Air Conditioning

A Memory of Crewe.

I worked in Rolls-Royce installing the air conditioning unit, taking the car out on the road to test the system worked correctly. I worked with Maurice Ashwin, my foreman was Jack Gadd. The senior bosses were always known by their initials, Mr Fox was F X and Mr Dodd was D D. When F X went out with me on my first drive it was quite a nervous half hour or so, to get back to the factory and hear him say 'Ok, you can go out driving', putting it mildly, I was more than pleased. I remember Bill Edge who gave me the job in the first place, he was the employment manager. I also remember when Billy Cotton, the famous dance band leader, visited the factory, his famous saying was 'Wakey Wakey' and I called it out as he walked past - oh dear, was I told off. I was taken in the office and reminded that 'This is Rolls-Royce, not Fords or any old company'. Happy days.