felt something cold and slimy and I immediately threw it at Taffy. Now Taffy always slept naked; the shouts and naked dancing on top of his bed sent everyone into hysterics. The cold wet thing was a frog. One morning I woke and the first thing I always did was to put on my glasses. On this particular morning there was a white mist before me because they had brasso-ed my lenses. After just going off to sleep I felt the bed move and awoke to find them laughing this happened twice then they must have given up. The next morning at dawn one of the soldiers found himself in bed in the middle of the parade ground.

My bed space had been moved to the middle of the room and opposite me were two Liverpudlian drivers one had a birthday coming up and the taller one had promised him a nice birthday present. The shorter one declined all need of a present from his friend. The taller scouse had booked himself in for guard duty on the eve of the others birthday. At half passed four there was a clumping of boots and someone whispering.”Wake up scouse and see your cake and blow out the candle and sign the early call book”. The swearing was fearful but the blowing out ceremony of a six-inch candle stuck into a tiny fairy cake and the early call book had to be done before peace resumed.

ASSISTANT DRIVER
One morning I was called to the transport office and informed I was to be assistant driver to a Scamel Break down truck, I had not passed a driving test, but was to go with a corporal to help him recover this vehicle; a 2o ton truck which had broken down. This breakdown truck developed nearly a hundred-horse power, the truck to be collected was at an army camp at Bassingstoke, and sitting high in the cab I surveyed the country side while the corporal drove this machine which had thee banks of gears. I was intrigued that the cars were not anxious to pass us, it was explained to me that this Scamel was like a tank and would probably go straight through a house if driven into one. The afternoon was uneventful until we were on our way home with 20-ton truck in tow. When we came on a bus in a narrow lane and I had to get down and signal my corporal to back up the lorry and Scamel. This went OK so we were home in time for tea.

WOOF-WOOF
The next journey was when we went on summer camp all the way up to Hornsea Yorkshire. This took in Two days driver training to get there. Most of the journey I spent in the back of a lorry watching the scenery go by, We went through the new forest to Salisbury, North of London to Cambridge then north again to the wash, then across country again and up through the dales and finally into Yorkshire Via Driffield then down to Hornsea. We did have one overnight stop in the Sherwood Forest but it was uneventful. At Hornsea we met the RASC. Sergeant Major; Woof -Woof Jones.. The nickname was probably owing to his low loud bark. One of his disciplinary tricks was to get you to parade for orderly room for the slightest misdemeanor. This meant being fully dressed in best BD. He would call the parade to attention announce the names off the real’ criminals’ then dismiss all the rest. Hornsea was not much more than a village we did spend one evening in a pub but the beer was flat, that’s how they serve it up there, a walk along the beach and a chat with some girls from Fleet wood was about all the entertainment we got, before returning to Southampton. After Southampton, I was drafted to Oakham Rutland.

OAKHAM
The day I moved was a cold day in January the warrant gave me a ticket to both parts of the journey but the ETA did not allow me time to get home. Before changing trains in London. The train to Oakham was very slow and I kept inquiring of the guard when we would get there. The train was steam in those days and before we arrived it had started to snow. It was coming down fast as I got off the train and another soldier said 28 Company. I asked how he knew and he said there was nothing else near. He inquired how I was going to get to camp, I replied by phoning up for transport”. O! I would not do that” he said. Sergeant Major Nixon would not like that. I ignored his comments and phoned for transport. The transport took about half an hour to turn up. When it arrived it was a 15-hundredweight Tilley with driver Guard Commander and a couple of guards, it was snowing heavily by this time and I slung my gear on board. I was curious why they were all dressed in full uniform; and was told about the siphoning off of petrol, on the company park overnight and that the guard was doubled then doubled again then full kit was to be worn: by this time the petrol thieving had ceased. My next question was would I have to do guard duty? They said seeing that I was a clerk they said I would do telephone duty instead this was a great relief until I found out the truth of the situation.

BED & BLANKETS
It was nearly nine o clock before I got to the camp, and had great difficulty in finding a bed space for the night also drawing sheets and blankets from the Quartermasters store. The duty store keeper was very reluctant to issue blankets at that time of night, I pointed out that that was what he was there for so with my blankets I staggered back to the only bed space I could find in with the REME attachment. The next job was to find an Iron to press up my BD for Orderly room, as I knew I would be interviewed by the OC.in the morning. I also damped the trousers of second BD and carefully laid it flat beneath the mattress. At revalley there was chaos! I made up the bed and went to the ablutions to shave etcetera but there was very little light most soldiers were using a jealously guarded piece of mirror glass to shave with. I managed to borrow a pieced and shave by it. I was not very happy with this place. After the interview with Major Tierny I was placed in the company office under a civilian clerk. Who also managed a Pub in the Town .One of the first jobs I was given was to get all the army orders up to date. Making crossings out and pasting in new sentences and paragraphs wear appropriate. This was to be done in my spare time between other regular errands and duty’s. It seemed that the Sergeant Major Nixon followed me around the whole camp for the first fortnight asking wear I was going and what I was doing; after that he gave up. And I barely saw him apart from parades and when working for him as his clerk.

Saturday mornings was usually taken up with a company parade and then an inspection of the camp by the OC, in which he would visit selected barrack rooms and go through the kit of the soldiers sometimes walking across the beds and throwing offending kit straight out of the windows which were always open for the occasion. On bad mornings charges might be brought but normally those not on duties, and with passes; could jog into Oak ham to catch the first available train to London for the weekend or until 2359 hrs on Sunday night.

NIGHT TRAIN-CAN YOU RUN
The last train from St Pancras station generally carried some of our soldiers on one occasion we had a compartment, full. The first stop was Oakham some wanted a sleep so they unscrewed the light bulbs two slept in the luggage rack a above the rest. We all must have fallen asleep, because the train stopped with a jerk and we all panicked to know where we were, and then to get ourselves off the train before it traveled on to Edinburgh.. I think there was a duty truck to meet us on this occasion but there was not always one. Coming off the train from London one evening I decided to drop into Bob’s Pub (The Crown) on the way back to camp, which was approximately a mile and a half or more. The Corporal in charge of the driver training squad was there and his trainees had all bought him a tot of whisky He asked me if I could run then took my weekend case and strapped it on his bicycle. There were still eight tots of whisky on the counter at this stage. I asked if he intended to drink them all?. Sure he said and demolished two more. As soon as the last whisky was drunk he said right lets go, I ran and he cycled. At just over the halfway point to the camp I noticed the bicycle wobbling severely, then it stopped and he got off. He said now you cycle and I run, I asked about getting past the guard and he said his friend was the guard commander; I cycled to the camp gate got off the bike and caught him, shepherded him back to his room where he flaked out on the bed.

SARGENT MAJORS CLARK
There was a time when I acted as Sergeant Majors Clerk this usually went with the rank of at least Lance Corporal, however I received no rank, although this would not have mattered in most circumstances, it sometimes made carrying out the sergeant majors orders difficult because some soldier with a higher rank could object; and make his objection personal. The OC put out an order for a regimental weekend every body confined to camp. SM Nixon informed me of this saying he wanted NO leave applications left in his in tray. Although everyone was informed on orders about this but two soldiers insisted their right to passes and left them in the SM’s in tray (against my permission). One was the Driver in charge of the petroleum store the other a sergeant attached on a driving course. SM Nixon walked into his office there was a howl of rage.” Private Dyett what is the meaning of this?2 said he holding up the relevant offending applications. After I was allowed to explain there was another howl “. Guard Commander “. The guard was sent to bring Driver Harrison in double quick time to appear before the CSM. Driver Harrison appeared after knocking and saluting smartly. “What’s this? Demanded Nixon; Brandishing the application under the Drivers nose. After Harrison’s brief insistence that he was entitled to a compassionate pass, The air turned Blue with the CSM, s tirades of all he knew off Driver Harrison’s exploits regarding the hole in the perimeter fence at the back of the camp and how Driver Harrison used this on numerous occasions to absent himself from camp when he should have been there. It then became clear why Driver Harrison was apt to creep into the NAFFI of a Monday evening surreptitiously inquiring, “Has anybody missed me?” The sergeant whose pass was also turned down tried to have a go at me outside the office; I just said I was following Sergeant Majors Orders.

T5HE RIOT ACT
The next happening was a near mutiny. The ration appeared to be very poor. One morning a regular soldier complained at break fast about his small proportion of food to the orderly officer there was a discussion with the cook sergeant but nothing happened. At breakfast on a morning soon after I noticed the person immediately in front of me had put his porridge plate and egg and bacon on top of one another and placed them on the empty plate table. Every body else did the same the height of the crockery grew rapidly. It was in the summer and anyone on jankers, i.e.; confined to barracks would be put in the cookhouse in the summer and outside cleaning in the winter. So this prisoner watched with total dismay, as the dirty plates grew to a height where it was no longer possible to reach to put more plates on it. At diner time we went to the N.A.F.F I. In the afternoon we were all assembled in N.A.F.F.I. again and were read the riot act. In the evening the OC himself arrived in the cookhouse. The ration corporal was on orders the next morning. Then things moved very rapidly. The Guard Commander had orders to check every passage in and out of the camp without fail. It appeared that lots of drivers were coming back to camp late and leaving before parade but did not check in or out so the meals they consumed were not registered on our ration state. After this the food perked up rapidly a menu was also typed up for each day of the week and was on the notice board. A new cook sergeant was appointed and even asked our opinion on various dishes.

The OC sent a Driver on a Trumpeters Course. He arrived back in camp a fully-fledged trumpeter; orders were drawn up for him to play all the calls from reveille to lights out. Standing in full BD, under the flag-mast on the parade ground. At first he was very keen and the CSM was keen to check on him. He was in the adjoining bed space to me in HQ billet. Now the trumpeter slipped up one morning and I awoke with a howling draught coming through the window and a trumpet pointing out being blown furiously by our late riser, who at the same time was pelted with flying boots. Soon after the CSM clocked his tardiness and he was on a charge.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SUPPLY & TRANSPORT (BRIGADDEER)
The ADS&T. was due for a big admin inspection: every thing in the camp was to be inspected for faults and omissions, all documents were checked. At least Army Regulations were all up to date. The inspection lasted a whole week and of cause there were parades and extra guards and duties to contend with. It all calmenated in a large parade, where the Brigadier ADS&T took the salute. The whole thing had gone off with flying colours. The OC could not believe his luck; he even came around the barrack rooms cracking jokes. “There was a little bird in a field where a bull was and the bull shit all over him, the bird managed to struggle out of the mess and tried a little walk, then flapped its wings, finally after disposing of the shit decided to try a little run then a little fly and it flew to the top of the tree by the farmhouse: where it sat whistling. This all happened early in the morning and the farmer was irritated by the noise so took his gun and shot the bird dead. The moral of the story is, if you reach the top of the tree by bullshit keep your mouth shut”. The OC being a military man decided to celebrate in an army manner and have a large parade on Saturday morning: I was duty clerk as it happened and was therefore excused parade as somebody had to be in the office to answer the telephone. I new that a large party had left the camp over night (Friday). It quickly reached my ears that two thirds of the parade was missing there was big gaps in each platoon. Monday morning there were at least thirty soldiers on orderly room, and when asked if they would accept the OCs punishment they all refused. The next thing was the OC asking for a phone call to Cornel Hungerford at Group. The following day there was a long queue for orderly room: the charges must have been changed as they all agreed to accept punishment, which amounted to seven to fifteen days CB.

CAPTAIN CHADWICK B 2 IC.
Captain Chadwick had a large Alsatian dog called Toby. One night when I was telephone duty the Captain asked me to go to the officers mess get the dog and take him to the camp gate and tell him to find his master, who was obviously in a pub in Oakham getting well and truly sloshed. It was also apparent to me that some form of bet about the dog’s ability was in progress. I said I would do my best and with some in trepidation I went to the officer’s mess to collect the dog, but Toby had other ideas and went straight towards the cookhouse, at his top running speed. I went back to my duty and had to report failure to the Captain later in the evening

A NARROW ESCAPE
The whole of the company went on summer camp to Thetford. A small number of H.Q. staff were left to administer the camp at Oakham. I was one of those; also Major Hillary (in charge of the camp) and one or two other odd driver’s cooks and staff. Although our duty’s were frequent, the camp was fairly quiet, No CSM Nixon to chases us about. The Boxers on the unit all went to Ripon to fight in the RASC champion ships, and came back all winning their fights, three with Knockouts and the others on points. The OC was tickled pink and sent them back to us. For a rest before a 72 hr passes fore the weekend. A Welsh driver during this time had come into the camp. He had had a couple of nights in Oakham and had got very friendly with a certain ginger girl, who was very well known to most of the drivers as being rather easy. The Welshman was very talkative about how nice this girl was when Houlton (one of the boxers who had demolished his man inside the first moments of his fight) inquired of the girl’s name. On being told said something like “Your not the first mate we have all been with her”. Houlton was undressed ready for bed at this time, the Welshman wanted to fight, Houlton’s comment was” your drunk but if you still want satisfaction tomorrow I will give you your chance in the Gym. We quickly dissuaded “The keen lover” not to bother and as far as I know he did as we advised.

I was on telephone duty and the phone rang at approximately 2330 hrs. It was a Sunday night and I was surprised to hear Major Hillary’s voice telling me that he was at Kings Cross station and would I arrange for a Tilly to pick him up at Oakham station, at which he either ran out of money or had replaced the phone. The guard commander was informed. After I had got my head down the phone rang again. It was the Tilly driver wanting to know what he should do as he could not find the Major and the last train from London was gone and the stationmaster had said the only other possibility was Melton Mobery. I advised the driver to find him at all costs. Soon after I got a phone call from Melton where Major Hillary was waiting in the cold for his Tilly. The Major arrived back in the camp. I heard him turn out the guard and inspect them. Then he went straight off to bed leaving orders not to be disturbed for breakfast. I thought I was right in trouble probably on a “fizzer” (A charge). At about 0900hrs the Major Tierny phoned and asked to speak to Major Hillary. I said I could not contact him and that he might be inspecting the camp. I went over to the officer’s mess myself and told his batman to wake him up and tell him the OC wanted to speak to him .on the phone. I also said I excepted any blame for this action.( I was probably already on a charge anyway). About half an hour later Major Hillary came into the office and asked me to phone Major Tierney. I also mentioned that I had said he was inspecting the camp. That was the last I heard of the affair except for one small comment “Private Dyett the forgetful.” One morning Captain Chadwick complained that his desk had fire smuts on it I went in to wipe it with the only rag I could find. Chadwick screamed, “What is this?” Cleaning the desk with the RASC flag. I quickly replied that the motto said “Honi soit qui mal y pense.”Which means evil be to him who evil thinks. Major Hillary Piped up,” and not without hard work carry on. .Lance corporal Phillip Williams had been attached to Group at the request of cornel Hungerford. On returning to the unit he was wearing a bleached tie both the captain Chadwick and the CSM. Spotted the tie and complained that it was not regulation. When corporal Williams replied that” the Cornel was wearing one”. All was smoothed over and both the complainants switched to a bleached tie on the following day

.SPORTS WEEK END

The 2 IC Captain Chadwick ordered a parade for sport .the thing was to find out if anyone one the unit could play rugby as the Major wanted to send a team of seven a side to Aldershot The CSM was informed . We had an afternoon parade at this time for work and the CSM presumed that this would suffice and when the Captain made no appearance dismissed the parade and went back into his office. Captain Chadwick arrived on the scene and wanted to know were his parade was? I was sent to inform the CSM. Who came out marched up to the 2 IC and saluted and stood to attention. The next morning the CSM was on orderly room and was marched in by two National Service second Lieutenants. He was furious. He received a severe reprimand. After which he fizzed around the camp for about a month looking for minor demeanors. As for the rugby team I found myself elected to the team having snatched the captains legs away when he thought he was on a free run for a try. We did have a weekend at Aldershot, but we had no chance against the Welsh Teams who were full o professional players. The party afterwards was very, good plenty of food and drink; but I had never heard such filfy songs which were led by the captain at the piano ( I did not even guess he could play) The captain drove some of us back to camp in his own car. Every time he saw a soldier he tooted the horn and Yelled Out of my way you F****** Nignogs!

DEMOB DRIVVER PRIEST
Demob was on the Arisen for several of us. The boxer Albert Priest caused the most apprehension we were all aware that he might go over the top on his Demob night party. It was Saturday evening I was in the HQ barrack room when Driver Harrison came back off leave. He opened his locker and started to spread his kit out , to inspect and clean those parts he considered not up to scratch: when someone mentioned the name Priest and it connected in his mind with Demob party . Very quickly all his kit was back in his locker; when asked what he was doing he said “If Priest finds me here I will surely get turned out of bed”. With that he wrapped himself in a blanket and with a pillow went to sleep in the far corner of the room as far out of sight as possible. I went to sleep fairly early with the thought that would probably be a rumpus about midnight. Sure enough about mid night we were disturbed by the AQMS reading Priest the rules for eventual demob.i.e. all in bed quietly within 10 minutes, or else a charge. All complied except the scouse cook, who wanted to talk. Priest asked him very nicely at least twice to get undressed and into bed. He would not listen, so Priest hit him right on the point of his chin and he went out like a light. He was then undressed and put in his pajamas and into bed. The AQMS looked in to see everything was quiet. On reveille the boxer House (Mickey Mouse) was found fully dressed on his bed. The scouse cooks holding his chin and wondering what he had bumped into. (None of us dare tell him.) And Driver Harrison introducing himself and proceeding to place his kit out and. make his bed up. Mickey Mouse said the rest had gone off and left him. Apparently he went to the toilet, which was across the pub yard and fell asleep and had to wake Bob the Publican up to let him out.

Before demob we each had to have a medical. For this we had to go to Leicester. The Medical orderly had to have his medical also. So on the due day we both set off for our check up at Leicester Hospital; by train. The medical only took half an hour then we were free to explore the town. We had a lunch and then proceeded to the cinema to see Sabrina Fair, with Humphrey Bogart and Audrey Hepburn. At half past four we had to catch the train back to camp. I was a bit apprehensive about the time we had spent, but the medical corporal said it was normal.

DASH FOR HOME
Needless to say on the morning I was to leave I was all packed up ready to go before parade I was sitting in the company office waiting to be given my travel warrant, It was nearing half past 1100hrs when I managed to ask Captain Chadwick about my demob warrant .He seemed un aware that I was leaving but called me in and made out my pass and travel warrant right away. I had a tilly down to the station. By the time I got there the London train had gone, this meant nearly two hours wait. There was a train from Kettering so I asked the taxi driver if he could get there in time. He said he could so I was on my way home. The army had designated me a reservist so I would have to do weeks of training at some date in the future.

Work

WORK. AT HOME JUNE 1945 SOUTHERN ROW LONDON W10.
On arriving home it took sometime to settle down everything was very strange. Mary had to go back to school and I had to find a job. For the first few weeks we had to get our bearings, outside in the road were big burnt patches where celebration bonfires had been, mum said that the heat from them had been terrific. Rationing was still in force and when I mentioned the monotonous meals mum said well you have been living off the fat of the land, now you can see what we have had to live on. I also remember my first walk down Oxford Street on my own, the number of people made me feels a bit dizzy, and it took me several days to get used to the crowds. Soon I was looking for work. Dad got me a job at David's Universal co. which was a commercial art company close to the Oval. This meant a long journey on bus and tube to get there. The work was not difficult mainly looking after the phone or running errands at lunch time we found a local cafe for a cheap dinner, pie and chips, Vienna steak and chips, etc.

V-J NIGHT.
After President Truman had dropped the two atom bombs on Japan, and the Japanese had surrendered we had another celebration. More bonfires more dancing in the streets. Mum and Dad decided to take us up the west end to see the King and Queen and all the other goings on .we went on a bus and walked up Oxford Street, Regent Street and to Piccadilly (The Americans called it Rainbow Corner). When we got to the Mall in front of the Palace, the re was a massive crowd there. There were drunk climbing up the ornamental lamp posts and sculptures still with beer glasses in their hands some waving flags both star and stripes and union flags. After what seemed a long time the King and Queen and their children came out on the balcony to wave, the roar of the crowd was terrific. They were encouraged to come out a second time but after that we had the problem of getting out of the crush, which was rather difficult as we found we were in amongst the rose bushes. Eventually we managed to get up towards Green Park and Hyde Park Corner, and finally a bus home. I think it was a trolley bus from Edgware Road to the Half Penny Steps, and then a walk home. Where the bon fires and singing and dancing continued into the night.

WORK
I was not sure I would make a living in the art world, so my father and I started looking for jobs in printing. The first try was with Uncle Jim Dyett’s Firm Welbeckson Press. My Father and I got an interview with Mr. Murdock the manager, but he said he had so many people coming back from the armed forces that he could not offer me a post. I then got a job with a small printer in Fleet Lane right near the Old Bailey. Portsdown Press was a small but varied print shop with three large machines, a Heidelberg, platen and a Victoria platen for the heavier platen work. I was told to be there by half past eight, which I was, but the owner Mr. Gee said I should have been there by eight. I was soon learning my way around all the alleys and squares, print shops machine rulers, Ink merchant’s etc.in the locality, and was also sent to the local cafe for takeaway meals snacks and drinks. I was also prey to printer’s jokes like sending me for a long wait, half a pint of pigeon’s milk. When it was time to go home the printers had five minuets to wash and clean up. It was then I discovered that printers went home looking like city gents i.e.; suits white shirts and ties and shiny shoes. I also discovered that bib and brace overalls were better replaced with a boiler suit. Mr. Gee and Mr. Arloff were always at loggerheads and Mr. Gee especially would try to get me to support him in the argument, but I would not. In a short time with the firm I learned my way all around London by bus and tram, sometimes if I could walk it I saved the fare money. Once I went to Prince of Wales Road to collect a steal rider roller but on the way I had to deliver some printed labels to a Cider factory. The day was very hot and when I asked the girls working there for a drink they opened a bottle of newly bottled cider for me. I quenched my thirst but the drink was quite strong so with a rider roller in my possession tried to get on a bus back to the factory. The busses were getting crowded by this time but one kind conductor let me stand on the running board grasping the roller and the bus as hard as I could. After several weeks at Portsdown Press I was well versed in topography of London, when Asked about an apprenticeship, Mr. Gee did not seem so keen: in consequence of this I started to look at the papers for adverts for jobs

WEATHERBY & SONS
. Weatherby and sons were advertising for machine managers at Notting Hill Gate, so I wrote off for an interview, and received an appointment on the following Saturday. Dad must have got time off from work and came with me. Mr. Northam interviewed us: he took one look at Dad and said I suppose you’re the boys Father, please sit here. He turned straight to me and said “tell me about yourself”. After I had spoken for only a few minuets he said “O.K. that’s enough I just wanted to know if can speak for yourself, go outside for a minuet while I speak with your Father”. When I went back inside he said “If you are any good I will back date your apprenticeship to this date, but if you’re not any good or for any other reason I find you unsuitable you will be outside the door “. We shook hands on this I gave a weeks notice at Portsdown Press and started my new job the following week.

THOMAS HEWSON THE LIVE IN APPRENTICE.
I was taken all around the firm to find out where thing were, the warehouse was immediately behind the office, there were two Warfedale printing machines on the same floor and two very old, Middleton Bars in the basement, which were used for the Racing Calender and any Tatersalls catalogues that we printed. The deal was that I worked five days and a Saturday morning, plus I might have to stay late on Thursday which was publication day. In return I would be sent to printing school at The North Western Polytechnic; for half a day in the firm’s time and one evening in my time. Wages started at 28 shillings a week, but in fact soon advanced to 34 shillings. The Forman was an elderly printer by the name of Thomas Hewson. He was very good to me and I helped him on the offside of the press, He also told me about his apprenticeship. He had to live in he and the rest of the boys had a dormitory above the factory, and they worked a full day on Saturday. After which they went to the market to buy food and then back to the factory to cook it. On Sunday Mornings they would have to go to church with the master, otherwise they were in trouble and unless they were Ill would have there wages docked. Old Tom taught me quite a lot, and when things were not so busy he sometimes sent me home a little early but always said," slip out of the back door and don’t let anyone see you". He also supplied some basic tools, hammer and planer a shooting stick for wooden quoins plus a quoin key for mechanical quoins.

ALBERT SHORT.
About this time I was introduced to our neighbours the Shorts: Albert was slightly older than I he was very tall and had staid on at school to get extra exams he needed to become an electrician. He taught me how to swim every Sunday morning we were at the local baths, very often until chuck out time. He also taught me the basic chess moves, and also a bit about serious music we went to the Albert Hall: the Proms, he also played the piano. He practiced Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata quite a lot. At this time we only had a wireless set for entertainment, plus a windup gramophone. The pictures were of course a weekly amusement, once or twice a week if we could afford it. The cheapest seats were a shilling, the dearest about Two shillings and six pence. .Sometimes small children would ask if we could take them in as some pictures were only for grown up viewing unless accompanied by an adult. My Mother and her friend Norah did this one Saturday afternoon but the girl they had assisted let all her friends in for free at the exit door. when the usher came around to check the tickets , asking Norah are these all with you she said no their not : and the whole line of kids stood up did a left turn and disappeared out of the exit door in double quick time.

WEEKENDS WITH THE BOYS.
A number of the boys I knew in Cornwall lived locally I met up with the Townsends Dennis Dorrington and several others , Dennis had joined a youth club and played football for them , we also met up in a chapel club house in Pervis Road Kensil Rise . I joined the club; we went on outings in the summer and arranged to meet at other venues. Some of my friends had motorbikes and I got lifts to places like Chertsea or Rickmansworth. If a football game was local we would go on mass then afterwards would arrange to meet at the cinema or the Empire, or Metropolitan. A special performance might be a strip tease show. The Lord Chamberlains rules were in operation at that time and meant that no nude model was allowed to move. Philis Dixy was a well-known performer at this time but it took her about twenty minuets to remove her elbow length gloves. She also did a dance with ostrich feathers: supposedly in the nude, but although we strained with opera glasses we did not see a thing. On Sunday evenings in the winter Edgware Road was the venue for the movies as there was a wide choice of picture houses The Grand Kinama, the Blue Hall.- The Connought. The films were mostly old movies so we would elect to see” Charley Chan “or a “Boris Karlof “or” Lon Chainy”; or some crumby cowboy Roy Rogers. In a chorus we would shout he went that way, or jeer or shout in the appropriate places, or whistle when the love scenes took place. After being threatened with eviction we got a bit quieter. Then Monday it was back to work. The club also had an Easter outing to the Isle of White, at Culver Cliff camp. Sandown was absolutely filled up with cyclist’s singles tandems and three wheelers all taking part in races along the front. Easter Sunday we all took a hand in the cooking, which meant that dinner arrived a bit late. The girls in the club also ran a netball team; we also played tennis at Queens Park. One club night I got the idea to get the girls to pose for portraits as long as they would agree to poses for about four two hour sessions I would give them the portrait free. This meant I got plenty of practice; painting them, and chatting to them. At this time I was also attending printing school one night and painting three nights at the Kensington Men's Institute. If I had to work late on a Thursday at the firm it meant a pretty full week. One day at work I noticed some of the apprentices waiting outside Mr. Charley Northams office on inquiring what was happening? I discovered they had been skipping printing school to go to the pictures, later on I found they had all had their pay docked for the offence.
The apprentices reckoned Charley’s parents had not been married.

SIR FRANCIS WEATHERBY.
On beginning my apprenticeship, it was often my duty to take copy to the head Office at Cavendish Square. Weatherby & Sons were the Stakeholders, printers for, Lord Willaby De Broke who was virtually the Jockey Club; Francis Weatherby was his secretary. One day I was taking Copy to Mr. Miller the Editor of the” Racing Calendar “, (which was the official racing paper), when a smartly dressed moderately sized man asked me why I didn't use the lift. The editor’s office was on the top floor, he said he would show me how to operate it. We got quite friendly on the way up and he asked me about my hopes with the firm and my future ambitions. I told him I would like to get exams in the printing game, and also of my artistic, painting ambitions. He wished me luck; disappearing- About his business. On a later visit happening to use the lift with the same gentleman, who disembarked on the
same floor as myself where Mr. Miller was checking news on the ticker-tape machine; I said good -bye to him turned to the editor , who said" You're getting on well aren't You?”. “ O that little old boy I’ve spoken to him quite often”. Mr. Miller said “Little Old Boy my foot that’s Sir Francis Weatherby he owns the whole works”. Sir Francis was a gentleman and also his oldest son William, the rest of his children was snobs. I base this supposition just on the fact that when we visited his home in Oxford shire for a game of cricket the other children were made to serve us at the chicken and salad tea which was after the match. Then there were tennis matches, which Sir Francis took the leading part in . Then a coach home. I believe Sir Francis paid for the lot. When we were arranging the firm’s annual wayz –goose. There was at least one ways-goose a year but also a visit to a restaurant and a theatre, or a show. An invitation was always sent to Sir Francis who would courteously decline but would wish us well and most times paid for the dinner or some part if not the entire outing. One such outing was to the Isle of White. Coaches on the train were reserved and we were all aboard for the nine o'clock departure. Card games started and drinks from hip flasks and bottles. When the train pulled into the pier. It was onto the ferry and straight down to the bar; when the boat hit the pier the other side it was onto the trolley train straight into the pub at the pier head until lunch time. Lunch was at Osborne House Hotel. The usual speeches were some what inebriated: Quote the toast to “Wessers Meaverby and Sons,” will always stay in my memory, also the Forman Bob’s un belief that his street door key would not open the door of the pub which was by then closed; until 3 o’clock. Some of us went with the assistant manager by taxi to “Browns “ golf courses at Sandown, to spend the rest of the time until it was time to start for the ferry for the journey home ; on which all the boozy items happened in reverse. I still have some of the obligatory firm’s photos taken before the beer had too much effect. Boozy outings are no longer in vogue, and most of the characters, have long gone. Years later when mentioning this fact, to the “Printer,”at the firm I worked he said “We are the characters now!”.

EXTRA PAY.
One spring one of the machine minders was off sick, just at a time when we needed the extra staff to print the Tattersals Sale catalogue. Mr. Norman asked me if I thought I could manage a Middleton Bar I said yes. When the catalogue was finished which took two weeks; I found extra money in my pay packet. Two pound extra for each week. When Bob the Forman found out he was furious .I guess he did not get any extra and was therefore jealous. I also got rises when I passed exams at The North West Polytechnic. Mr. Northam always kept a sharp eye on our school reports he also did other things as he thought like once he introduced me to one of his acquaintances on the street at Notting Hill even though I was still dressed in a boiler suit with a jacket over the top.” This is one of our apprentices he said”. I was most surprised but shook the gentleman’s hand. On another occasion I was going to Cavendish Square on a 17 bus Mr. Northam got on the same bus, I went upstairs he went down. I also remember that he never went on any of the firm’s outings: they probably never invited him.

NORTH WESTERN POLYTECHNIC
As I had mentioned the North Western Polytechnic was our venue for printing school. To get there I left the firm at lunchtime and caught a 31 bus to Kentish Town, or sometimes Camden Town and walked to Prince of Wales Road. The tutor in charge of the machine room was Mr. Acordingly he was a North Country man and although he had worked in London most of his life still had a broad ascent. He was also a snuff addict. Lots of printers used snuff, as some firms frowned on the smoking habit because of fire risks. Mr. Acordingly used to have a short sleeved brown coat and would tip snuff from his wrist to his elbow and then sniff it all up in one big intake without the slightest sneeze; on the occasions when he did get a cold it was usually a beauty: his handkerchiefs were stained light brown in fact the same colour as his working coat. In the afternoons we had a practical session and in the evening we were lectured in printing science. The school had a large cafeteria, which was available between classes and was subsidized. It was a longish journey home after classes and I still had my notes from the lecture and any other piece of information to write up in a large hard cover note book.

THE FIGHTS.
At work one of the operative printers asked if I ever went to the fights? We agreed to meet up and spent an evening at Lime grove baths. If the proceedings were a bit slow in starting the crowd would yell, “Wheel them in”. At that time I was quite interested in the mechanics of boxing but I did not like to see a fight go on when the opponents were badly matched or when one man was loosing and had no chance of wining and the fight was better stopped. At about this time Dad used to dress up in a dress suit and attend the Jack Solomon’s promotions. Uncle Charley had introduced him to the schema if they ushered people to their seats they could then watch the fights free of charge and any payment they would have received went to charity. I think Dad saw all the big fights from the Bruce Woodcock fight on. I also remember going to Wembley with some of Dads workmates to see Randolph Turpin in what I believe was his last amateur fight. There was this huge American Turpin hit him twice boof! boof !!and the next boof! Was when the American hit the floor? It was all over in no time. Dad told me that when he was coming from the Albert Hall one night after the fights a man was standing on the running board of a 52 bus, the bus was over full and an inspector asked the conductor to tell the man on the running board to get off. The conductor ignored the inspectors Instruction, when told about it the second time the conductor said “you can tell him yourself but I should warn you that’s Jack Doyle.” Mr. Doyle had a notoriously bad temper.

OLD PALS.
The first of the old-time NATSOPA assistants I met used to feed the Middleton Bar. To do so he would place a bundle (Two Reams) on to the feed board then roll them out, then sitting on the feed board with a wooden stroker would feed each sheet to the lays, in time with the press. After he retired we had another hand-feeder a Samuel shields. There was also the need for a casual hand on occasions. Spider was a casual hand that I dreaded he would do exactly as you asked him but no more and would invariably ask if I thought he could get a sub off the management. My answer was that he could try if he liked but I did not think so. I mentioned. This to the Forman Bob he said if they give money he will be straight over the pub and we will not see him again. On the very first occasion that Spider and Sam met they both stood as though transfixed. A whole lot of abuse past between them .you old f***** you old B*******. How are you? Then they fell about each other’s necks in fond embrace. Another of the operatives was caught making a book, now at that time there were no betting shops and taking bets on the streets was illegal. Bookies had runners on street corners and other known places, but they were always on the lookout for the police and ready to run; with the betting slips or to get rid of them quick if they thought they would be apprehended. Our operative was called into the office and sacked immediately: being given five minutes to get off the premises with all his possessions.

SACKINGS
There was a dispute in the comps department; the rumor was that a number of the compositers would get the sack. On the Friday morning Mr. Northam was about to take the wages round, Sid Rees the Forman of the warehouse asked if he could take the wages round for him. Mr. Northam said” he had to do the job himself but Syd could do him the favour of putting a number of waste paper sack into the bottom of the lift shaft incase they decide to throw me down it.” I was interested in this scenario but Mr. Northam came down the stairs in his usual fashion. In the end the comps were re-instated.

END OF APPRENTICESHIP. INTO THE ARMY.
During all my time at North West Poly I was putting in for the City and Guilds certificates first the Intermediate Certificate second-class pass only. Then the Final of Machine and presswork. I got a First Class for that. Then the Qualifying exam for Compositors works for Machine Candidates. I passed First class. By this time I was near the end of my apprentice-ship and although I had been deferred from National service I would finally have to do my duty. I did not even think of contentious objection that would have been beyond the pale in those days: cowardly. The exams were held in extra time on Saturdays, especially the practical tests there was also a long wait for the results. I had hoped to do a full Technological Exam but as I said I ran out of time. At the end of my apprentice-ship I received a full copy of my indentures signed and stamped; this did not necessarily mean I could do any job. In fact I afterwards found that employers seemed to take more account of your practical skills based on a week’s trial. Weatherby, s at this time offered me a temporary job at £10 per week. I went over to the Printing Managers Trade Society, which was in Mermot Street to get advice. Mr. Went told me I could do as I liked they could give my casual work, but if I staid at my firm for a full four weeks they would have to re-instate my after my National Service. I decided to take this option but in fact I was in the army in two weeks. My medical exam was somewhere in the city in an afternoon after doing all the form filling at Bromyard avenue. This group of offices was filled with an elderly set of Doctors so we knew we had no chance of being ruled out for the services. First off we were all told to strip off. Probably to see, if we had any outstanding deformities. One stroppy teenager insisted on keeping his hat on during the whole of his examination. Each Doctor was given a specialty One the heart One the Lungs One the ears. I’m sure that the old bugger who tested my ears was stone deaf himself. Anyway I passed A1. And within a few days had my warrant to travel to Aldershot.