Life as it was

[Retired Old Postman]

I have repost this as I have since written further parts and to keep them all in one place here is the repeat of part one. Like the BBC. I have followed with part two and will post further parts later.

Life as it was
What was it like in the old days. This may have to be a multi part thing.

Firstly deliveries.
Although I did my training, laugh at that if you will, in the old MLO, I decided I wanted to get to know what went on else where so I went on deliveries for a while. My first walk was a doddle, about 300 or so drops, yes it was easy, I could usually get it all in one pouch. Out on the bus by about 7am and done with the 'A' by about 8.30. into cafe for breakfast then back to office for cuppa. Back on sorting for 'B' then out about 11am. Never much on 'B' so sometimes we did double 'B' and the other chap went home.

Rebates, what you now call Mail Sort went on the 'B' but often took it on the 'A' so made more time.
Sometimes put rebates together with rebates from next door frames in a bag to con the PE, that is now JV, to give us overtime to deliver it all. Then put it back on the next frames. Talk about fun.

Later I had a walk that I lived on, so went home by 9am to watch TV and breakfast then back to the office for 'B'.

What fun, I know things have gone downhill now, saw some of it when I was on nights in delivery. That was fun, could pick up a walk on docket and split it with a friend. O/T was nice.

Remember one walk I split with a mate was a bit of sod, got lost as to which road I was in. Delivering nicely then found that the numbers did not make sense, found I was in the wrong road, it was a road my mate had the mail for.

Next night he said not to worry, he had picked up all or most of my missdelivered mail and done it for me. Lucky no one complained so that was all OK. I more careful after that, especially on deliveries I did not know.

The six nights were a pain with midnight start on Sunday night. Once I went over to the mail centre it was five nights. A nice break espeially on bank holidays.

Right that it for now may be another part later if I find time.

Well I don’t know; call this part 2 of a retired old postman’s memories.

Let me sex this up a little and I do assure you that this really did happen.

I was doing my delivery one day when I had to knock at this flat. I had a small packet that was recorded; this is in the days before bar codes.

I knocked and young lady answered the door, must have been about 8am. She was may be about 25/30 but very nice looking. She had just got out of the bath or shower as all she had on was a towel wrapped around her and one hand was holding it above her breasts. Well I tried not to look, like you all would. I said, ‘I have a packet for you which has to be signed for’. Gave her the book and pen which she took and signed it with her empty hand, holding it in the hand that held the towel. She then held it against her while she signed. While she did this I got the packet and put it with the other mail for them.

The she hands me back the book which I took in one hand while giving her the post with my other hand. By this time a tall bloke was standing down the end of the passage way behind her in dressing gown.

Any way as she gives me the book back with the one hand she automatically reaches out with the other one, taking it away from hold the towel, to take the mail. Yes, you guessed, the towel fell away. OK I admit I got a nice eye full which as a decent bloke is all I’m going to say. The bloke behind her starts toward her as she tries to get behind the door and me being a nice chap turns around although nothing had happened.

Well you do get good days sometimes.

Some time later on the same walk.
There was a set of old peoples sheltered bungalows, one of which was used by the warden. No bells in those days to sound any alarm.

Well I’m plodding along, up a path to this bungalow, pop the mail through the letter box and as I’m walking back up the path I hear some knocking. Anyway I look around but can not see anything obvious so I carry on up to the public footpath. I hear the knocking again and turn round and this time I see the net curtain move in the bungalow I have just delivered to. So I go back, put my pouch down and peer through the window as best you can through net curtains.

Lying on the floor under the window is an old man and he is using a walking stick to rattle against the window sill and move the curtain. Well I pop back to warden’s bungalow and knock and tell her. She comes with a key and we both go in.

What a smell, poor man had been there most of night as it happens and had messed himself both ends. It really was a shame, I really felt for him poor chap. I help the warden to get the chap up and stay with him while she goes back to her place to phone for the doctor. She comes back and shortly after the doctor arrives. Well he says nothing too much wrong with the old boy so I leave the warden with the doctor and carry on with the delivery.

Well I got back to the office real late and the boss calls me into the office. Doesn’t wait or ask for any explanation, thinks I have been trying it on and tells me off. Says its just an unofficial verbal warning.

Any way about a week later I get back from my delivery and same boss calls me into the office again. Says he has a letter from the warden of the bungalows on my walk, that’s all he says, ‘I have had a letter from the warden of the old peoples bungalows you delivery to’. Then he gives me the letter to read.

Well the to cut a long story short the letter says thanks to your postman etc. etc. and hope there are others like him.

Know what, that boss never said sorry or well done or how your auntie is, just said OK you can go now. I never got to keep the letter and this is first time I’ve ever shared this.

Point is some bosses are OK but some are just rubbish but you have to take it all. some of them just don't know how to encourage or motivate their men or even how to talk to them like humans.

Anyway this is getting a bit long but retirement brings out the old memories.
I know things will never be the same again but its nice to remember some of the good times.

I’ll tell you about team briefs, what you call WTL next time.
ROP

[DirtyHarry]

LOL. That's great ROP , you should have a spot on the telly , and whilst recalling the golden age of
postalworkers , a recording of Mary Hopkin singing, "Those were the days my friend, I thought they'd never end." could be playing in the background !

[tony T]

Does anyone remember pink regy receipts, or the little orange recorded books, how about Datapost or Trackbacks, We had to collect to pay items at the door, stamps were put on to the envelope to the price required. oh yeh and C.O.D's we were walking the streets with hundreds of pounds in our pockets, couldnt see that happening nowadays. When i first started we used to empty phone boxes too, god i must be old.

[mdtomuk]

THANKS RETIRED OLD POSTMAN - WRITE A BOOK! HEY I REMEMBER 3 YEARS AGO BEFORE WE VOTED 30/35% LONGER WALKS FOR 14/16% PAY RISE, I GOTTA BADGE SAYS "I VOTED NO"! - DURRRRRRR!!!!

[POSTMAN]

Thanks ROP only just had time to read this today going on to the other on now,well done mate good stuff

And tonyT how f***ing old are you

[postiebob]

I started work in the summer of '69 for the GPO straight from school you know young and daft. I was employed as a Junior Postman not a telegram boy, which is what I was delivering. I have probably forgot more than I can remember, I will give the game up if I was to tell you I was based at Catterick Camp, and in those days they employed ex service men if they could. I can remember getting inspected every morning to make sure I was smart by the then Inspector, he even checked to make sure under my mudgards on the bike was clean, mind he was fair. I will post again with more tit bits there is also things I can't tell you, like what we used to do with the vans!

[POSTMAN]

Nice one Bob,your're anonymous so i say dish the dirt dude

[postiebob]

OKAY, When I started work in '69 being under 18 we got luncheon vouchers for my dinner, it was acceptable at Reme canteen but just round the corner was Sandes Soldiers Home which not only served food but had snooker tables. As the postmasters daughter (who i was friendly with) worked there I was given permission to use them in there. Now in them days even though you worked a six day week you only got five vouchers, and they were worth half a crown each, so I could wangle pork pie chips and beans and a game of snooker for 30 minutes, if I remember I didn't get paid for my meal reliefs then, I started at 8.55 finished at 17.40 and Saturdays were 8.55 till 13.00. I remember one day I had been busy and called in Sandes for a coffee but ended up playing snooker, when I went out I found my bike was stolen, I had to explain to the Postmaster why, said I badly needed the toilet, he didn't believe me. Mind a few days later I found my bike being ridden down a street very fast, when I caught up with him, lets just say after that he kept out off my way.

[Big Daz]

I miss being a postal cadet from 1991 to 1993

Decent guvnor who stood up to the suits, decent union rep harmonious office

Courses at peterborough MLO

2 outward bound courses with spending money from Royal Mail

Just started courting as you old timers would put it 6 months before joining RM and im still with the old gal now with two children aged 6 and 4

2 deliveries a day and still done and waiting to open postbox at 12 to collect letters

[tony T]

Thanks ROP only just had time to read this today going on to the other on now,well done mate good stuff

And tonyT how f***ing old are you

Im only 43, joined PO more or less from school.

[cockney rebel]

Does anyone remember pink regy receipts, or the little orange recorded books, how about Datapost or Trackbacks, We had to collect to pay items at the door, stamps were put on to the envelope to the price required. oh yeh and C.O.D's we were walking the streets with hundreds of pounds in our pockets, couldnt see that happening nowadays. When i first started we used to empty phone boxes too, god i must be old.

F**ck me i remember them!! Sh*t I am old!!

[dave7634]

Does anyone remember pink regy receipts, or the little orange recorded books, how about Datapost or Trackbacks, We had to collect to pay items at the door, stamps were put on to the envelope to the price required. oh yeh and C.O.D's we were walking the streets with hundreds of pounds in our pockets, couldnt see that happening nowadays. When i first started we used to empty phone boxes too, god i must be old.

Yeah I used to do the coin boxes from where I worked. Turn a corner and you had sometimes 16 or more of the little buggers all rattling around in your Bedford van. What a noise! Sometimes you'd get to the phone box and there would have been no coin box put in the week before and it was just FULL of 5's and 10's all o ver the ruddy floor. Not nice though if the phone box was in a rough area and the smell of urine would be everywhere eughhhh.

Long live Postal Cadets! Oh, they've gone already

[Pete c]

I miss being a postal cadet from 1991 to 1993

Decent guvnor who stood up to the suits, decent union rep harmonious office

Courses at peterborough MLO

2 outward bound courses with spending money from Royal Mail

Just started courting as you old timers would put it 6 months before joining RM and im still with the old gal now with two children aged 6 and 4

2 deliveries a day and still done and waiting to open postbox at 12 to collect letters

I was a cadet too mate,good days they were. They haven't taken on cadets for years now which is a shame.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

We have a few of those new apprentices in my area (wanna be bosses) one was in the liar, sorry courier, about being a stand in manager.

[dvbuk55]

Well always up for a bit of sexing up - I have a tale similar to ROP. It is a Saturday morning and I'm in a rush and as agreed with the customer "the young Lady across the road will sign for items if I'm not in" - well it is a recorded and we always got recordeds signed for so across the road I go and knock knock knock and eventually I hear the sound of feet rushing down stairs - only hear as it is a solid wooden door. The door opens about oh 8 or nine inches and on the side wall of the hall is one of those long gold framed mirrors about a foot wide and 4 or so feet long - heres this young woman absolutely starkers looking in the mirror at my reflection and talking to me as though the door was hiding her blushes - of course I didn't enlighten her and I was hoping for a repeat performance for weeks after that but sadly............... nevertheless when I am in that area these days I think of hat day with fond memories.