Nosnarb

I worked in the Promotions Dept under Tony Evans and we had a rare old time. Albert Keats was in charge of exhibitions, to say he liked a drink would be an understatement. Albert and his mate MC boss of a sign company kept the Nursery Tavern profitable for many years. Albert left JN in mysterious circumstances 'was he pushed or did he resign'? We never knew. At the same time Albert retired, the Promotions dept was in the process of moving location within the JN complex to just across the yard. We were originally above the union meeting room where red Des Bell used to hold court with the down trodden work force. Anyway the change of location meant removing the 'furnishings' including an old wall clock. Albert was just short of his 25 years service when he would have been awarded a gold watch by the chairman Mr Hugh. Being thoughtful souls we cut a slice out of the wall clock like a slice out of a cake, with a 20T hacksaw, to compensate for the 25 yr service shortfall, sprayed it gold and made a strap which we also sprayed with gold paint. The late Gordon Fidler, photographer printed a life size mono blow up of the chairman which we mounted onto plywood and cut out, we had all the means to do such things at our disposal. Alberts colleagues assembled and Albert was summoned where we held a parody of the 25 years service award complete with Mr Hugh albeit as a lifesize cut out. On occasions where Mr Hugh spoke to the flock he would chuckle and to replicate this we had a tape recording of the laughing policeman. After the ceremony we retired to the Nursery Tavern to oil our throats. Albert went on to found Silver Knight exhibitions under his mate MC the sign man. This since developed into a significant operation. If they were asked to quote on a job and didn't have time to work out the price Albert told me he used his National Service number, a good few digits in that which should cover most eventualities, I could go on and on and on!

I worked in the Promotions Dept under Tony Evans and we had a rare old time. Albert Keats was in charge of exhibitions, to say he liked a drink would be an understatement. Albert and his mate MC boss of a sign company kept the Nursery Tavern profitable for many years. Albert left JN in mysterious circumstances 'was he pushed or did he resign'? We never knew. At the same time Albert retired, the Promotions dept was in the process of moving location within the JN complex to just across the yard. We were originally above the union meeting room where red Des Bell used to hold court with the down trodden work force. Anyway the change of location meant removing the 'furnishings' including an old wall clock. Albert was just short of his 25 years service when he would have been awarded a gold watch by the chairman Mr Hugh. Being thoughtful souls we cut a slice out of the wall clock like a slice out of a cake, with a 20T hacksaw, to compensate for the 25 yr service shortfall, sprayed it gold and made a strap which we also sprayed with gold paint. The late Gordon Fidler, photographer printed a life size mono blow up of the chairman which we mounted onto plywood and cut out, we had all the means to do such things at our disposal. Alberts colleagues assembled and Albert was summoned where we held a parody of the 25 years service award complete with Mr Hugh albeit as a lifesize cut out. On occasions where Mr Hugh spoke to the flock he would chuckle and to replicate this we had a tape recording of the laughing policeman. After the ceremony we retired to the Nursery Tavern to oil our throats. Albert went on to found Silver Knight exhibitions under his mate MC the sign man. This since developed into a significant operation. If they were asked to quote on a job and didn't have time to work out the price Albert told me he used his National Service number, a good few digits in that which should cover most eventualities, I could go on and on and on!

Now you mention it I think I vaguely remember Derek Needham. Was he shortish with a beard, smoked a pipe? I remember your Dad with his orange coloured overalls and I think Derek had what I can only describe as an overcoat but in the same material. The other names sound familiar but I can't picture them. What store do you work in by the way, our dishwasher needs replacing?

I am sorry to hear about you father, Fred. He was a very pleasant man and as far as I remember popular and well respected, the joiners shop was beneath our department and had a covered veranda around it where they parked their cars. Situated just above the coop. Fred used to call in to see our boss to discuss any work required in our department. Wasn't he the foreman joiner?

I think I knew Fred Sissons. Was he stocky with black hair back in the 1970's?

Our lass is related to Rogers (landlords) wife. They still have a parrot, it's alive and well and living in Aston (and so are they). This raises the question - was the parrot playing possum?

Just bought a Voice over IP phone to take advantage of the free call time included in my broadband package from Plus Net. After 3 days of phone calls to help lines it still won't work. Despite filling in the online form to enable the phone to be registered with the server the message on the phone is the same "sip registration failed". I am told by various parties that the problem lies with the router I have my phone plugged in to. The port is being blocked by the router. Next I was told to open the port using instructions from D Link who make the router. That also failed. Best advice I have had is from my son who advised me to chuck it in the bin. Why are these things sold without mental health warnings? Can anybody help?

P B Graphics publish a Free Distribution magazine called Hereabout, their centre page spread features a local history section on North Sheffield mainly Chapeltown, Ecclesfield, Wentworth and Thorpe Hesley. It is written by Joan and Mel Jones who have written and published quite a few books on the history of Sheffield. pbgraphics.co.uk

I worked in the design studio at james Neill putting together leaflets, packaging etc. Any body remember Albert Keats who was exhibitions manager. I am told that for years he drove around in a Triumph Herald with a Guiness label in the tax disc holder. He virtually lived in the Nursery Tavern up the road. He once had his hair cut in office hours and my boss Tony Evans challenged him "Albert you've had your hair cut in works time", .... his reply "Well it grows in works time" nuff sed. We made him a gold watch out of an old wall clock cos he got the push just before he done 25 years service. The chairman couldn't attend so we made a life size cardboard cutout from a blow up photo... happy days!

Thanks for the info. Sorry to be late responding. Finally bought a Siemans C460IP Phone which we connected directly to the router. We have now had it for three days and it still doesn't work. Spent quite a few minutes/hours speaking to virtually all the Plus Net support team and Siemans as the data we input to connect the phone drew a blank. We are now told that the problem might be with the Router which is blocking the port through which the connection is made. That's tomorrows project! Even if we get the bloody thing to work we need about 2 years free phone calls to get back the lost time spent making calls to help lines (we are a graphic design business we charge by the hour). Stroll on, why did we bother?

Yes a VoIP phone for use with a Mac and with a memory to store quick dial numbers

Can anyone recommend a broadband phone to be used with Mac OSX? Just signed up a business account with Plusnet and need to use up the free time. Looked in Meadowhell but none seem to specify Mac compatibility.