some factors for town houses to rent and next day or day after, there is a house on a Dumbarton Road, small house, a room and a kitchen. So hotfoot it to Dumbarton Road, see the place, no bad. Nice house, nice district, the trams going that way for a penny or two. So we got that house. And a rent was very very cheap. It was pound a month.
So we stayed there for a few years. And then I seen the advert for the tailor and cutter to take charge of the shop in Inverness. And the interview is in one of the hotels on Queen Street you know? So I went for the interview and got the job! So I went to Forbes, I say well, sorry to say but I have to say cheerio to you. He say how? Why? Where you going? Going to Inverness you know and that time the wages went up and up, I had 8 pound, or 9 pound that time, was quite good wages that time.
And Forbes say, ‘We give you a rise, we give you 12 pound.’
‘I’m sorry, I offered 16 in Inverness.’
‘Oh, we couldn’t compete with that, the 16 pound, it’s too much.’
They went to 14, you see? Buggers. I worked for 9 pound and now was quite all right to jump to 14! Anyway, Forbes say, ‘If you not get on there, come back. Job’s here for you, just come back.’ So I went and took charge of the work there in Inverness and what a mess that shop was! You wouldn’t believe it! They had a cutter there who was not much of a cutter at all. He made a messes no end. So I straightened that
out quite well and somehow it become a lull in the trade, and the bosses begin to cringe, this a big wages, and mother was still in Glasgow now with Catherine as well.
And in between the time I met a tailor that I used to work with. And he work in C & A. He was in charge of the coats section, makin’ coats in the factory, you see? Met him in the Bay Horse, that’s in Renfield Street. Still there to this day. James Easdale his name.
And he says ‘How you doin’?’
I say, ‘I’m in Inverness but thinkin’ of comin’ back.’
‘Come to C&A! I’m sure you’ll get the job! I’ll see the manager for you!’
So Monday, I went there and manager start explainin’ to me how tings workin’ there and it’s a very progressive firm.
‘I used to be a machine mechanic and now I’m general manager. See it’s progressive as that, if you have head screwed on your shoulder.’
I say, ‘Here, I never worked in the factory, I don’t know the way of factory workin’.’
He say, ‘It’s easy picked up, it’s just like a riding the bicycle.’
I still remember him say that! You never forget that!
‘We just been in the process to start a costume section. Would you take charge of the costume section and you do what you like with it, but production must be 200 costumes a day.’ 200 costumes! ‘First week, you come here, you doin’ nothing, just to walk about the factory and pick up the machinists . You would need about 60 of a staff. Machinists, pressers, finishers, passers. You need 10 to 15 pressers and a rest machinists of various types, ‘cos is various types of machines there. And you need about 10 to 15 finishers, to do the handwork.’
My pay was, by Jove, £25, was a lot of money that time, you know. After two weeks whole factory was shifted for me, bit by bit, to make a room for my band. It was circular affair. The whole costume came cut, ready, cut in London. Various
people were placed to distribute, the sleeves, the back, the fronts, the linings and all went to different machines. Every machinist done so much and a put it down and a chute went to another machine, to done the other thing and on and on and so far and went to the row of pressers, opening seams, stretching where is necessary, pressin’ the canvas, and goes back to the machines again. The sleeves together, the fronts together, the collars there, back to the pressers and go back to the finishers. Buttons and a maybe the lining’s to be filled. And a pressers again and on the hanger! Oh what a kalabazoo it was first
So we stayed there for a few years. And then I seen the advert for the tailor and cutter to take charge of the shop in Inverness. And the interview is in one of the hotels on Queen Street you know? So I went for the interview and got the job! So I went to Forbes, I say well, sorry to say but I have to say cheerio to you. He say how? Why? Where you going? Going to Inverness you know and that time the wages went up and up, I had 8 pound, or 9 pound that time, was quite good wages that time.
And Forbes say, ‘We give you a rise, we give you 12 pound.’
‘I’m sorry, I offered 16 in Inverness.’
‘Oh, we couldn’t compete with that, the 16 pound, it’s too much.’
They went to 14, you see? Buggers. I worked for 9 pound and now was quite all right to jump to 14! Anyway, Forbes say, ‘If you not get on there, come back. Job’s here for you, just come back.’ So I went and took charge of the work there in Inverness and what a mess that shop was! You wouldn’t believe it! They had a cutter there who was not much of a cutter at all. He made a messes no end. So I straightened that
out quite well and somehow it become a lull in the trade, and the bosses begin to cringe, this a big wages, and mother was still in Glasgow now with Catherine as well.
And in between the time I met a tailor that I used to work with. And he work in C & A. He was in charge of the coats section, makin’ coats in the factory, you see? Met him in the Bay Horse, that’s in Renfield Street. Still there to this day. James Easdale his name.
And he says ‘How you doin’?’
I say, ‘I’m in Inverness but thinkin’ of comin’ back.’
‘Come to C&A! I’m sure you’ll get the job! I’ll see the manager for you!’
So Monday, I went there and manager start explainin’ to me how tings workin’ there and it’s a very progressive firm.
‘I used to be a machine mechanic and now I’m general manager. See it’s progressive as that, if you have head screwed on your shoulder.’
I say, ‘Here, I never worked in the factory, I don’t know the way of factory workin’.’
He say, ‘It’s easy picked up, it’s just like a riding the bicycle.’
I still remember him say that! You never forget that!
‘We just been in the process to start a costume section. Would you take charge of the costume section and you do what you like with it, but production must be 200 costumes a day.’ 200 costumes! ‘First week, you come here, you doin’ nothing, just to walk about the factory and pick up the machinists . You would need about 60 of a staff. Machinists, pressers, finishers, passers. You need 10 to 15 pressers and a rest machinists of various types, ‘cos is various types of machines there. And you need about 10 to 15 finishers, to do the handwork.’
My pay was, by Jove, £25, was a lot of money that time, you know. After two weeks whole factory was shifted for me, bit by bit, to make a room for my band. It was circular affair. The whole costume came cut, ready, cut in London. Various
people were placed to distribute, the sleeves, the back, the fronts, the linings and all went to different machines. Every machinist done so much and a put it down and a chute went to another machine, to done the other thing and on and on and so far and went to the row of pressers, opening seams, stretching where is necessary, pressin’ the canvas, and goes back to the machines again. The sleeves together, the fronts together, the collars there, back to the pressers and go back to the finishers. Buttons and a maybe the lining’s to be filled. And a pressers again and on the hanger! Oh what a kalabazoo it was first
Similar Books
