Way We Were: Retired H&R Johnson tool-making manager shares…

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S TAN Pursell's first and last days in the world of work could not have been more different. The 79-year-old began his working life doing odd jobs at a garage, and ended it jetting around the globe.

The retired tool-making manager at H&R Johnson, who lives in Dairylands Road, Church Lawton, left school in December 1948.

"I was one of the first pupils to be caught up in the change of the leaving age from 14 to 15," he says.

"I started work that same month in the commercial garage of Newcastle Motors.

"The working week was 47 hours, 8am until 5.30pm from Monday to Friday and 8am until 12.30 on Saturdays, for which I received the princely sum of 24 shillings and sixpence.

"There was one week of annual holiday, plus five bank holidays.

"I worked in all parts of the business and was enjoying my work but then, while I was still in my first year, the Labour government nationalised road transport."

Stan's employers were not selected as a repair depot and the commercial lorry side of the business began to falter.

"After cleaning up different parts of the garage I was sent home each day at lunchtime, without pay of course.

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Way We Were: Retired H&R Johnson tool-making manager shares...