During my life I have never been out of work, which is something that I am personally very proud of.  I got a job helping a boilermaker for about 4 weeks and went from there to become a painter / decorator, a job that has helped me know some of the dirty jobs. The only way to get to the customers’ houses was by handcart, and ladders had to be pushed everywhere; we even had to carry tins of paint on our bike handlebars, which was quite tricky. I had this job for about 6 weeks before joining Curry’s as a cleaner. In the Radio and Cycle shop 1 had to wash the windows and scrub the floors  every day, kneeling down. I assembled bike pedals, did puncture repairs and also put acid accumulators on “trickle charge”. The accumulators were needed for the radio’s HT and LT supply; this was a job that I particularly liked doing. The customers’ name and number were put on each accumulator before putting them with many more on charge.

I finally got into the Dockyard as a yardboy at the age of 15 and I was lucky helping the Draughtsmen in the Drawing Office printing room. This was an ultraviolet carbon light that travelled vertically inside the machine that printed white or blue prints oil delicate photographic paper. The traced print was fed through a canvas roller on the paper and you fed it through one side and out of the other. The photograph then had to be washed and partly dried and hung up on lines. These prints then had to be cut on special lines and installed into book form (if small) or into rolls for workmen on the Destroyers /Cruisers / Submarines to install into the junction boxes that are needed for circuits etc on board ship. I finally got a chance to work on the ships, “Afloat” is the term used, as a Wireman’s mate. I found this very interesting, working in places like Engine Rooms, wardrooms, etc. on all types of Ships. This occurred during the early months of the Second World War. I saw the grim sights of such ships as H.M.S. Ajax coming back with a front turret blown apart. H.M.S. Cornwall and many more ships returned badly damaged, limping home with the loss of many lives on board. I forgot to mention that both my Grandparents died during my teenage years. I was greatly impressed with my Grandfathers funeral. There were no cremations in those days. From the undertakers his coffin was placed on a Gun carriage and pulled by a Section of Royal Naval to the cemetery, which was a good 3 miles away. Being a sailor in his past, this was a great send­off to any Military
personnel.

     Chatham Dockyard.