Then and now

[kenturion]

My first job after leaving school was as a messenger boy with the GPO - as it was then in 1958 - riding the iconic red BSA Bantam motorcycles. It was a great life! When the time approached for me to rejuvenate as a postman and get up at ridiculous hours of the morning six days a week, I was off. In those days work was plentiful and at 18 I wanted a social life.
None of the lads I worked with stayed either. I did enjoy the opportunity of overtime in the sorting office at Slough during the evenings, the atmosphere was good. A lot of the postmen were ex servicemen and there was an atmosphere of controlled mayhem as the despatches were hurried away. The inspectors and "ack ayes" (acting inspectors) addressed us as "Mr". No first names.
Then I left for 20 years.
Going back as a postman, the change was immediately apparent. The formal mode of address had gone and the ex servicemen had too. The standard of staff had certainly dropped and it seemed that just about anybody would be taken on. Not surprising perhaps as the leaving rate was high. This meant a lot of overtime and open docket was welcome. I remember walking into the office purely on spec at 0500 on a Saturday morning and signing on for overtime. In due course the struggle to get up in the early hours began to bite and I went onto permanent lates and then onto nights for about a year. This was followed by a transfer to the counter and later still to the court post office at Windsor Castle. After three and a half years I was in the recruitment office where I saw first hand the extent of the staff turnover. Staff were brought from the north of England to try and address the problem, but this proved to be a failure. I became a franking machine re-setter and this developed into a sales opportunity for the Royal Mail as we were on customer premises and encouraged to look for possible sales leads. Then age 60 rolled around and that was that.
The GPO has gone. Bits of it are BT, Parcelforce and POCL. Postmasters are consigned to history. I am glad that I was there when it was enjoyable.

[POSTMAN]

What a great post,and welcome.
Will move this to the good old days forum.

[Edward Hunter]

I know RM did recruit staff for London DOs oop norf circa i988 cos we got a couple. One turned out to be sound and is still there, the other bastard run off with the christmas club!

[TrueBlueTerrier]

I know RM did recruit staff for London DOs oop norf circa i988 cos we got a couple. One turned out to be sound and is still there, the other bastard run off with the christmas club!

How far North, wasn't Bute was it, and did he follow Celtic - Just asking :cfo

[Edward Hunter]

Nah, the thief was from Hull.