Most kids tried to find work during the six week school vacation. Can you remember where you worked, and what tasks you were assigned?
One vacation I worked in the Incoming Goods Warehouse with Nina Jones (where the old X-Ray was), and my last vacation I worked in the O/mund Retail Shopping Centre, as it was known back then. It was really great, as it helped in keeping us occupied and earning a little cash to boot. Alan Harvey was running the store then. We only had menial tasks, but it was all part of the learning curve. Some kids got to work as labourers with LTA. Does this practice still happen?
I remember, Nina Jones she was a friend of my mums in the (70) are thay still in oranjemond
Uhm, central kitchen and then the bottle store... (there's a message in there somewhere)
one holiday Jackie Wilson & I worked in the records dept at the shopping centre - back then the way the shopping centre was laid out u walked straight into it as u came in the main entrance. loved every minute of it - of course jackie & i got to play all the music we liked all day long. my salary from that holiday was blown before i even got it, seeing all the latest lp's coming in before anyone else - we got the choicest picks of the crop. even got a few freebies from the EMI reps that came in - still have all my lp's boxed away.
also worked in the woman's clothing dept one holiday - hated every minute of it, had to be on our feet all day, couldn't wait for tea & lunch breaks just to sit down - at least those days smoking was still allowed inside buildings so it wasn't a toss up between going for smoke break outside or sit down in tea room.
in std 8 hols, worked at the warehouse packing jeans onto shelves according to their sizes day in and day out. the warehouse was situated just as u came into town opposite the inner crescent houses along 5th ave - nicky, was that the same place u mentioned - incoming goods warehouse? now that u mention nina jones, it seems to jog a faint memory of her being there when i worked there, can't quite remember - maybe we even worked together?? earned R800 for that stint - jeez, felt like i'd hit the lottery. lotta bucks to a schoolkid!
Hi Mavis ... Nina and Eddie Jones .. they stayed in 12th avenue .. daughter Marie
married Jeff Quinton ... I remember Eddie and Nina singing at quite a few of the functions ... I would imagine they would be retired by now ..
Chris Jones was at Boarding School with me, Eddie and Nina retired about 14 years back, but I'm not to sure where they went.....
Chris was up here about 7 years ago, met him in the bar.... and then he was gone again... in the IT trade I believe....
:)
Who isn't these days... in the IT trade I mean, not the bar... although I suppose that could work either way.... *hic*
I did a holiday in the childrens dept with Mrs Swanepool and Mrs Mcgrath - lots of whispering and chatting and socialising, people coming round for a chat. I was not privy to alot of the gossip.
I learned to use the till and count coins (cash up) real quick.
also wrapped presents, remember the service was provided in the long aisle for free. I can still wrap things quickly and neatly, this was more fun. Seeing what was being bought and giving as presents. what did I learn -Rocking horses and bicycles should not be wrapped.
And then as mentioned the usherrette job at the movie house.
Really enjoyed the money earned.
gee lets see i worked in the old wharehouse ( where eastgate is now) counting supplies for the oranjemund shopping centre. i worked behind the snooker and darts bar. lew lilleys video shop ( free movies..yeah!!)
Hi Delia, yes that's the place ...... You have described it quite accurately. Am I correct in saying that it was at the old X-Ray premises? My memory is fading .... I can remember Nina telling me all about Jeff and Marie's tales of Australia ..... Who knows, maybe that sparked the initial interest for me to want to move here ..... ?
'89 & '90 December holidays worked at the survey dept. Got to work on the mine measuring up for month end; knocking in pegs for stripping and bedrock lines, fixed the position for the plant at Elizabeth Bay, made copies of the plans back in the drawing office. Those were good days. Worked with folk like Anton Muller, Johan Fourie, Koos O'Kennedy, Mike Scorozinsky(on his first stint here), Dave Bansemer (aka hoppalong), Peter Nupen (aka Peter-pilchard), Graemme(?) Livingstone-Blevins (aka Rolux Magnum). Tea times (storie time) at the survey office... many memories. Good pocket money for the first term the following year.
I worked in the Post Office in the 1972 summer holidays, thereafter worked in the Yard at the Mine Magazine (why did they call a store that?) . . . earned good bucks to help me through my university years.
In 1972 (Std 9) I worked on the mine at North Compound (no longer there) and 1973 in town at the town garage behind the 1st Ave trees. Both jobs were work study jobs to do with company vehicle history, purchases and write-offs.
I remember working with extremely large electro-mechanical calculators which could only add, subtract, divide and multiply.
The guy in charge of us (cannot remember his name was not long in Omund) still said at the time "I am waiting for the day a calculator will fit into my pocket" - look at technology today!!
Richard 8)
I worked at the shopping centre (mens as well as the Childrens department), Uubvley Garage, Mine Store as well as a waitress at the Steak House, Stev was the manager at the time....
Morning all - i worked at the pool for a month, was brilliant - used to sneak back at night and drink in the office.
I worked in the Main Office Block a number of times - in the Costing section (my mom worked there), in finance and once sorting the Rec Club accounts. My favourite job was at the end of my Matric year when I was assigned to the Post Office. I thought it would be boring as could be but it was so much fun. I worked with Gully Muteka. We had to empty the post box out front as well as collect mail and parcels from the counters and stamp them with the heavy date/post office stamp. My hand and arm used to get sore so Gully used to do the stamping and I laid the letters out on the table and we'd see how fast we could get through the rows of them. We'd sort the mail into the mail bags after pigeon holing them by area in SA, local or foreign country and tying these up in elastic bands. There was also a sack for mail going to the CDM Head Office. The best part was sorting the incoming mail into the mailboxes, especially mail for friends. We'd call them up to tell them that Christmas cards and parcels had arrived or pass them their mail through the window without them having to go home/ask parents for the postbox key. It was the time of the Matric results being issued as well so many were anxious about these arriving - some results 'took a while to arrive' until the poor soul had had a chance to tell their parents about someone else who'd done worse than they had. In those days company notices and newsletters were also put into the postboxes so that took up a bit of time. Gully and I got lots of visitors to the window above the 'missorted items' box as many of our friends worked in town and would pop by (on a detour) while on assorted errands from their workplaces, mainly to make plans for the evenings or to get us to pass on messages to others. That took up quite a lot of time ! There was also an old coin counting machine for counting the payphone collections. We used to loose track of the amounts so I doubt we were much use there - the bank must have recounted it all anyway. The coin bags then had to be pushed in a shopping trolley across the road to the bank !!
The only time I worked as a student here, was when the workforce went on strike, the local mess needed help...it was strange to see all the white artisans drive the bread and milk around town, the busses that picked you up from school, the tills at the shop were all manned by white Tannies.... and the mine still ran to an extent....wierd times...
I was also afforded the luxury of running the town pool for about 9 months when I was between jobs, the money was good and the work even better......Thanks to Kotie Reid.
There was also a december holiday when I worked with the Teenagers at the Youth Club and helped decorate the rec club hall up for the Teenage dance.... we got to draw all over the walls of the hall....
great days, long gone......
Mike, I remember working with your mother in the butchery. Man, what a job. I thoroughly enjoyed it and sat laughing at your mother half the time. I also worked in Swabou with Erica Johnston.
Every afternoon after school, we would go and dump our satchels in the tearoom at the butchery and hangout there for a few hours..... packing with the old Tate's.... hiding in the deepfreeze...
:emot77:
I can remember that you were naughtly little sh*ts!!!
How old were you in 1980?
In the beginning of 1980 , I was only 10...but by the end of the year I had progressed to a sprightly 11.....
:emot35:
Hey, that's clever Michael. congrats
Hey Jnr. I thought so too, it must have been the morning swim I had that made feel a bit brighter today... :emot26:
Do you evern know your age by the end of 1981? To be precise. Do you even remember your age by the end of the following year?
laughpoint
The only time I tend to forget my age, is when a pretty girl younger than me happens to ask my age! :emot19:
I also worked in the record dept. Can't remember what year or what the pay was. I do remember that it was when Suzi Quatro's song - She's in love with you, thats all she wants to do........ was released, played it over and over. Now whenever I hear the song it reminds me of that job, 1978 or 1979. I think that was the best holiday job, everyone wanted to work in the record dept.
I think it was slightly to your left when you came into the store???