Julie, Thanks a million. Keith in Malta. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Julie" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 3:02 PM Subject: Re: [LEI] 1871 census lookup please > Hi Keith > > Could this be him? > > Regards > Julie > > Name: John Willett > Age: 26 > Estimated Birth Year: abt 1845 > Relation: Head > Spouse's Name: Elizabeth Willett > Gender: Male > Where born: Hugglescote > Civil parish: Donington > County/Island: Leicestershire > Country: England > Registration district: Ashby De La Zouch > Sub-registration district: Whitwick > ED, institution, or vessel: 3 > Household schedule number: 199 > Piece: 3250 > Folio: 58 > Page Number: 37 > Household Members: Name Age > John Willett 26 - Miner > Elizabeth Willett 27 > Harry Weston 8 > John Fredrick Weston 2 > Harry Harris 25 - Lodger - labourer > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: keith Hammond > Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 1:45 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [LEI] 1871 census lookup please > > Hi, > can anyone please help with an 1871 census lookup please ? I am > looking > for a JOHN WILLETT living hugglescote and wife Elizabeth also children > john > frederick willett aged 2.Any help would please be so very kind.Thank you. > > Keith in Malta. > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' > without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' > without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Have been following this thread of memories with interest. For those interested in further wonderful memories of the buses of Leicester, have a look at this website and click on Leicester City Transport. http://www.rhaywood.karoo.net/ Suzie (from Orkney)

Thank you June ! Simpkin & James is the name of the shop that started this off for me Full of rich smells and aromas I can rest easy now :-) I can't remember the trams though .. sorry Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) ........And do not let us forget the trams...........Can remember travelling down Narborough Road on one to my ballet class on Satuday mornings. Can I also suggest another shop - Simpkin & James. The cafe upstairs where my mother & I had a pot of tea for two & cream cakes on Satuday mornings in the 50s. Such a special shop smelling of spices. Have recently found that I am connected, be it through many marriages, to the Simpkins. June

........And do not let us forget the trams...........Can remember travelling down Narborough Road on one to my ballet class on Satuday mornings.   Can I also suggest another shop - Simpkin & James.   The cafe upstairs where my mother & I had a pot of tea for two & cream cakes on Satuday mornings in the 50s.   Such a special shop smelling of spices.     Have recently found that I am connected, be it through many marriages, to the Simpkins.   June     From: Nivard Ovington <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Friday, 17 February 2012, 15:13 Subject: Re: [LEI] Midland Red Hi Brian You are quite correct re it becoming Midland Fox but try telling that to anyone of the time Midland Red it was and remained as long as I can recall, I moved many years after it changed name officially It was like renaming St James's Park , try as they might it will still be St James's Park until they knock it down and build somewhere else Then of course we had the "Corpo'" buses Those creamy beige buses with a burgundy stripe around them Ding-ding hold very tight please ! <vbg> Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) PS how come I can remember the bus number (L19) yet can't remember putting sugar in my tea 30 seconds after doing it ? > > By 1970 Midland Red had ceased to be a separate company. Along with other > BET owned bus companies - Trent, North Western, Ribble and many others, > Midland Red was Nationalised in 1969 and became part of the National Bus > Company, which had its own universal red, namely NBC Poppy Red, a pale > imitation of the original and distinctive Midland Red colour. The Leicester > division became Midland Fox, though still operating from their depot in > Southgates. > > > > Brian Binns ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

YES, played 'Cat's Cradle' and also showed my children - must show the grandchildren too when we get to Melbourne, where they've just moved to. The only skipping rope song, or rather spoken rhyme, I remember is the one where we were all playing together with two people turning the rope. It was: All in together girls, never mind the weather girls, when I call your birthday please run out. Then the caller, usually one of the rope turners, would call out all the months of the year and when yours was called you "ran out", ie away from the skipping rope. Then others would take turns at turning the rope and we'd do it again. I haven't heard the one about the lady on the hill - sounds interesting! Re cinemas, although I didn't go to the weekly Saturday shows I was often taken, by my grandpa, to the Cameo in High Street where all those films were on: cartoons, Superman, Captain Marvel, nature films, etc. I remember in our last few years there the Cameo changed to showing adults-only films, X rated in those days. The shops I cycled to, during school holidays to do the usual errands, were our local shops at the crossroads of Cardinals Walk and Parkstone Road. In those pre-fridge days housewives used to go every morning for the meat and vegs - those they didn't grow at home - for dinner, the midday meal as many husbands came home for dinner. After all, didn't take long on the bus from town. There was a butcher, a chemist, a newsagent, a sweet shop, a drapery and a green grocer. I don't remember many of the shopkeepers' names and they changed a few times anyway. Later, in the late 1950s I think, two more shops were built, one a hairdresser and I'm not sure what the other was. By then, going into town every day to school and then work, I didn't go to those local shops. When Mum and I went shopping in town in my childhood days we always called in at those shops on the way home to buy our sweet rations and "pay the papers" - for the week's deliveries - and collect the Sports Mail for Grandpa - he preferred it to the Sports Mercury and only took it in the football season. He went to the football match on his bike for years and when he died, of a heart attack at age 80, he had cycled to the football only a few days earlier. I think those shops were still there on our recent visit to England. If Dandelion & Burdock is still around WHY didn't I get some when over there??!! It would be interesting just to taste it again! They don't have it here, despite the prevalence of both plants as weeds, especially the dandelion. We went to Midland Educational for school stationery and suchlike. Wasn't it silly not being able to use biros at school? We had to use dip-in pens until we were about 14 and then we were allowed to use fountain pens. Footpaths were always pavements to us and lifts were given on bikes but never called a croggie. Remember the coppers and bike lights. Riding along Scraptoft Lane one evening two cops came past on their bikes and I said to my friends that I thought we ought to be putting our lights on. Sure enough, one of the cops heard me, or saw us lighting up, and said: "Yes, you need your lights on now." I once saw them riding their bikes 4 abreast along there too - naughty coppers! Jacks here seem to be the square snobs we had in Leicester, but it's years since I came across it; our kids didn't play it; must have gone out of fashion. I don't remember the jacks you describe in Leicester or anywhere else. I remember the cinemas you mentioned and our nearest was the ABC Trocadero, locally known as the "Troc". Apart from cinema there was dancing there and I went to dancing lessons there on Saturday mornings at one time. I know it was pulled down years ago; shame. There was another ABC cinema in town - was it the Savoy? They had the same films on anyway so we had a "big" cinema locally, not just a flea pit showing old films. The Shaftsbury was one of those; we passed it on the bus to town and our Dr's surgery was near it. The Troc had ABC Minors, Saturday morning films for the kids and they had a badge which many of them proudly wore at school. At first I thought it was some super organisation, like the scouts, but soon discovered it was just Sat. morning flicks. Interestingly, via Friends Reunited I think, an ex classmate from Humberstone School found me here. Her sister lives very near to us but the classmate is in Queensland. She met her husband at the Saturday night dancing at the Troc. I never went to that as my old school friends from Collegiate went to places in town such as the Bell Hotel and the Palais (no, we weren't under or over age!). Jan in cloudy, humid Nowra, NSW, Australia ----- Original Message ----- From: "J FLEETWOOD" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, February 16, 2012 10:36 PM Subject: [LEI] Memories...... > > Hi Jan > What a gem of memories. Thank you for sharing them with us. Have just had > a thought - does anyone remember playing 'Cat's Cradle'. I tried it the > other day to show a child & it all came back to me. She was mesmerised & > thought I was very clever............ > I would very much like to have a collection of the skipping-rope songs. Do > any of you remember them - like "On the hill there stands a lady, who she > is I do not know etc......... help me out here. > > Leicestershire Listers, P > lease keep these memories rolling in. Hope this thread will continue for > the next two weeks, so put on your thinking caps & let us have them. > > Regards to you all from a sunny Yorkshire day. > June FLEETWOOD (nee RAINBOW) > West Yorkshire. > > > > > From: John & Jan Marchant <[email protected]> Snip

Hi Brian You are quite correct re it becoming Midland Fox but try telling that to anyone of the time Midland Red it was and remained as long as I can recall, I moved many years after it changed name officially It was like renaming St James's Park , try as they might it will still be St James's Park until they knock it down and build somewhere else Then of course we had the "Corpo'" buses Those creamy beige buses with a burgundy stripe around them Ding-ding hold very tight please ! <vbg> Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) PS how come I can remember the bus number (L19) yet can't remember putting sugar in my tea 30 seconds after doing it ? > > By 1970 Midland Red had ceased to be a separate company. Along with other > BET owned bus companies - Trent, North Western, Ribble and many others, > Midland Red was Nationalised in 1969 and became part of the National Bus > Company, which had its own universal red, namely NBC Poppy Red, a pale > imitation of the original and distinctive Midland Red colour. The Leicester > division became Midland Fox, though still operating from their depot in > Southgates. > > > > Brian Binns

Hi again I think that little building was once a Police base Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) > That's the place. I could not remember the name of the extremely wide > Humberstone Gate. The taxi base was in a small building in the middle of the > road as you say. > > Peter Holmes

Hi, can anyone please help with an 1871 census lookup please ? I am looking for a JOHN WILLETT living hugglescote and wife Elizabeth also children john frederick willett aged 2.Any help would please be so very kind.Thank you. Keith in Malta.

Hi Keith Could this be him? Regards Julie Name: John Willett Age: 26 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1845 Relation: Head Spouse's Name: Elizabeth Willett Gender: Male Where born: Hugglescote Civil parish: Donington County/Island: Leicestershire Country: England Registration district: Ashby De La Zouch Sub-registration district: Whitwick ED, institution, or vessel: 3 Household schedule number: 199 Piece: 3250 Folio: 58 Page Number: 37 Household Members: Name Age John Willett 26 - Miner Elizabeth Willett 27 Harry Weston 8 John Fredrick Weston 2 Harry Harris 25 - Lodger - labourer -----Original Message----- From: keith Hammond Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 1:45 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [LEI] 1871 census lookup please Hi, can anyone please help with an 1871 census lookup please ? I am looking for a JOHN WILLETT living hugglescote and wife Elizabeth also children john frederick willett aged 2.Any help would please be so very kind.Thank you. Keith in Malta. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Re; A visit to Leicester was always referred to as going 'into Town'. One of the things I missed when I left Leicestershire in the 70s was the Midland Red Buses. June West Yorkshire June, By 1970 Midland Red had ceased to be a separate company. Along with other BET owned bus companies - Trent, North Western, Ribble and many others, Midland Red was Nationalised in 1969 and became part of the National Bus Company, which had its own universal red, namely NBC Poppy Red, a pale imitation of the original and distinctive Midland Red colour. The Leicester division became Midland Fox, though still operating from their depot in Southgates. Brian Binns _____ No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 2012.0.1913 / Virus Database: 2112/4814 - Release Date: 02/16/12

Hi Peter The best way I can describe the location of Vestry street If you stand with your back to the Palais facing across Humberstone Gate, Vestry street was dead opposite , the baths were at the end on the right Humberstone Gate used to have an Island in the middle where taxis and buses stopped, using google street view it looks like its a parking area now and Vestry street is full of new flats And yes it was Vestry street was very basic, it stemmed back to a time when people went for a weekly bath at "the baths" Most of the terraced houses having no bathroom then Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) > Yes, I refined my swimming techniques at Cossington Street, but my first > strokes were at I think Vestry Street (was that located at the end of the > wholesale fish markets? > > If so yes it was a bit basic but because Dad had the G Goodman & Sons F & V > wholesale business in the F & V portion of the market it was convenient for > Mum or Dad to take me. > > Then we discovered Cossington Street and went there more often and my > brothers learned to swim there & I learned better techniques. > > Peter Holmes

I remember Vestry street as well, I learnt to swim there I think you are right not many seem to go swiming now but there again children must be accompanied by an adult and only two children to one adult, not like in our days Margaret On 17/02/2012 10:10, Nivard Ovington wrote: > Hi Margaret > > We did go to Cossington street , I think it was when our usual venue was closed for repair , that > being Vestry street > > When I think back, Vestry street was a working museum really, quite small with dressing cubicles > down the sides, quite dark compared to newer baths > > I got my life saving badge there for rescuing a drowning rubber brick<vbg> > > I remember when St Margarets Baths opened and it was so big and airy, a world apart from Vestry > street, mind you it was quite strange to have windows where people could see you from the outside ! > it took some getting used to<g> > > There was also Guthlaxton and Aylestone, the latter being another of the old school type of swimming > baths > > Now is it me or did a lot more people go swimming then? > > I am out the loop of school trips and swimming but it seems to me that far fewer seem to go swimming > than once did > > Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) > > > >> I was born and brought up in Belgrave, I went to Mellor Street junior >> school and then on to Ellis Ave school >> so this was my stamping ground and we did not venture to the other side >> of Leicester very often, >> You are right Nivard it was far more personal back then and as a child >> if you were up to no good mum would soon hear about it. Did anyone else >> go to Cossington Street swiming baths? we all went on a regular basis >> and the big treat was to have a glass of warm orange squash after >> swiming. We did not do this too often as it cost 2p a glass. The >> library was opposite the baths and then the recky behind that many happy >> hours was spent there on the swings. >> >> Margaret > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2012.0.1913 / Virus Database: 2112/4814 - Release Date: 02/16/12 > >

My swimming (& diving) days were spent in Aylestone Street Baths & I was amember of the Dolphin Club &, in the summer, at Kenwood's Lido.    The sun always seemed to shine during my school summer holdays & it seemed mostly to rain at night, when I was eating or when it didn't matter.     Used to catch tiddlers etc. in the little brook  at the back to St. Mary's Church, Knighton.   We used to cross over the little wooden bridge there with our jam jars & nets.    We usually walked there &, by today's standards the children would expect a lift in the car to get there, was quite a trek from Wigston Fields but we thought nothing of it.    With my mother working & my father 'away' in the War, I stayed with my grandma, who only lived round the corner, & I think she was only too pleased to have me out from under her feet for a few hours.   As long as she knew where I was going & who with, she always gave her permission & often made jam sandwiches for me & my friends to take with us.       A visit to Leicester was always referred to as going 'into Town'.   One of the things I missed when I left Leicestershire in the 70s was the Midland Red Buses.      June West Yorkshire    

Hi Margaret We did go to Cossington street , I think it was when our usual venue was closed for repair , that being Vestry street When I think back, Vestry street was a working museum really, quite small with dressing cubicles down the sides, quite dark compared to newer baths I got my life saving badge there for rescuing a drowning rubber brick <vbg> I remember when St Margarets Baths opened and it was so big and airy, a world apart from Vestry street, mind you it was quite strange to have windows where people could see you from the outside ! it took some getting used to <g> There was also Guthlaxton and Aylestone, the latter being another of the old school type of swimming baths Now is it me or did a lot more people go swimming then? I am out the loop of school trips and swimming but it seems to me that far fewer seem to go swimming than once did Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) >I was born and brought up in Belgrave, I went to Mellor Street junior > school and then on to Ellis Ave school > so this was my stamping ground and we did not venture to the other side > of Leicester very often, > You are right Nivard it was far more personal back then and as a child > if you were up to no good mum would soon hear about it. Did anyone else > go to Cossington Street swiming baths? we all went on a regular basis > and the big treat was to have a glass of warm orange squash after > swiming. We did not do this too often as it cost 2p a glass. The > library was opposite the baths and then the recky behind that many happy > hours was spent there on the swings. > > Margaret

I was born and brought up in Belgrave, I went to Mellor Street junior school and then on to Ellis Ave school so this was my stamping ground and we did not venture to the other side of Leicester very often, You are right Nivard it was far more personal back then and as a child if you were up to no good mum would soon hear about it. Did anyone else go to Cossington Street swiming baths? we all went on a regular basis and the big treat was to have a glass of warm orange squash after swiming. We did not do this too often as it cost 2p a glass. The library was opposite the baths and then the recky behind that many happy hours was spent there on the swings. Margaret On 17/02/2012 09:35, Nivard Ovington wrote: > Hi Margaret > > Good to know my penny's were going to a good cause in filling your relatives coffers<g> > > There were a lot of local firms with more than one branch but families had "their" branch > > Wraggs had several I know > > Shopping was a lot more personal back then, shopkeepers knew you, often by name and knew what you > wanted > (you might say before you did<g>) > > The shops and supermarkets we have today may give us much more choice but not the personal touch, > but we have what we have due to market forces > > Melton road was another world until I was a little older and ventured over that side of the City > > One of my brothers lived on Brandon street off Belgrave so we did venture over there sometimes > > We did used to go across town to the Lido on occasion in the summer > > Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) > > > > >> North's Toy shop/travel agents was owned and run by my grandmother and >> later by my uncle Fred North, as a child I was allowed to roam around >> the stock room at the back of the shop. They had two shops the other on >> the Melton road in Belgrave, that was the one I spent time in. Hynard >> Hughes was also run by a family member, they also had two shops the one >> my mum went to for the Christmas sherry was next door to North's on >> Melton road. >> >> Margaret > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2012.0.1913 / Virus Database: 2112/4814 - Release Date: 02/16/12 > >

Hi Margaret Good to know my penny's were going to a good cause in filling your relatives coffers <g> There were a lot of local firms with more than one branch but families had "their" branch Wraggs had several I know Shopping was a lot more personal back then, shopkeepers knew you, often by name and knew what you wanted (you might say before you did <g>) The shops and supermarkets we have today may give us much more choice but not the personal touch, but we have what we have due to market forces Melton road was another world until I was a little older and ventured over that side of the City One of my brothers lived on Brandon street off Belgrave so we did venture over there sometimes We did used to go across town to the Lido on occasion in the summer Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) > North's Toy shop/travel agents was owned and run by my grandmother and > later by my uncle Fred North, as a child I was allowed to roam around > the stock room at the back of the shop. They had two shops the other on > the Melton road in Belgrave, that was the one I spent time in. Hynard > Hughes was also run by a family member, they also had two shops the one > my mum went to for the Christmas sherry was next door to North's on > Melton road. > > Margaret

North's Toy shop/travel agents was owned and run by my grandmother and later by my uncle Fred North, as a child I was allowed to roam around the stock room at the back of the shop. They had two shops the other on the Melton road in Belgrave, that was the one I spent time in. Hynard Hughes was also run by a family member, they also had two shops the one my mum went to for the Christmas sherry was next door to North's on Melton road. Margaret On 16/02/2012 20:46, Nivard Ovington wrote: > Hi Jan > > A subject I think has been talked about previously is that families had their own shopping haunts or > even areas > > 50 or so years ago most areas had an almost self sufficient group of shops, long since decimated at > best or completely gone all together with the onset of superstores, and city centre shopping "Malls" > and out of town shopping parks > > Ours was a Saturday trip to Narborough road, starting at Dane Hills where there were a few shops my > mum used, there was a hardware shop there I recall and a sewing shop (names evade me) Skerrits? on > Dane Hills there was also a petrol station, I recall my father letting me put petrol in the car when > I was quite young (not allowed now) I carefully put what I thought was 10/- worth in the car , my > father was somewhat miffed to find I had actually put in 10 Gallons ! > (I may be off on the actual measures but suffice to say it was a cock up) > > > From there we would go along Hinckley road which was then the main road in to Leicester from our > side of Town and our route went by Western Park , through Dane Mills, up and over the hill and down > to Braunstone Gate, you then went along under the bridge where Kirby and West was (is?) on Western > Boulevard along by the Newarke Houses Museum, by the then ranks of bus shelters past the Magazine > and up Newarke street towards where John Biggs statue was later erected > > > From there you could go left into Pocklingtons Walk, next left into Belvoir Street or right down > Welford road towards "the Nick" (Leicester Gaol) > > On Narborough road we visited Clarks the Greengrocers, Hynard Hughes the off licence, Wedges the > newsagent, Wraggs the Butchers, Norths was a favourite, for toys, long before they were more well > known as a travel agent, round the corner on Narborough road was Leedhams for bikes and across the > road Leavesleys for hardware in the old chapel, a little further down on the left was the watch > mender, he sat in the shop window and you could stand outside and watch him mending clocks& watches > which was fascinating > > Further in town we would often visit Belvoir street where there was my mothers favourite shop, > Fenwicks, they had a yearly display in the window at Christmas which was always worth a visit as > they had moving models > (also not far from the Town Hall Square where they had a Christmas illuminated scene) > > Further down Belvoir street was Sports (who supplied school uniform& most interesting of all to me > "air rifles") > > Over the road was the already mentioned Robothams toy shop (what an Alladins cave it was) and > Cowlings the music shop, there was also a camera / telescope shop, there was also a little jewelers, > on the same side further up was the Central Lending Library > > Also of great interest to me at the time was a little shop around the corner from Fenwicks called > "Hamshaws" the cake shop :-) > > On some Saturdays mum would get a sponge they did with chocolate on the top, I remember it was sort > of pre cut a little , it was a really delightful cake filled with fresh cream (I can taste it now > :-) > > By the way Jan, Dandelion& Burdock is very much alive and kicking > > I just remembered another shop we frequently visited, Midland Educational, all manner of maps, > stationery and where we bought geometry sets and fountain pens (we were not allowed to use biro's > :-) > > Flic's wise we had the Cameo , the ABC, 2 Odeon's, the Picture House and the Fosse , there were more > of course further out but it makes you realise how popular the cinema was > > Causy or Pad for the footpath , as to snobs& jacks, snobs were little cubes whereas jacks were > three dimensions crosses made of metal (like little anti-tank obstacles) > > A croggie was giving a friend a lift on your bike, either on the back or on the crossbar, it could > be dicey though :-) > > Coppers (I mean the Police :-) would pull you up for giving croggies and tell you off (obviously not > enough to do back than) likewise if you rode your bike without lights > > A far cry from today isn't it > > Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK) > > >> I never heard "causey" for a path. We did play snobs and, yes, they're jacks >> in Oz. I also loved cycling round the villages out from Scraptoft, usually >> Keyham, Hungerton, Barkby Thorpe, Barkby, South Croxton, Beeby and others. >> Also often went up the Uppingham Rd as far as Tugby or turned off and went >> to Tilton and Halstead. Not sure what a croggie was but I had a saddlebag >> and also a basket on the front of my bike. Great for doing the errands and >> we could just leave our bikes outside the shops in those days, didn't get >> stolen. >> > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > ----- > No virus found in this message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 2012.0.1913 / Virus Database: 2112/4814 - Release Date: 02/16/12 > >

June, your description of summers sounds like the soundtrack of "Camelot"! Now you will have me humming all day, Grin! --Carolyn -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of J FLEETWOOD Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 6:24 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [LEI] Memories My swimming (& diving) days were spent in Aylestone Street Baths & I was amember of the Dolphin Club &, in the summer, at Kenwood's Lido.    The sun always seemed to shine during my school summer holdays & it seemed mostly to rain at night, when I was eating or when it didn't matter.     Used to catch tiddlers etc. in the little brook  at the back to St. Mary's Church, Knighton.   We used to cross over the little wooden bridge there with our jam jars & nets.    We usually walked there &, by today's standards the children would expect a lift in the car to get there, was quite a trek from Wigston Fields but we thought nothing of it.    With my mother working & my father 'away' in the War, I stayed with my grandma, who only lived round the corner, & I think she was only too pleased to have me out from under her feet for a few hours.   As long as she knew where I was going & who with, she always gave her permission & often made jam sandwiches for me & my friends to take with us.       A visit to Leicester was always referred to as going 'into Town'.   One of the things I missed when I left Leicestershire in the 70s was the Midland Red Buses.      June West Yorkshire     ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Precisely Graham but those were the rules.   Married couples were not allowed to work together. June From: Graham Jennings <[email protected]> To: J FLEETWOOD <[email protected]>; [email protected] Sent: Friday, 17 February 2012, 0:38 Subject: Re: [LEI] Memories What on earth did they think you and your husband were going to get up too if you were kept together? I am 61 and a bit I remember mum taking us as young children  for free orange juice  and cod liver oil. Thank goodness for the national health service . It's a much abused system but precious and needs protection. On odd jobs my dad had several bouts of ill health so  my mum used to have home work from a glass bead factory on Tudor  road  and we used to sit a round like a third world family sticking hatpins into brown paper strips , 12 per strip. -----Original Message----- From: J FLEETWOOD Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 12:20 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [LEI] Memories Continuing the theme of jobs, I find it hard to believe that my mother actually accompanied me as a chaparone & sat in on my first ever job interview at the Leicester Permanent Building Society on the corner of Bishops Street & Pocklingtons Walk. I got the job & met my future husband there, but as soon as we got engaged one of us had to leave. It was me & I had several jobs from then on. You were right Graham when you said that there were plenty of jobs around in the 50s & 60s. My last job that I left to have my first child paid me £8. OO a week. I worked in an office as a receptionist/Secretary on the Saffron Lane just below the Roundhill Library. My maternity pay in 1960 was about £30.OO, & in those days you had to find another job on your return to work after the birth. But we did get free orange juice, rose hip syrup & extra milk, but the first two were only available at the Clinic with coupon books. I remember taking my first baby to the chemist every week for her to be weighed. I still have the little weighing book, which I found with the family's ration books & identity cards from the war. Yes we actually had Identity Cards then. June From: Graham Jennings <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, 16 February 2012, 23:13 Subject: Re: [LEI] Memories Bit of a change of tack but memories of your first job? I met with the careers advisor at the tender age of 14 and three quarters ( me that is not him) .”What would you like to do then” he said? Me, bright eyed and fresh faced naively said “ a radio & tv engineer  please”.  When the laughter had subsided and the tears wiped away he told me in no uncertain words that a secondary education did  not provide me with the qualities needed for that that sort of career ,those jobs suited grammar school boys.  On the bright side however he could offer me an apprenticeship in a foundry or a sales opportunity  in the electrical department of  a high quality upmarket store . No contest, job in a suit please. I left school on a Thursday  and  the following Monday  entered the hallowed portals of Morgan Squires on market street. A sniffy department manager looked me up and down as i stood dressed in my slightly too large catalogue bought suit  , Lighting  he said ,you are  selling  lampshades!! What a throwback to days gone by ! I’m sure  the idea for “are you being served “ came from there . There was even a Mrs Slocomb character ,50 ish, bleached bouffant and plenty of  cheap perfume .She fawned over the the rich and looked down her nose at the man (or woman)who dared to come in off of the street , even though they paid with hard cash.The better off took items on appro , only to return most of it a month or so later often in a  used condition  .  I was paid £3.10s. 6d for a 5 1/2 day week , with a take home of £2.19s. I kept 30 bob and my mum had the rest. A commission scheme was in operation and you had your own pad of sales receipts. I did not get one as I left before the 3 months trial period was up . The Personnel dept offered me another half crown to stay but the lure of £4 .7s. 6d at the Co-op Hi Fi department on the  High Street  was too strong . I became a radio and tv engineer for the co-op ,so in a roundabout way i did get the job i originally wanted . That was 1965 and you could just wander from job to job if desired . What a change from today’s job scene. Lets hear some of the strange , odd or even bizarre  jobs people had in their early years of  employment. Graham ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

What on earth did they think you and your husband were going to get up too if you were kept together? I am 61 and a bit I remember mum taking us as young children for free orange juice and cod liver oil. Thank goodness for the national health service . It's a much abused system but precious and needs protection. On odd jobs my dad had several bouts of ill health so my mum used to have home work from a glass bead factory on Tudor road and we used to sit a round like a third world family sticking hatpins into brown paper strips , 12 per strip. -----Original Message----- From: J FLEETWOOD Sent: Friday, February 17, 2012 12:20 AM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [LEI] Memories Continuing the theme of jobs, I find it hard to believe that my mother actually accompanied me as a chaparone & sat in on my first ever job interview at the Leicester Permanent Building Society on the corner of Bishops Street & Pocklingtons Walk. I got the job & met my future husband there, but as soon as we got engaged one of us had to leave. It was me & I had several jobs from then on. You were right Graham when you said that there were plenty of jobs around in the 50s & 60s. My last job that I left to have my first child paid me £8. OO a week. I worked in an office as a receptionist/Secretary on the Saffron Lane just below the Roundhill Library. My maternity pay in 1960 was about £30.OO, & in those days you had to find another job on your return to work after the birth. But we did get free orange juice, rose hip syrup & extra milk, but the first two were only available at the Clinic with coupon books. I remember taking my first baby to the chemist every week for her to be weighed. I still have the little weighing book, which I found with the family's ration books & identity cards from the war. Yes we actually had Identity Cards then. June From: Graham Jennings <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, 16 February 2012, 23:13 Subject: Re: [LEI] Memories Bit of a change of tack but memories of your first job? I met with the careers advisor at the tender age of 14 and three quarters ( me that is not him) .”What would you like to do then” he said? Me, bright eyed and fresh faced naively said “ a radio & tv engineer please”. When the laughter had subsided and the tears wiped away he told me in no uncertain words that a secondary education did not provide me with the qualities needed for that that sort of career ,those jobs suited grammar school boys. On the bright side however he could offer me an apprenticeship in a foundry or a sales opportunity in the electrical department of a high quality upmarket store . No contest, job in a suit please. I left school on a Thursday and the following Monday entered the hallowed portals of Morgan Squires on market street. A sniffy department manager looked me up and down as i stood dressed in my slightly too large catalogue bought suit , Lighting he said ,you are selling lampshades!! What a throwback to days gone by ! I’m sure the idea for “are you being served “ came from there . There was even a Mrs Slocomb character ,50 ish, bleached bouffant and plenty of cheap perfume .She fawned over the the rich and looked down her nose at the man (or woman)who dared to come in off of the street , even though they paid with hard cash.The better off took items on appro , only to return most of it a month or so later often in a used condition . I was paid £3.10s. 6d for a 5 1/2 day week , with a take home of £2.19s. I kept 30 bob and my mum had the rest. A commission scheme was in operation and you had your own pad of sales receipts. I did not get one as I left before the 3 months trial period was up . The Personnel dept offered me another half crown to stay but the lure of £4 .7s. 6d at the Co-op Hi Fi department on the High Street was too strong . I became a radio and tv engineer for the co-op ,so in a roundabout way i did get the job i originally wanted . That was 1965 and you could just wander from job to job if desired . What a change from today’s job scene. Lets hear some of the strange , odd or even bizarre jobs people had in their early years of employment. Graham ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message