General Chat

I stayed at RAF Hendon one night in the 60's, before a flight out of Gatwick to somewhere or other. Why I couldn't just go straight to Gatwick I don't know, but that is the army for you. Perhaps they thought I wouldn't show up. That has just reminded me, I had an uncle who had a small farm just outside Horley, and I often stayed there before a flight. One time his car was out of commission, and he dropped me outside the terminal (there was only one in those days) on the back of his tractor. I did get some funny looks. Bob

Barry I think the facility may now be joint service so it would fit in with what is there now.

Yes there were a lot of civilian redundancies I believe. We live just down the road, I miss the light blue uniforms.

Barry ...............


how's your weather???


we're having warm temperatures and sun .................. a big change form the constant rain of the last 2 weeks :-)

Hi, Ann. Yes, I certainly recall you writing that your OH was in the FAA. I expect he has some stories to tell, also!

I never went to Innsworth; it was an admin facility only, I understand.
I have no idea how the military advises relatives about death in service ... which likely happens every day!
I thought this department would have also gone to High Wycombe. I don't see the point of a lone branch staying behind.
Sadly, I am sure a great number of jobs disappeared when Innsworth closed!

Hi Barbra, I had a few part time jobs at school and college, these included a paper round, cleaning at a residential home, waitress at a local restaurant, waitress at a local upmarket department store, baby sitting and bar work. After college I went straight in to the job I'm in now and have been there since 1981!!!!!

I forgot one, I did voluntary work at the primary school where my offspring attended and trained as a TA. It was a cover position which I fitted it round my existing job until my youngest left the school.

It sounds a lot like a lot of jobs but back in the 1970s we started paper rounds at 13 and baby sitting at 14. The job which I enjoyed the most for the time I was there was the waitressing at a local restaurant. The owners were lovely and employed local students for the weekend waiting.

It was the height of sophistication for people to dress up for a meal, long dresses etc. Happy days :-)

Teresa

Hi Barry. Yes, RAF Innsworth closed and the camp is now multi national NATO Rapid Response. Cardington is not very far (about 5 minutes) from Henlow. It was still RAF when I left Bedfordshire but I believe, although still military is something like dog training. Well it may have changed again now we don't get that way very often. Actually not sure but I think one part of Personnel remained at Innsworth. I think the (do you know I can't think what the department is called) Casualty? dept - The people who notify relatives of sad events may still be there. But yes, mainly all to do with records moved to High Wycombe. Just after I retired.

Yes I flew in a Wessex from innsworth to Benson.

I think i told you my OH was in the Fleet Air Arm - Radio electrical and worked on fixed wing and helicopters at HMS Daudelas.

Hi Barbra. Thank you. So pleased you enjoyed my rambling. Went on a bit ... nothing unusual there, however!!
So pleased you are enjoying your retirement. Good on yer! Long may you do so.

Ann, no I didn't tour or have a posting at Innsworth or Henlow. I understand that Innsworth closed years ago and that Records Office is at High Wycombe.
My initial assessment before I took the Queen's (ten) shilling was done in 1960 at Cardington. I clearly recall the huge hangar to house airships. Don't know if it is still there.
We chatted some time ago about you having an eastward trip across country in a Wessex. I worked on them at Odiham. Funnily enough, the one and only flight I had in a Wessex was a Royal Navy kite in north east Malaya at Penarak in 1968! (Talk about absolutely beautiful undisturbed white sands!)
We went back to the beach one night with Malayan Rangers and watched the turtles come ashore and lay their hundreds of eggs. Of course, some blokes simply HAD to lift one of the turtles back into the sea after laying her eggs!! Daft pillocks! Some things never change. Lol.)

If anyone visits the RAF Museum at Hendon - no charge - they will see a twin rotor helicopter - a Belvedere - XG474, with a big 'O' on each side. I stripped this kite after the squadron disbanded 20 March 1969 in Singapore. It was the only one saved and shipped to the Museum by the Royal Navy.
Kindly give the old girl a gentle stroke on her legs (undercarriage) for me please. I last did so when I saw her in 1977. I flew a lot of hours on these faithful kites of 66 Squadron.

Aw that is a cute Photo & fully dressed :-)

Greater London Council, Education Dept., in branch that hired and fire Headteachers. Then went to Brixton College in the Admin.

Thank you Barry loved reading all your News. Times have changed so much .some for the good .I have enjoyed my retirement & since moving to Southwest Scotland 7yrs ago its great just chilling :-D ~~~~~s to All :-)

Barry did you ever do a tour at either RAF Henlow or Innsworth? I worked as a civvie at both.

yesi still lived there when it first opened although i wonder why Hendon as it is in Colindale it was an difficult place to get on the busses

i can also remember going to the drome on an open day to see the air display

sally w <3

I am so pleased to have brought back memories for you, Sally.
Memories of yesteryear are often happier than today's reality!
Sad, eh?
I wonder if you - or other GR readers - have visited the RAF Museum at Hendon?
Admission is free.

berry
you brought back memeries as I was born in west Hendon

sally w <3

Co-op doling out milk tokens and stuff. Oh how I hated it!

Eventually went to a garage as a petrol pump attendant and loved it.

I worked alternate Saturdays at two branches of Meyer the greengrocer at Ealing Broadway and nearby. I cannot recall my pay way back then. I received 10/6 every Saturday for my daily early morning paper round
In 1961 I joined the RAF at 15 as a Boy Entrant. On pay parade every Thursday most of us stepped forward and saluted gratefully for the £1 we were about to put our grubby little hands upon! Oh, it was our saviour for the week! Fag money, Lyon's fruit pies at the NAAFI (6d, big and yummy), black shoe polish, etc. Such very happy times indeed, upon reflection.
Lads who were older received twice as much pay! If aged 17 1/2 he was literally 'quids in'.
About a pound was kept back for each of us to spend on the 'big leave' we had three times a year.
On one of my early leaves Mum told me - and I read it in the local rag - the Scottish manager of Meyers greengrocers where I had worked walked away with Saturday's takings and blew the lot on the dogs (greyhounds) at Cricklewood.
He was jailed big time ... whereas he would likely receive counselling and a handout today!

I was an aircraft engineer on fixed wing aircraft and helicopters, serving in the Far East and the Middle East - with my family - among other homes.
We moved a great deal; home in the apartment today is move #22!
I left the RAF at 40 - and stayed in aviation until I retired not so long ago. I had a wonderful and very happy and rewarding career in the service. I try to return every October for my squadron association reunion.
I served on two Battle of Britain squadrons which flew Spitfires.
I tried to immigrate to Oz after the RAF and they sent the standard reply that I had insufficient points to be considered. (Don't points make prizes?) They didn't tell me how I might accumulate these golden points to try again!
I volunteered to join the RNZAF but was told I was too old. (Ya think?)
I eventually immigrated to Canada with some of our family where I am today ... braving -20°C temperatures we have outside. It's the same indoors ... in the freezer!
.
My late lady love, Margaret, left school and worked at a local corner shop called Simpson's at Wideopen. When she was 15 she worked at nearby Gregg's of Gosforth shop as a trainee confectioner and cake decorator for several years. She was one of approx. 14 employees. Greggs is now country wide with about 1800 shops.
As Margaret came from a large family she handed over her unopened little brown pay packet to her Mum and was given pocket money each week.
.
This is an interesting thread, Barbra ... and I see I have rambled on, somewhat. So sorry about that ... I love to write and reflect, however.
I have been most fortunate in my life and people have always been nice to me. I truly feel blessed.
I always tell folks how luck I am to have grown up in the era of the 1950s. It was a wonderful time and a completely different world where people cared, methinks.
I would not like to be a child in today's world ... and I despair what life will be like not so long after I have 'legged it and pegged it'.

Worked in a very popular music shop on the classical music side...and in the basement,they had just started up booths where you could play your records of hit music.
This was in Manchester and I got to know a lot of members of the Halle Orchestra that we supplied the music for.
I loved the job..and wish I could have stayed,but I had already passed the test for a supposedly better job with ICI...Imperial Chemical Industries...I had to have at least 6 O levels for that.
Was in the days when you took your wage packet home and just got spends out of it.
Think my wage wasn't much over £2 a week...that was 1951.

How times change!

Thank you for telling us about your Jobs & careers .loved seeing how many different paths we all took .Barbra :-D :-D

I had my first jobs on Saturdays and holidays starting at age 11 ........ ladies dress shop, Woolworths, Pakamac, delivering post at Christmas, working in hotels in summer, etc

First REAL job was age 24, after university ................ teaching for 2½ years. When I resigned, I was taking home £100 a month

Married, moved to Texas, worked as Technician in university lab for about 10 months. Earned about £200 a month :-)

Moved to Canada, worked as Research Technician in a university for over 30 years until early retirement. Took 6 weeks maternity leave when daughter was born. Then took a year's leave of absence to live in Australia for a year.

Have now been retired for 15 years.

first job was in a typing pool (at the age of 16!), I hated it.

A year later, was a receptionist.... didn't mind that, because no gossiping all day

Studied part time......

went into engineering drafting, and did that for 20 years... left that job because I met DH & we went overseas.

Since then....... jobs in customer service, retail ...... now I'm a "lady of leisure" :-D