Starting Work

A Memory of Crewe.

I remember I was just about to leave school this year 1975 without a job to go to when a knock came on our front door; it was Uncle Ian Speake (as I used to call him). He said to me if I wanted a job (he knew I did not have a job) with him I had to be ready on the following Monday morning with my push bike and a bottle of milk at the ready. We set off to Junitex Garments in Martin Street, a childrens clothing factory where he introduced me to John F (Crewe) and John F (Nantwich) who taught me to become a cutter in the cutting room. We worked in a large corrugated shed to lay and cut the cloth around patterns to make clothes for the sewing girls in the adjoining factory to sew up into garments. Martin Street ran parallel with Old Earl Street with Cummings the ice cream van makers just up the road. We used to be next to the railway track nearest Earl Street bridge. There was a post office on the corner in Earl Street where John F (Crewe) and myself used to go and put money in a savings account on Friday lunch when we were paid. We used to buy cakes from Earl Street (Chatwins) and go to the chippy at the top of Vincent Street for an "Irishman" (chips/peas on a tray) - 12 pence I recall for our lunch. We used to get our papers from the newsagents (Burrels family shop I think, and still is?) near the zebra crossings. There was a haidressers and lots of busy pubs including the Rising Sun (still there), Belle Vue (demolished), The Vine (now flats), the Kings Arms (still there) and the Borough Arms/Cheshire Casserole restaurant which was down steep stairs from the pub and which had Crewe Kings photos on the walls in the pub.
Great memories for me...
P.S... thanks Ian (Jack) Speake, for giving me a chance (now 30 yrs at Bentley).
Cheers