Page 31 - Gi flipbook August 2018

his bowler hat, carefully packed as a drive at home and wanted some scrap asked, holding up the bolt for all to
Christmas present. metal for the foundations. I pointed see. “It’s a bolt,” he said. “They have
Incidentally, safety helmets were not out that we were wanting rid of some been renewing the bolts on the roof
issued to us until the mid-1960s. I had rubble, which was going for nothing structure this morning.” “But didn’t
one given to me and wore it because and he accepted the idea, threw some you cover the cookers over to keep
I was always banging my head. I was on his vehicle and went off quite out dust and debris from falling into
instructed by the works engineer not happy. I had pointed out to him that the food?” I asked. “Well yes, but one
to wear my safety hat because then he would be banned from the works must have escaped into the food.”
everyone would want one. Eventually area if he was caught stealing scrap Fortunately I did not damage a tooth.
we all had one issued just in time. I metal. This would mean that he would Everyone present had good a laugh
recall one day trying to free a very not be allowed to deliver goods again. at my expense.
large fire clay sliding damper from the On one night shift, I had to summon Occasionally my uncle would call at
top of one of the Lancashire boilers. It assistance when I came across several the works. He was a technical rep for
jumped free, toppled over and struck suspicious characters on one of my a firm based in Liverpool. When he did
me on the back of my head. It was the rounds. They didn’t see me and I call, I was able to buy him lunch in the
first time I had seen stars in daylight. listened to their plan for several canteen and much to his surprise, Sid
Soon after, we were all issued with minutes. I quietly moved away and could produce really good food when
safety helmets. gathered a group of burly stokers this occurred. In fact, he went out of
together. We informed the police and his way to call in and have a chat and
we were able to catch them before dine courtesy of Sid.
DISHONESTY they put their plan into action. People occasionally visited the
Pilfering was a continual problem works from our London offices. Most
on the works. Scrap metal was a of these preferred to have lunch at a
favourite target for the visiting lorry THE CANTEEN nearby fish and chip restaurant, which
drivers who seemed to drive around Sid ran the works canteen with the aid was fine for, say, two or three, but the
the site looking for booty. I remember of half a dozen others and produced canteen was better, provided Sid was
catching one throwing scrap into the quite good food for us. given due notice. ■
back of his truck. One lunchtime, I found a large
I asked him what he was doing metal bolt mixed in with my lunch. ■ A version of this article first
and he replied that he was building a I summoned Sid: “What is that?” I appeared in The Historic Gas Times

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