Discussion thread on our jobs when we were young

[Old Cogger]

It is also for her futureto have one and this is not employer's responsibility but parent's as well because at 14 she is still minor. I can't even imagine to send my 14 year old to work. Even assisstants must be qualified, the company is not in the wrong. Imagine them to employee much more experienced assisstant. It looks like this is a false entitlement.

 

 

in the real world before benefits,

 

A. paper round at 13 yrs old before school, 3 shillings a week

 

B. assist veg man selling off van to households on a Friday night 2 bob

 

C. household shopping for mum also an aunt who was bed ridden on Saturdays = 2/6 d all put towards household needs. = no benefits in those days, left school at 15, apprentice 10 shillings a week, left joined army £1.00 a week, pay for polish etc out of it.

 

never send out child to to do minor job?? we even had to have a registered red book allowing us to do these small jobs at 13 or 14 no charge government scheme.

[citizenB]

in the real world before benefits,

 

A. paper round at 13 yrs old before school, 3 shillings a week

 

B. assist veg man selling off van to households on a Friday night 2 bob

 

C. household shopping for mum also an aunt who was bed ridden on Saturdays = 2/6 d all put towards household needs. = no benefits in those days, left school at 15, apprentice 10 shillings a week, left joined army £1.00 a week, pay for polish etc out of it.

 

never send out child to to do minor job?? we even had to have a registered red book allowing us to do these small jobs at 13 or 14 no charge government scheme.

 

 

I had to have written permission from Headmaster for Saturday work from age 13.

 

Saturday girl - hairdressers - 3 shillings and tips

Saturday girl - Newsagents - 4 shillings and 6 pence

Friday evening/Saturday - Washer upper in local restaurant - 5 shillings

Friday evening and Saturday - Assistant at the "bag wash" - laundry. This was before the laundromats when people did it themselves. I used to help fold sheets and towels, bag laundry and generally tidy up. 6shillings and 3 pence

 

 

I didn't receive any pocket money unless I helped out round the home.

[Old Cogger]

exactly

[ericsbrother]

I was raised in a rural area and we were sent out by our school to clear farmers fields of stones or potato picking. We didnt get a penny, even though it could be saturdays but the school got paid for our labour. We got lunches though and that sometimes included alcohol so as a 14/15 year old that was enough conmpensation as you were with the same friends you would be hanging abiout with anyway.

[Noah1]

in the real world before benefits,

 

A. paper round at 13 yrs old before school, 3 shillings a week

 

B. assist veg man selling off van to households on a Friday night 2 bob

 

C. household shopping for mum also an aunt who was bed ridden on Saturdays = 2/6 d all put towards household needs. = no benefits in those days, left school at 15, apprentice 10 shillings a week, left joined army £1.00 a week, pay for polish etc out of it.

 

never send out child to to do minor job?? we even had to have a registered red book allowing us to do these small jobs at 13 or 14 no charge government scheme.

 

 

You've updated me about history and I'm not arguing it because I wasn't born yet back then. The things have moved on a bit in the Western world though and statistically not many 14 years old in Europe have to work. It's about mentality because I as a parent would pay for training of my child and wouldn't expect taxpayers or employer to do so. Christmas is coming so it is reasonable to invest into a future of a child. In addition, I wouldn't wish to send my child to learn swimming and to be assisted by another 14 year old child assistants because of potential risks.

 

On the other token as far as my knowledge goes, certain pool assistants must be over 16 so in some workplaces this would be even illegal.

[honeybee13]

New thread created, I hope I got the gist of the discussion in the title.

 

HB

[honeybee13]

Apologies if this link doesn't work, the sound doesn't work on my laptop.

 

For anyone who liked Monty Python, this is an early version of the We were so poor sketch.

 

https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-mozilla-001&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=mozilla&p=youtube+monty+python+when+we+lived+in+a+cardboard+box#id=5&vid=6cfe233ce08b156c1b7c94b92d8a522e&action=click

[Tawnyowl]

He He.a interesting thread.

Honeybee13.that Sketch is so funny,one of many.

 

Now let me look back in time.Come on many must have had some interesting jobs when young.About 13 or 14 no licences anything.

1-Paperboy.

2-Engraver of silver bracelets for tourists,good job they were half cut,no training just get on with it.So many ladies names from the lads who had just met them on a night out.

Key cutter,never did find out if they fitted,no training.

3-Pools checker forgot the name,just at weekends,Empire pools i think.

4-Rock seller,broken it was cheaper to buy and flog.Rock wrapper in a garage,toffee apples etc,pack boxes,2 and 6 a box for Brian London,the boxer who fought Ali. and his business friend.

5-Burger flipper,chef i mean no training.

6-Mecca Nightclub,god knows what i did,i used to walk round.Should not really have been there.

7-Hedge cutter,grass cutter for anyone who had 2 and six 12 and a half pence in today's money.Used to knock on doors and hope.

Enough just a few memories.

Those Monty Python boys do not realise how well they were living.

[honeybee13]

That sounds very varied, TO.

 

Thank you for the link, that's one of my favourite Python sketches.

 

HB

[king12345]

First paid job at 14 collecting metal on a bicycle and then selling it to scrapyards.

I got quite a bit of money when I started cleaning up after electricians and plumbers in exchange for valuable scrap copper.

[Tawnyowl]

First paid job at 14 collecting metal on a bicycle and then selling it to scrapyards.

I got quite a bit of money when I started cleaning up after electricians and plumbers in exchange for valuable scrap copper.

 

I like that one and never thought about that. Entrpreurial instinct,nice one.

Until recent years when trucks were going round and making a good few pounds.

[honeybee13]

I worked in a Norvic shoe shop on Saturdays. I can't remember what I earned and admire greatly people who know what their earnings were at a young age. I do know that it earned me some credits for my graduated pension scheme tiny pension.

 

HB

[Tawnyowl]

I worked in a Norvic shoe shop on Saturdays. I can't remember what I earned and admire greatly people who know what their earnings were at a young age. I do know that it earned me some credits for my graduated pension scheme tiny pension.

 

HB

 

I have always admired people who had the skills to save and knowledge and savvy to think about the future and plan pensions,things like that.

 

Just remembered picking tomatoes, and de leafing them and the smell when walking in the greenhouse and the warmth. and picking lettuce and packing them in boxes after school on a nursery.About 10 shillings a hour.And you got a free bag of tomatoes.

Do you remember the ten bob note.You were loaded if you had one.

And gooseberry's on my own allotment while at school and selling them,memories.

[Sparks_]

I think my first job was selling flowers and tomatoes from my fathers and grandmothers allotments....we had our regulars who bought most weeks...ment we ate well on Sundays My actual first paid job was a shop assistant in a small supermarket

[Noah1]

I just remember that I volunteered to sell cherries. since then I hate retail and would not

want to do it although people said I was good at persuading people to buy ssomething.

[Old Cogger]

I just remember that I volunteered to sell cherries. since then I hate retail and would not

want to do it although people said I was good at persuading people to buy ssomething.

 

 

You are just cherry picking lol oppsssssssssssssssss

[Noah1]

You are just cherry picking lol oppsssssssssssssssss

 

ha ha ha

[citizenB]

First paid job at 14 collecting metal on a bicycle and then selling it to scrapyards.

I got quite a bit of money when I started cleaning up after electricians and plumbers in exchange for valuable scrap copper.

 

 

There used to be money collecting newspapers / magazines and taking them to the guy under the arches. Rags as well.

 

 

Also we used to collect empty beer and fizzy drink bottles and returning them to the off licence

 

 

I can remember my brother and a couple of his friends nipping into the back of the pub and taking a few empties from there and then going into the off licence at the side and reclaiming the return fee !

[snowdragon]

I remember the rag and bone man! ( showing my age now! ) I can also remember taking bottles back to the off licence, lol

My first job was in a factory, I hated it and am trying to recall what it did!

[determindator]

Paper round, i'm sure I wasn't much older than 10. Clarks Bakery 14 and babysitting, ages around 6 and 8 for next door neighbours Sat nights.

[snowdragon]

I did baby sitting as well, I actually bought up my 4 brothers!

 

I got pocket money for helping round the house and keeping my mouth shut over the men my """" mother """" had round :/

[maroondevo52]

I had a paper round, used to pay my sister to do it on a Saturday so I could go and watch the mighty Heart of Midlothian