My first pay packet

[old tup 30]

As Ive refered to in earlier threads as a 5yr old I spent some time hanging around Neepsend Power Station;In my dads workshop most of the time;it wouldnt be allowed now[H n S].All the blokes never called me by my proper name I was Known as [Young Ben]after my old man;they all spoilt me rotten.For instance pay day all the men had to queue up outside in the yard in front of the office window they would come and get me;put me in the queue when I got to the window the clerk would shout[number oh its Young Ben]a packet was passed down full of coins.All the men used to put pennies;thrupney bits and tanners in;I was the proudest lad;I realy thought I was somebody.HAPPY DAYS].

[Frankie Rage 10]

As a nine year old in the early '60's I was paid the princely sum of half-a-crown a week for giving up all five lunchtimes to teach other children how to play the trumpet. This meant I had a quick sandwich then did an hours tutoring. On Friday afternoons when school ended I had to go down to the headmasters office where he would bellow, "well, what do you want boy, schools finished for the week!" I'd say, "I''ve come for my pay, headmaster". After looking at me quizically, he'd question who I'd taught that week and begrudgingly (it seemed to me..) hand over the two-and-a-tanner. Big money to the kids on my street. I was never short in those days!

Edited February 20, 2011 by Frankie Rage

[Carp 10]

Hi Tup. I started as an apprentice in Sept.'54 at Neepsend power station on 29/3d a week. Don't remember a lot about it because you were moved around quite a bit. Was your dad the blacksmith?

[old tup 30]

Hi Carp .no our old man was the foreman joiner his mates name was Ernest Clark the one who cut his thumb off.Pops worksop was at the bottom of the canteen staircase nearly underneath them.All the blokes refered to him as[Joiner Ben]do you remember him?.

[hutch 10]

In the early 50's i would go down to my school Ecclesfield secondary, sat morning to shovel coke with the caretaker for 2 shillings 10p.

[Carp 10]

Hi Tup. Yes, I was thinking about it last night. The blacksmith was Bob. Can’t bring your dad to mind but I do remember the joiners shop. The electricians then the fitting shops were close by. Tom Swann was the only ‘trician I recall as I spent most of my time with the fitters. Amongst them were Ken Butterworth, Bob Downs and his mate Fred Levers and Andy ?. An older apprentice was Brian Horner. The superintendant at that time was called Hogg. I remember working inside the boilers replacing the grates, in the scruffy ashes basement and on that massive coal conveyor near the towers (the concrete ones not the old wooden ones). The CEGB and the YEB were all linked at that time so when I’d done the rounds of all the departments I opted for the installation dept. at Commercial St. and never went back to Neepsend.

[sheffsand 10]

i got £24 in my first pay packet back in 1975, for a weeks wage, i had to give it all to my mum and she gave me spending money out of it!! - imagine kids doing that these days!! LOL

[mikeG 16]

I got £20/2/4d for my first month's work for Barclays Bank in 1960.

[old tup 30]

Hi Carp I remember a lot of the blokes you have named I also remember one boss Mr La-Pla as well as Mr hogg they were always in our cottage watching the cricket in the summer.Later years on a lot of the men who worked there came to my parents funerals.some from the other side of the country.My younger brother worked in the ashes cellar on nights,it was gigantic, at night it was pitch black.There was a bed in the middle under a single lightbulb,in the middle of the night some of the men would creep up in the dark making spooky noises and throwing ash at the poor sod tormenting him

[martin441 11]

I got £2-8s-3d when I started in work in 1959 at Kayser Ellison. My mum let me keep the lot as it was my first, Boy did I think I was rich!!

[denlin 12]

I got £2-8s-3d when I started in work in 1959 at Kayser Ellison. My mum let me keep the lot as it was my first, Boy did I think I was rich!!

 

I got £4-19s-6p when I started work in 1966 Like you I got to keep all of it as it was my first .I bought a Portable Tape Record with some of it and a tape.

Still got the Tape recorder (missing the flap) but it still works OK:o:o:hihi:

(DEN)

[Carp 10]

Hi Tup. Ho they were always tormenting. I was once laid with my legs sticking out of one of the inspection hatches you had to crawl through to get into the boilers. Somebody painted a set of crows legs down tne back of my overalls but nobody told me until I took them off at the end of the day.