Jobs that once provided teenage spending money are now helping to feed families
WHEN the clocks turned back at the end of October, I mentioned that I had to cope with the five winter months ahead of me. The first early winter nights this year have reminded me of the way I had to work through these months when I was in my schooldays, and that is a very long time ago.
I was moved to Hertfordshire in spring 1956 and my fresh stepfather was given the task on the first Monday of putting me into a school.
I had turned 11 the previous December and that meant I took, and duly passed, my eleven-plus in February that year. My stepfather simply worked out I was 11 years old, so he marched me off to the local secondary modern school.
Luckily, the headmaster there was bright and enquired of my date of birth. He followed this by advising that I had another term to do at primary before secondary education beckoned.
I told the headmaster that I should be going to grammar school as I had passed my eleven-plus, and my stepfather was advised what needed to be done to ensure a grammar school was where I would go. The job of arranging this was passed to my mother, as my stepfather decided it was not to be a role for him.
It did not take my mum long to sort out the right school, but she immediately informed them that we would be away on holiday for the first two weeks of the autumn term. The school said that was a bad idea, but my stepfather would not give up his holiday!
I personally believe I lost out, missing the first two weeks at grammar school, and certainly never caught up in French. Maths was a strength for me and, thankfully, that supported my other subjects as I completed seven years at that school.
My stepfather had left his secondary education at age 14 and I do believe he expected me to do the same. It was the school that pointed out that the leaving age now was 15, and that rose to 16 in a grammar school when O-levels were taken.
Eventually, he came to terms with that. But when the school intimated I should stay on for A-levels and maybe university, he actually thought he had been conned into this by the school.
My extended secondary education clearly produced a funding problem. The cost difference of going to work somewhat later than the expected 15 started what has become a habit throughout my life as autumn arrives, and I explore some avenues for raising funds.
Initially, I looked to provide additional pocket money with the usual attempts with pennies for the guy…but that hardly works when the later teenage years arrive.
A paper round became a better source of income, but that had to move on as I have always disliked getting up in the morning!
A Saturday job followed in a department store which paid more each week, and also offered some additional money in holidays.
Then at Christmas time I discovered the GPO, which meant I could get some funds delivering Christmas mail. That activity I enjoyed and was delighted to get the same “walk” when I volunteered for a second year.
After school, and through college, I discovered a great range of holiday jobs that meant when autumn came, I had some winter funds.
It was almost a pain starting fulltime work, but eventually I got used to that as well.
All this was a long time ago, but I know that with the exception of getting up early, I enjoyed my ways of earning my own money.
My worry nowadays is that perhaps some youngsters will need to earn money, not for themselves, but to feed their families.