John worked for E. Pordage and Co, the fruit and vegetable wholesaler based in Norwich, visiting small city and village shops and driving to Covent Garden in London to buy supplies. I left school in 1960 when I was 15 and my first job was a newspaper boy delivering papers. The chap I worked for, […]
Transport
A Life in Transport (1960-2004)
John had plenty of experience within the bus industry before and during nationalisation working for the Tilling group and the National Bus Company. He would use his knowledge with Buxted Chickens, Bulmers and Williams Cold Storage. John finished his varied career by becoming a signalman. On the buses… I went to the local grammar school […]
A lorry driver’s life. The Milk Marketing Board (1941-1991)
Tom talks about his working life as a lorry driver, starting in London and then working for several different companies in Norwich, including the Milk Marketing Board and Boulton and Pauls. I was born in 1927 in Norwich, Elizabeth Fry Road. We then moved to Catton and from there we moved to London when I […]
A man of many jobs. The sheet metal worker (1935-2016)
Eric had a long career in engineering mainly as a sheet metal worker. He says: I seem to have done many jobs, from repairing cars, to making parts for buses, making Army vehicles, precision sheet metal work, vehicle body work, refrigeration vehicle and aircraft repair, plus a little labour work. I was 14 years old […]
A Milestone on the Voyage of Experience (1951-2011)
Harry talks about how his life choices, and how being in the right place at the right time, led to a life of travel around the world with Cunard and the role of Senior Air Traffic Controller in the North Sea. National Service It all started in July 1951. I had had a very, very […]
An Electrician’s Life on the Railways (1942-1993)
Ron recalls his forays before finishing his apprenticeship, and finding work on the railways as an electrician. Ron details the work he did, the changes to the trains, how the nature of working relationships changed from one location to another and over time. Leaving school I left school at fourteen in 1942, and my first […]
An Engineer’s driving ambition (1952-2017)
Michael shares his start at work whilst still at school, his engineering apprenticeship and his love of driving. Michael left his hometown of Luton to pursue his career in Norfolk applying his engineering knowledge to vehicles and plastics, and continuing his passion for driving. Beginnings I lived in Luton and from 1952 to 1956 I […]
As time goes by. The Milk Marketing Board (1958-2009)
Barry talks about his working life in Norwich including working for British Railways and the Milk Marketing Board. He has fond memories of the camaraderie at the MMB. I was born in Norwich in 1944. I went to school, first of all to the Dowson School on Valpy Avenue, then I went up to the […]
Coachbuilding. Wood and metal to plastic (1942 – 2008)
George talks to WISEArchive about wanting to enter coachbuilding since his youth. Recounting his experience of the various jobs associated with coachbuilding including taking apart new cars and rebuild them into coach form, the changing nature of the industry, sea defences, redundancy and new lease of working life working in commercial refrigeration. Early days I […]
Dairy days (1961-1990)
Wilbur tells us about his working life, starting in shoe retail and then as a bus driver. He went to work for the Milk Marketing Board, where he became a senior supervisor. He gives a picture of developments in milk marketing and distribution from the 1960s when everybody had their milk delivered to their doorstep […]