Pushed a hand cart to the old firm
LOOKING BACK featured a photo of the old Zachariah Onions firm on Derby Road a few weeks ago and asked if anyone remembered the engineering company, and one gent has wrote in telling his tales of pushing his handcart to the old firm as an apprentice decorator and the trick of balancing all his tools on his handcart to avoid a mini disaster.
Mr Bryan Summerfield said that in 1953 he was apprentice to local decorator Bert Rodgers of Lisle Street, Loughborough and that Bert used to run the business out of his shed at the bottom of the garden.
Bryan said: “The shed contained white lead paint; a variety of natural stainers ie umber, ochre, raw sienna and genuine turps.
“I would be sent to Zach Onions to buy by weight red lead powder, to mix with white lead to make a primer coat. “Health and safety not an issue. “The working week was 52 and a half hours which included Saturday morning (7.30amnoon).”
Bryan said that handcarts were “very much in use” and he recalls working on an external repainting job close to Nanpantan Priory Hotel and having to balance all his materials on his cart, otherwise it would be a very “messy outcome.”
He said: “All the material and the long ladders had to be balanced otherwise a messy outcome would ensue, if you let go of them and the cart tipped then your bicycle on top.
“With little motorised traffic about it was quite common to come across other handcarts in use and exchange pleasantries as you passed.
“Some of the carts were elaborately decorated and I think A.E Walker of Devonshire Square had a number.”
• Did you ever used to push a handcart to work when you were younger?
Maybe you used to have to do the same trip to Zac Onions?
Or maybe you even used to pass Mr Summerfield and exchange pleasantries?
If you did or have any photos of old handcarts please contact Liam Coleman on 01509 635 806 or email liam.coleman@trinitymirror.com