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GEO. WIMPEY CO LTD

D

DAVE BRICK

Guest
I see in the Daily Express that an internet firm is taking its 35 staff on an all expences paid luxury holiday to Dubai. They have previously been to New York and on another occasion Las Vegas, visited the Grand Canyon and saw Tom Jones at the MGM Grand, all as a treat from the firm.

It resentfully reminds me of the perk we had while working a five year bricklaying apprenticeship for Geo. Wimpey Co Ltd for £4 a week.

When we were building the Primrose Hill Estate in Kings Norton for the first two months we did'nt have any toilets. I suppose doing a wee behind the shed is'nt too bad on an all male building site, but what about the other. We had to go into the surrounding fields. Often going there myself I would pass other workers half behind a bush or tree.

I liked privacy, I would walk a 1/4 of a mile into the countryside before getting down to it. It would not be stood for these days, but this was 1964
 
Geo Wimpey

Dave,
was that £4 a week while you were an apprentice bricklayer?
If so,what are you moaning about? :lol: when I was an Apprentice carpenter & Joiner, as 14 mine was 12/6 in old money :(
WIMPEY.......( We Imploy More People Every Year) :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
IRISH CONTINGENT

Hi Dennis, When I worked for Wimpeys they used to say it stood for We imploy more PADDYS every year. It seemed to be true, every other worker was Irish.
I started off working at Lea Bank on the masonetes opposite Davenports, Bath Row for £3.7.6 a week. Then on the 20 storey flats in Crego St. I remember climbing out on to the scaffolding, no batons, at about 15 storeys, I must have been mad.
 
SPELLING AARRGGGGH

I can build a MAISONETTE but could'nt spell it, got it right this time.

Very interesting I must say, I'm getting as bad as Steve Davis.
 
Spalling is appelling

:) Yo DAVE M8,,,yeh your Maisonn erh! Flats :oops: right on Plumb line

So that makes you & Stevie D right on Cue :wink:

ps The flowers on Primrose Hill are always very good, Must be helped
by your earlier presence & presents :oops: Ok Buddy,, :lol: JY
 
FLORA AND FORNA

Yes I've never thought that I helped fertilize the whole of primrose hill.

We was'nt always working our socks off at Wimpeys, we had a 3.15pm tea break in the shed, and then stayed in there hiding from the trainee general forman until 5pm.

Thats when the hard work started, I had to get the 45 bus down Pershore Road to town and then the 114 midland red to Kingsbury Road, Erdington.
It took me one and a half hours to get home, all for £3.76 a week.
 
Wimpey

Some thread this.
I was apprentice carpenter (one up from a brickie back then) from 1959 started on a 13 story block of flats at Gt King St. Hockley worked there from the ground up and pretty much covered all the angles in the process.
The rest of the apprenticship spent mostly on high rise in Oldbury (Brades Village) Dudley (Angel Street) and a number of sites throughout brum.
Good firm Wimps. the crack was good at Cricklewood.
College was at Hall Green, more memories.
The money was a joke by todays standards, I was warned it was poor and when my first 2 packets came in at £4 odd I was made up, only to be told I had been overpaid.
They let me keep the loot and nocked me back to about £2.50.
Gorragewnow.

Good luck out there.
Mick Johnston :)
 
Apprentice

I was an apprentice electrician with N G Bailey and started at 14 shillings a week (70p) on the Albany Hotel,Bullring,Chelmsley Wood, Druids Heath and at Comley & Pit.Was trained to make a good quality tea, coffee and to fetch the sandwhiches, carry the Electricians tools and to go for a "long weight" "rubber hammer" etc......
Pete
 
good money redsunset

hi dave
I worked on primrose estate with the brickies 0n the hod my wage was between £25 £30 per week
very good money for them days 1964:D
thanks john
 
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