Growing up in the 50''s and 60's What it was like starting work in the 1960s |
||
Welcome to the Down the Lane 'Extras' |
||
Starting to work in the 1960'sFrom doing a Chemist Boy run to Carnaby StreetThe difference's between working in the 1960's and today are quite striking, especially for younger people and a fine example of this was my first ever part-time jon when I was 12 in 1960. Most boy's would have a paper round, but the thought of getting up at 5am then going to School was not exactly an exciting prospect for me personally. I was lucky enough to get the job as 'Chemist Boy'. Now the job description would be totally unacceptable. Who would dream of that now, but day's of old so to speak! It was, as is now, quite common at around 15'ish to get a Saturday job and at 15 I got one at the newly opened Tesco's in Sevenoaks High Street. It was just about size enough to swing a cat and the theory 'stack'em high, sell'm cheap' was abundant. My aim was to get into Advertising and I achieved this after leaving College. I was intrigued with WW2 escape stories and prided myself on hand forging a monthly season ticket and getting away with it for three month's. I didn't get caught, just bottled out! I used to travel up daily from Sevenoaks with my Dad who had great fun, when going slowly on the train through London Bridge Station non-stop, rolling up his Daily Telegraph and knocking business mens bowler hats off. This was after reading the paper upside down just to see the reaction of others. In 1966 I recall very well an arguement with my Mother which ended in me shouting "When I'm earning £10 a week, I'm leaving home"! Back to Advertising though. I worked on campaigns such as BEA (now British Airways) Silver Wing Holidays, Harveys Sherry, Rimmel Cosmetics etc. The job I did was to collate the ads from the Copywriters, Graphic Artists, Typographers, Account Executives in time for the Newspaper deadlines.
I got to know London very well during those years, but what stands out is the atmosphere of working there. It was free and easy, everything was in technicolor, the sounds, the music and the jingling bells of the Ari Krishna boys weaving their way in and out of shoppers in Regent Street - at least they're still unchanged! They were days where you worked where you wanted to work, jobs in Advertising were plentiful and money seemed to be growing on the flowers in my head - or so it seemed at the time! However, by the end of the decade, things could be said to be getting out of control. Everyone wanted more than they had and this led to political unrest. | ____________________ |
|
Growing up in
50s and 60s 50's & 60's In the Blog 1960's Year by Year We don't like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out. (The Decca Record Company when turning down the Beatles)
|
||
|
||
The Down the Lane Web Site contains Cookies Read our Privacy & Cookie Policy here About this Site | Leave Feedback |
Newsletter | Facebook Group | Twitter | Site Map Copyright © Richard Cannon 2001 - 2024             Down the Lane is now based in Bishop's Waltham, Hampshire, UK
|