The LIFE of BRIAN - Part 6

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The LIFE of BRIAN - Part 6

A significant contribution from my father....

When my time came to leave Mexborough Schofield Technical School complete with GCE’s in Engineering, I had the opportunity of an apprenticeship with the National Coal Board. Now this was widely recognised and accepted as a superb career vehicle (they even financed an education at University, providing you qualified of course) but my father said an emphatic “ NO! No son of mine is going down the Pit” - “ There is enough with one of the family having to earn a slice of bread at the Jam Factory” - translation - It was normally accepted that the Coal Mine was the only opportunity for the vast majority of men with low skills to earn sufficient money - for a living on bread and jam. As an alternative, I applied for, and was offered an Indentured Apprenticeship as a Student Engineer at Robert Jenkins and Co Ltd - Rotherham - (32 Bus Stops away and 3 Bus Changes). After a few weeks learning the ropes and travelling to work and back via public transport, I began to cycle to and from work each day (even weekends when I worked in the Maintenance Dept for a period. When I began shift working during my works experience training and needed to combine this with Day Release and “Night School” - which was 1 day and 2 evening each week- my father found “the deposit” on a new “Lambretta Scooter” - white /175 cc for me- What fantastic luxury, this really did help me tremendously.
After serving a 5 year Indentured Apprenticeship as a Student Engineer/Production Development Draughtsman it was obvious that I had a natural talent for the subject. However, after being bred ad brought up in an environment of Coal Mines and HELLS BOILERHOUSE, I yearned for a greater quality and broader lifestyle, which professional engineering could give. I therefore sought to relocate to the sophistication of Coventry - the centre for modern professional engineering, high precision machine tools, with the latest in production techniques and adopt the profession for a lifetime as a Production/Product/Design Engineer.. .. and still -“OUT SIDE the BOX”-
After several elevations in position and working/travelling throughout the UK, Europe, and the USA, I eventually settled down in Nottingham, employed by the then owners of Raleigh Industries………….

This is where the "7 coincidences" came to the light of day ... influencing totally my subsequent lifestyle

See also http://www.weddinglace.co.uk/ and http://www.english-lace.co.uk/

I will be pleased to receive any comments or observations and certainly any information relative past buddies at Mexbro Tech and Robert Jenkins - contact me on e mail ..mailto:..wetwo@brianalvey.co.uk