Post Office Telephones Photos

[Thorpy 10]

Yes I certainly remember Jack Platts. I was in his gang for a while. You worked hard, but you had lots of laughs. I could tell a few funny stories about my time with Jack, he was very quick witted and a great comedian.

 Another great gang foreman to work with was Frank Bough again hard work, but lots of laughs. I used to love a few weeks in his gang. Once the work was done for the day, you never knew what would happen next.

2 hours ago, bazza63 said:

Does  anyone remember Graham Panton, 0r Jack PLatts.

 

[jad279 11]

I worked for the Post office Telephones and at one time worked with the gangs, i remember working with Big Colin Swarbrick and little Reg Sanderson, Great Days.

Jim.

[Person6 10]

There was a bloke by the name of Chris Firth  who had a shop in the Oasis in Meadowhall in the early 2000's selling old telephones and memorabilia.  He had a collection of old photo's and might be worth tracing.

He was ex-Post Office Telephones. someone told me he now lived in Devon.

[jad279 11]

Lots of pictures from Sheffield BT , but not seen any from Rotherham area.

Jim.

[Thorpy 10]

I can recall some of the gang foremen working from New Street from the early sixties and a lot of the men working with them. they used to be swapped around from time to time, so the gangs were not always the same.

 

T1 Frank Bough, Albert Kelly, Doug Johnson, Jack Thompson.

T1 Jack Platts, Alec Tissington, Doug Atkin, Alf Tookey.

T1 Harry Marsden, Allan Smythe, Bill ?

T1 George Morris, Brian Bradley, Harold Aspinall.

T1 Ted Tyson, Bill Upton, Paddy Flack. They worked the Hope Valley, and all lived out there. When Paddy and Bill moved on (Australia)? Ray Taylor and Tony Hardwick joined Ted ,working from either from Grindleford exchange or Beauchief, coming in to New Street and West Street for pay and stores.

T1 Joe Murphy, Merrick Hatton, Roy Lines and maybe Graham Groves.

Other gang foremen were Eric Rose and Ray Beaman. I can't remember their gangs, as I say it was often quite fluid.

Special party jointers were, Stan Causebrook, Graham Guest and Brian Staley.

There were other gang members, but I can't recall them at the moment.

 

I think I'm going to struggle for photos, because at the time it would have been almost unheard of to bring a camera to work However I'll keep looking and hope for the best.

T.

[Runningman 143]

5 hours ago, Thorpy said:

I can recall some of the gang foremen working from New Street from the early sixties and a lot of the men working with them. they used to be swapped around from time to time, so the gangs were not always the same.

 

T1 Frank Bough, Albert Kelly, Doug Johnson, Jack Thompson.

T1 Jack Platts, Alec Tissington, Doug Atkin, Alf Tookey.

T1 Harry Marsden, Allan Smythe, Bill ?

T1 George Morris, Brian Bradley, Harold Aspinall.

T1 Ted Tyson, Bill Upton, Paddy Flack. They worked the Hope Valley, and all lived out there. When Paddy and Bill moved on (Australia)? Ray Taylor and Tony Hardwick joined Ted ,working from either from Grindleford exchange or Beauchief, coming in to New Street and West Street for pay and stores.

T1 Joe Murphy, Merrick Hatton, Roy Lines and maybe Graham Groves.

Other gang foremen were Eric Rose and Ray Beaman. I can't remember their gangs, as I say it was often quite fluid.

Special party jointers were, Stan Causebrook, Graham Guest and Brian Staley.

There were other gang members, but I can't recall them at the moment.

 

I think I'm going to struggle for photos, because at the time it would have been almost unheard of to bring a camera to work However I'll keep looking and hope for the best.

T.

Hi Thorpy and thanks for the memories of those lads, some I worked with, others I don't remember.

Albert Kelly injured his back and finished up jumper running in Owlerton Exchange and then became a  Plant Protection Officer.

Jack Thompson you will remember died at an early age, once attended a jointing course at Otley with him.

Harry Marsden became a Pole Tester working out of Solly Street.

Worked occasionally with Alan Smythe he went on to work in External Works Control in Telephone House.

Harry Aspinall, a lovely easy going bloke, worked on jointing duties with him.

Merrick Hatton I knew but didn't work with.

Roy Lines after his work on the gangs worked in External Plant Maintenance Control in Eldon House

Graham Guest I again knew, but didn't work with.

Brian Staley moved into Routing and Records in Telephone House and then became Stores manager at both Maltravers Road and the Parkway

[Thorpy 10]

Hi Runningman,

Thanks for the update on the old gang members.

When the gangs were starting to be broken up, Jack Thompson and I were among the first two man overhead and internal installation teams to be formed. Jack was a real character and a good laugh. I had quite a few hair raising escapades while working with him. I don't know how we got away with some of the stunts he pulled. He went on to be a Survey Officer in the Chesterfield area. As you say sadly he died at quite a young age.

As you say Brian Staley went on to be a Level one Inspector, for a time at Maltravers Road he was my Line Manager.

It's surprising how as the years passed most of us progressed through the job to completely different disciplines. I became a T. O. Contract Supervisor and then later worked on Special Faults out of the old Attercliffe Exchange.

Let's hope that our latest updates jog a few memories and maybe a few stories, I've certainly got some!