By
TG Richardson
I had been working for about 6 months when George told me he was leaving his job at Bell & Ridleys and moving to a private decorator to work.
"I can get you my job if you want it. It will be better than working in a factory and at least you will have a trade at the end of it”.
I agreed anything seemed better than working in a factory. Life in a factory was pure drudgery. I handed in my cards and the following Monday I reported to the building site to start work as an apprentice painter. It was as simple as that. But then life was simple and straightforward in those far off days.
It was the summer of 1955 and the weather was great. The building site was on Woodhouse Close Estate. As I lived on the estate it suited me down to the ground. On Monday morning I found the site office and was told to report to the painter charge -hand Geordie Herd.
I found Geordie in one of the houses being built sitting on a distemper drum rolling a cigarette.
“Take a seat lad,” he said indicating a nearby drum. “Do you smoke”? I shook my head.
“So your George Collin’s mate. Been working in a factory. You’ll find it a lot different here. Couldn’t work in a factory myself. Too closed in. Always been used to being outside a lot. Used to be in the Merchant Navy during the war, fresh sea air on yer face” He paused to take a drag on the roll up, “Can’t beat the Navy.”
He handed me a brush and a pot of pink paint. This he explained was primer. “All woodwork is primed before it gets its final coats. The first job of an apprentice is to learn to prime. Start on that door over there”.
A little apprehensive I started to slap primer on the door laying it off as he had told me. I seemed to be leaving a fair few bare patches.
“You’re rubbing more off than yer putting on. Put more on yer brush and don’t be scared of it. He gave me a demonstration, “Right I'll leave you to it for an hour or so”. Prime all the doors in this house that need it. You’ll soon get the hang of it.” He was right I started to pick it up quite easily and found it very relaxing. I finished one door and passed on to another, I had a sense of freedom my own boss as it were left to get on with it.