My First Job

A Memory of Padgate.

I started work for J R Ashall Ltd. in April 2nd1956 Easter was early that year and it was snowing as I reported their offices.I waited outside in the snow I was wearing hand me downs that was all except my under ware, I had not top coat I was cold and suddenly an apprentice bricklayer didn't seem such a goo national service lads doing their 13 weeks training. The job was replacing the wooded piers supporting the huts under with brick piers. The joiners took up the floors temporary wooden piers cut out and brick piers built. Their were two bricklayers on site Joe Cogan and lad called Dickson who lived in Bank quay who I think emigrated to New Zealand or. We were soon by another bricklayer from Leigh Norman Wyman our Labour Harry Morrel who lived in Green.The joiners I remember were all apprentices in the final years of their training I can remember the names. Wilkinson from somewhere south of Stockton heath, Whitlow from Great Sankey and I think Whitely who live off Orford lane. From there I went with Norman to work on Padgate cottage homes it was being converted from an orphanage to a special school. One of my jobs was to make sure their was boiling water to make tea three times a day, I made Norman each day. On Saturday I finish at noon but made Norman tea before leaving. I can't remember what happened but I deliberately left without making Normans tea, he followed me grad me and frog march me back to make his tea.Later worked with a bricklayer called Ron Laycock on a Farm belonging to JR Ashall, it was a pig farm. Our job was to re-point the brickwork of all the farm buildings, The thing I remember most was the farm dog each day as I arrived ran straight at me bearing its teeth and barking only to be pull up with jolt as it reached the limits of its chained. This dog had no fear I saw it challenge a escape boar nose to nose, when I was running to make the safety of the first lift of the scaffolding. Happy days which have remain with me for almost 60 years.