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Saturday jobs

My first "proper" job was as a paperboy at Shakespeares on the Coventry Road, Sheldon. There were different rates, Solihull round and Birmingham round depending upon which side of the Coventry Road your round was. Solihull wage was higher because on Fridays you delivered the Solihull Times as well as the usual Birmingham Mail.
From there I went on to a milk round working with my uncle but that was Saturday and Sunday mornings. I then had a job at Fine Fare at the Yew Tree as a shelf filler. Really enjoyed that and that was when I had my first "Employment Cards" with my first National Insurance number which of course I still retain today.
From there I worked at Solihull Ice Rink in the skate hire which was great and then a friend asked me to come and work for him and his Dad in the Bull Ring outdoor market. This turned into a full time job whilst I was awaiting my GCE results and from there I went on to pastures new.
 
I never had what you would call a Saturday job as mine (and some school friends) involved working after school a couple of days a week. We worked for a tailor called Maurice Levine who had a workshop in Corporation Street where he took in clothing alterations for various Companies such as Burtons, Dunns and John Collier. It was our job to take the items that needed altering to out workers, the clothes would be put in a suitcase and off we would go to catch whichever bus we would need to get us to where they were needed, the furthest one being in Sutton Coldfield. We would then collect any clothes that were ready and bring them back to Maurice so they could be pressed and taken back to the shop. I cannot remember how much we got but if we worked on the Saturday morning Maurice would drop us home after we had finished

Reddi
 
Wendy, will you say the name of the shop? Was it Annettes?

Oh thats it.... I couldn't remember the name! They had 2 salons in Hay Mills a small one coming in from the Swan direction, the main one right in Hay Mills, however , I guess you may already know that, you have a great memory.:) I worked mostly in the larger one but occasionally worked in the small one when they were short.
Wendy
 
Never had a paper round or a Saturday job as such, but all my holidays were spent working for the plumber and builder next door, who also had a substantial workshop. Since his father had died, he was a one-man show and appreciated the help. I really enjoyed it and learned how to make zinc guttering - long before the plastic stuff came about - and how to make paint - when we had good oldfashioned drysalters that have long since disappeared. I also conquered my fear of heights and learned how to safely climb ladders. He also had a lathe and would turn bits and pieces of metal. Invaluable training.

Reading between the lines you both got more out of your saturday job rather than it just being a job. Lovely story, thanks for sharing it.
Wendy
 
reading this thread with great interest :) ...i am the eldest of 6 children so pocket money from my parents did not come easy hence we soon had to learn that if you wanted money then just like our dad who worked hard you went out and earned it...keep the posts coming folks

lyn
it was at the bottom of perrywood road Lyn, where perrywood road is split by booths farm road, there was a little row of shops there on the corner, it was between the chip shop and the wool shop. It was owned by Mr and Mrs Pitt, they opened another shop opposite the old horns pub on beacon road, they were a lovely family
 
hi ade i meant to ask where exactly in gt barr was pomona fruit shop..it rings a bell with me..would it have been at the scott arms?

lyn
( sorry Lyn put this reply on one of your other posts by mistake) it was at the bottom of perrywood road Lyn, where perrywood road is split by booths farm road, there was a little row of shops there on the corner, it was between the chip shop and the wool shop. It was owned by Mr and Mrs Pitt, they opened another shop opposite the old horns pub on beacon road, they were a lovely family. I think the one your thinking of at the Scott's was Meakins.
 
Never had a paper round or a Saturday job as such, but all my holidays were spent working for the plumber and builder next door, who also had a substantial workshop. Since his father had died, he was a one-man show and appreciated the help. I really enjoyed it and learned how to make zinc guttering - long before the plastic stuff came about - and how to make paint - when we had good oldfashioned drysalters that have long since disappeared. I also conquered my fear of heights and learned how to safely climb ladders. He also had a lathe and would turn bits and pieces of metal. Invaluable training.
Imagine doing that nowdays with all this health and safety business :(
 
My first job was as a Saturday girl in a small hairdressers on Jockey Rd Wylde Green. I got 10 shillings working 9-6. Washing hair,taking out rollers, sweeping up, .among tea etc. This was 1965 I was 14.
When I was 15 I worked at Gills toy shop on the Parade in Sutton. I got about £1-10 shillings. I made good friends there and loved the job. There were various departments as well as toys. Newsagents and stationery, prams and baby stuff, model trains and modelling over two floors. The Gill family were very good to their staff, many who worked for them for years.
Carolann
Every kids dream job I reckon that toy shop would have been
 
Oh thats it.... I couldn't remember the name! They had 2 salons in Hay Mills a small one coming in from the Swan direction, the main one right in Hay Mills, however , I guess you may already know that, you have a great memory.:) I worked mostly in the larger one but occasionally worked in the small one when they were short.
Wendy
The reason that I know the name is because the manageress of one of them was my next door neighbour and occasionally met for drinks with her and some of her colleagues. Lovely bunch of people.
 
hi ade no wonder the veg shop where you worked seemed familiar i lived a stones throw away from it and at the time you were working there ...i was at the bottom of booths farm road in cramlington road been married a couple of years by 76...here are a couple of pics of that row of shops taken in 64 and 65

booths farm road gt barr 1964 001.JPGPerry Barr Booths Farm Rd -Perry Wood Rd 1965.jpg
 
Well I enjoyed working there for a few years till I left school ,
Wendy
hi ade no wonder the veg shop where you worked seemed familiar i lived a stones throw away from it and at the time you were working there ...i was at the bottom of booths farm road in cramlington road been married a couple of years by 76...here are a couple of pics of that row of shops taken in 64 and 65

View attachment 135767View attachment 135768
Great photos Lyn thanks for sharing those, my uncle and aunt lived in cramlington about 20 houses up from the bell
 
Every kids dream job I reckon that toy shop would have been
it was fun at times, particularly when the latest toys came out. I worked for part of the time at the stationery department at the front of the shop.
I do remember the 1966 World Cup Willy and the gold James Bond Aston Martin with the ejector seat. We used to demonstrate the toys to customers, great fun!
 
Had a Saturday job at Boots the Chemist in High Street Erdington - near the 6 Ways end of the High Street (image below from Street view - think it was the building on the left).

Got the job by walking into the shop and asking for Saturday job. No CV required, no interview except a little chat with the Manager/ Pharmacist. Started on the makeup counter to the right as you entered the shop. Was later moved to the more ‘responsible’ job on what was in those days was called the ‘drugs’ counter. This was on the left as you entered the shop. The pharmacy itself where prescriptions were prepared was up a few steps to the rear.

Spent any downtime cleaning glass shelves with methylated spirit. Loved to be asked to top up the stock. Stockroom was upstairs. You’d go up to select the items needed - liked the overpowering smell of toiletries in the stockroom - then a ‘porter’ would carry the items downstairs to the shop for you. Porters were usually part-time firemen.

Pay was good - £1.10s (£1.50) for a Saturday. We got, I think, 17% discount on all items. Consequently I bought endless items of makeup and toiletries. Spent some of my pay in Chelsea Girl a little further down High St near 6 Ways - same side of the road. Or buying a single, EP or LP across the road at the Music Box. Leaving a little amount to go out with Saturday night. Happy days.

Viv.
 

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