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Post Office Telephones Photos

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I started working for what was then Post Office Telephones (much later to become B T) in April 1962. I was then in an overhead gang of four or five men. The job entailed putting up telephone poles, digging the holes first, whilst the foreman "dressed" the pole - putting on arms. braces, combiners, spindles, insulators and steps. At that time we would then be erecting open cadmium copper wires from the distribution pole (D P ), To wherever the subscriber end was. I went on to spend most of my working life working for what was to become B T. 

I wonder if anyone out there has any photos of the old gangs or the Commer Karriers we used to use? I've tried Picture Sheffield, but no luck. Any stories would be good, I can certainly tell a few, there were some real characters around at the time.

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Best of luck with this Thorpy

Sorry but can't help !

 

RS

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I'm afraid I don't have any photos, I did spend a couple of months with the O/H gangs in the winter of 1965/66 during my time as a TTA. The names I remember are Eric Ludlam (former ABA middleweight champion), Jack Atter, Len Meadows, Ted? Rodgers, Ray? Pettit,  &"Cassius" Clay. As you say there were some real characters in those days. I remember Jack Atter bursting into song in the middle of the road giving a sort of Black & White Minstrels rendition of "Gimme Dat Ole Time Religion". 

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I do think we should have a special thread for photos. I’ve heard quite a few people ask for them.

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There may be some photos of interest here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/sheffdave/collections/72157607505969472/

 

Thanks TedW, not the era I'm looking for, but there are certainly a lot of faces I can  recognise, and some people I worked with and new very well. They bring back long forgotten memories

As I said I worked for B T for most of my working life, so if anyone has more photos or memories, I'd love to see or hear them.

Thanks again. T.

 

 

7 hours ago, fatrajah said:

I'm afraid I don't have any photos, I did spend a couple of months with the O/H gangs in the winter of 1965/66 during my time as a TTA. The names I remember are Eric Ludlam (former ABA middleweight champion), Jack Atter, Len Meadows, Ted? Rodgers, Ray? Pettit,  &"Cassius" Clay. As you say there were some real characters in those days. I remember Jack Atter bursting into song in the middle of the road giving a sort of Black & White Minstrels rendition of "Gimme Dat Ole Time Religion". 

I remember most of these lads, and came across them regularly. At the time I worked at first out of New Street. then for a while out in the Hope Valley. garaging at Beauchief and sometimes Grindleford, going in to West Street on Fridays for pay and stores. Later I worked out of Maltravers Road for a number of years, and then Attercliffe.

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This post could run for a long time as I start to reminisce about some of the names mentioned.

Eric Ludlam whose nickname was Lobby, a fiery character at times, but a heart of gold !

Jack Atter whose GPO/BT career came second to his bird watching interest.

Len Meadows tragically succumbed to Dementia.

Dick Pettit & John Clay I remember.

 

Alan Atter, Jack Robinson, Ted Haythornthwaite, Tony Houcher, Barry Bamford, brothers Terry & Bill South all well remembered.

I could go on and on.

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Have you tried Open Reach to see if they have an archive ?

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Good evening TedW and thanks for those amazing photos

Why do faces remain in your memory, but names disappear ?

 

Excuse me, but I must mention some of the lads I recognised, Hope they are all well, no doubt there could be some who are no longer with us !

 

Dermot Mcdonell   Roger Fairhurst   Geoff Mculloch   Tony Downing   Roger Crofts   Pete Hammond   Lol Wear   Roger Mills   Barry Stephenson   

Doug Atter   John Weldon   Pete Cowlishaw   John Rotherham   Bill Nundy   Dave Fisher   Ray Brown   Tony Hardwick   Alan Plant  Pat Clay   Harry Strutt 

 

Thanks for the memories !! 

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Were British Telecom In Sheffield in 1962, rather than the GPO  (phones etc) ?

Edited by St Petre
add

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Does  anyone remember Graham Panton, 0r Jack PLatts.

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On 21/01/2020 at 20:56, Mossway said:

Have you tried Open Reach to see if they have an archive ?

Thanks I'll look into that.

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In the early 1900's it was the National Telephone Company, N T C. Still to be seen on some poles during the sixties and seventies.

This later became Post Office Telephones, and then eventually British Telecom

16 hours ago, St Petre said:

Were British Telecom In Sheffield in 1962, rather than the GPO  (phones etc) ?

 

There was a saying among the old hands that G P O  stood for god's poor orphans!

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