The Singer Car Centenary Celebration
Read John’s After Dinner Speech
Page 1 of 4
My Memories of the Singer Car Company - by John Spencer
I started work in CANTERBURY STREET in 1933. The main offices of the Singer Car Company were in Canterbury Street. The main entrance was past the Time Office where workers clocked in. If you were 4 minutes late you lost a quarter hour. The wages were paid out in small tins with your works number on it - mine was 108. The top of the tin was half covered with a fixed tin top and your paper money was tucked in and covered with your silver and coppers down to a farthing.
My starting rate at 14 was tuppence farthing an hour, rising to one shilling per hour when you were 21 years of age.
For a 47 hour week you received £2 and 7s.
The Works General Manager was Mr Bulloch. Most people seemed afraid of him. Once got caught in his office as I was taking him his telex letters. Just as I approached his desk the sirens went off for the Nov 11th 1933 Armistice, and we stood facing one another across his desk for two whole minutes. It was terrible - I didn’t know if I should have turned and run out, or if that would have been the correct thing to do - and I still wonder!
In 1938, the Manager, Mr Chalmondley, pronounced Chumley, came to the tool room, stopped the machinery and said that there would be no more short time and that we would be on overtime for the next 10 years. Shortly after, we started getting coded drawings and found we were making parts for Spitfires.
The Labour Manager was Mr Jarvis, a nice man. He was also in charge of the Fire Brigade. My boss in the Printing Office was Mr Edgar. My first job was printing on the genevoice machine, handling the Telex machine and guillotine, and checking letters with the typing pool.
Vacancies were offered after six months, and Mr Jarvis had me in the office, said I had done well and offered me the choice from vacancies in the Tin Smiths, Tool Room or Drawing Office. I chose the Tool Room.
We had small, 40w lamps over the parts being machined. It was a very dark place when the sun went down. We moved around the tool room roughly every 6 months.
Sometime around 1938, two German Junker Officers with sabre scars on their faces, came to the works and ordered propellers and other items. They were looking round and weighing up our potential. There were about 25 men in the Jig and Tool Room, and about 20 in the Press Tool Room, which was full with big machines, big castings and huge press tools for the front wings.
The Foreman, Mr Carter, was always leaving his glasses back home, and I would have to fetch them on my bicycle. This was near to my home, so I would pop in for a cup of tea!
