Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'

Norman Dunn's 'Hebburn and our Neighbours Forum'
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Thursday's header from 133 years ago

Posted by Norman Dunn on June 23, 2022, 8:27:19

Today's header photo shows how different it was for the workers in those days. No special clothing, dust masks, ear defenders or safety gear for them.
Their work 'gear' was just their old and maybe worn out clothes . If a photo could have been taken a couple of years later, they'd probably be in those same clothes.

Palmers-Brass-Finishers-1889-of-tom-stafford-copy-2-tom-stafford

Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago

Posted by John Shearer on June 23, 2022, 11:13:12, in reply to "Thursday's header from 133 years ago"

Marvellous, 32 people, Men and boys employed in the brass finishing shop alone. I remember when I started serving my time i wore cloths I when't to school in. It was only much later that I could afford a pair of coverall's.

Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago

Posted by geordieboy ns on June 23, 2022, 11:22:05, in reply to "Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago"

Lived and worked in the same clothes till they fell apart .Washed up with a swim in the ocean .

Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago

Posted by geordieboy ns on June 23, 2022, 13:00:17, in reply to "Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago"

Palmers Joiners Shop ; Unlike the brass workers my working environment was relatively clean so clothing , one outfit , was more sustainable . Don't know what thoes guys did for a bath , mine was a choice jump into a gavanized tub in gungie 7th in line water or a weekly dip in the ocean ( not the polluted river )Sunday church dress was a hand - me - down from a more affluent cousin with hand cobbled shoes .

Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago

Posted by Tom Barker on June 23, 2022, 14:52:41, in reply to "Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago"

Hi Geordieboy ns
l served my time in Hebburn Palmers in 1950 -55 in the joiners shop as a woodcutting machinist l don't know what years you worked there l agree with what you said about working conditions in the shop,compared to yester year,where there was no HS.At the machine end of the shop going back some 60 odd years we like many workers on the river worked with Asbestos we used to volunteer to work with it to enable to get an extra tanner an hour,if only we knew then how such a terrible descease it was and still is it takes it toll many many years laterq we did not have masks the extraction was inadequate we used to have our bait in the shop on the job we would use the windy pipe to blow off any dust then go home in our overalls and hang them in the kitchen cupboard so the family breathed it in.
Asbestos was a killer and still is. It was used in many industries thank fully it is Banned as late in the1980s l started in Palmers in 1955 l would hazard a guess that over the years thounsands have in the yards died or have been affected by Asbestosis l know of three lads that served there time with me have sadly died after being exsposedto it,that was not 133 years ago but 60 odd.years ago,as for my self l am surviving ok.
To Geordieboy ns l remember the galvinised sink it reminded me when l used to wash my face and blow my nose to get rid of the dust.
What years did you work in Palmer.?

Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago

Posted by geordieboy ns on June 24, 2022, 0:43:11, in reply to "Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago"

For Tom Barker : served my time 1951 - 1955 also as a Woodworking apprentice at Palmers . Thinking back I can only remember one other apprentice , he did his National Service 2 years in the middle of his apprentice-ship . Our Lead-Hand was Percy Doughter. The head man in the shop office was Patterson. I workd a lot on the spindle/shaper. It was a relatively small end of the joiners shop . Perhaps 6 journey men . I worked with asbestos and it shows if I go for x-rays resulting now in my twilight days a shortness of breath at times . Can give you the layout of the shop, we used to play table tennis in our half hour lunch break. One of the better players , a joiner , had an artificial leg -ring a. Bell ? My last day at Palmers was June/July 1955. Can you describe anything that may connect us ?

Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago

Posted by geordieboy ns on June 24, 2022, 12:18:50, in reply to "Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago"

For Tom Barker: Reachback in time Tom what can you remember about the Joiners shop, our years connect , how could we not have worked together ?

Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago

Posted by Tom Barker on June 24, 2022, 14:52:35, in reply to "Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago"

A big hello to Geordieboy,
It is really a nice surprise that we have met in the way we have,after serving our time in Palmers all those years ago,and missing each other like ships in the night.
I think we missed each other by a couple of months,l started my apprenticeship after you just completed yours in 1955.
l can fill you in with some names during your time there,the joiners shop foremen were Georgie Patterson his brother Len was his side kick,chargehand wasGeorge Grainger.
The machine shop we had Percy Doughty in charge his Son Harry was shops steward he was a good wood Turner he tought me a lot on the lathe with exsperience got me my first job while emigrating to Australia in1961.
The names I can remember of machinists were Lindsey Hogg
Dennis Williams Donny Tollock,Larry Brown Gordon Picken Gordon died of Asbestois,there Norman.? Joe ? He was in the Korea war,Larry Brown did national service,does his name ring a bell
Apprentices were my self,Harry Fulcher Harry died as well as Brian Wilson with Asbestois,another lad was Nick? He did National service l remember him coming to work in his Teddy boy out fit,
You mentioned the table tennis playing in your 1/2 hour lunch break l played on the same table in an hour lunch break,l do remember getting hammered by RAY ? The man with the wooden leg,his partner in pairs was Selby Gibson both jioners.
I had 5 happy years in Palmers some great mates some great times there was plenty of work in the yards in those days money in our pockets rock /roll where has it all gone.
I am a Hebburn lad born in the Quay,l have always appreciated that fact that the yards have given me the tools to go and seek my fortune else where like Australia.
I go up to Tyneside now and then as far as l know we are the only 2 still kicking so you have made my day Geordieboy many thanks you take care Bonny Lad. Cheers to.

Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago

Posted by geordieboy ns on June 24, 2022, 18:44:57, in reply to "Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago"

Tom : thank you for the reply , most of the folks you mention are unknown to me . Percy and his Son of course were work mates . Seems to me in my time there was a strike of some kind going on which did not affect apprentices but upon completion greatly reduced the staff on our end of the shop . It never felt like work being there , loved it , and was a good foundation for my future endevours . Ended up running a custom mill shop here specializing in repairing really old (Canadian Old ) gothic church woodwork , the more intricate work required my hands back in action .The mill itself was strictly mass production , once the machines were set up theyran 24/7 with one machinist watching over several stickers, all English machines , mainly moulding wooden trim/base boards crown moulding etc ., Then like most industries , like the ship-yards , it became more proffitable to swamp the market with Chinese plastic reproductions , thus ended my woodworking career . Had two completely different career paths after that , one in law-enforcements the other in the funeral business. Decided to finally retire , well maybe , my glass is almost brim full, looking back living in the N/E and my stay at Palmers remains in my blood . Left school at 14 with little to no education but an inherented strong work ethic . Ended up with more paper qualifications and a university degree which really mean nowt ., It's been a roller coaster of a ride , still loving it . Thanks for the memories , you take care .

Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago

Posted by John Shearer on June 23, 2022, 15:59:57, in reply to "Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago"

Tough Times when you have to cut the legs off and use them for swimming trunks.

Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago

Posted by geordieboy ns on June 24, 2022, 0:16:15, in reply to "Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago"

John. Today that would be embarrassing ,an upside down cut off jersey when water logged was a little heavy , many a time the threaded string came loose when in the water resulting in a knee high swim suit, of sorts . Make do was the name of the game.

Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago

Posted by John Shearer on June 24, 2022, 9:53:51, in reply to "Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago"

You brought back a memory or two there mate, Saw them being worn on many summers day. Or up at the lakes.

Bathers

Posted by Mac Cummings on June 24, 2022, 10:13:02, in reply to "Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago"

My Nana knitted my first pair......one trip to the water and it was knee length!!!

Re: Bathers

Posted by geordieboy ns on June 24, 2022, 17:42:02, in reply to "Bathers"

MacCummings : I would recognize you anywhere , you were the boy who mooned me while jumping over a wave. Selfish me , after such a display the least I could have done was share my egg/sand sandwich with you

Re: Bathers

Posted by Mac Cummings on June 24, 2022, 18:41:35, in reply to "Re: Bathers"

Re: Bathers

Posted by geordieboy ns on June 25, 2022, 8:49:47, in reply to "Re: Bathers"

For Tom Barker; Tom I dont really remember working with asbestos in the machine end of the joiners shop , do you ? If so , what did we do with it ? How was it processed ?

Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago

Posted by Allan Campbell on June 25, 2022, 15:28:41, in reply to "Thursday's header from 133 years ago"

I wonder how much of a ship being constructed at Jarrow Palmers was made in-house.

I suspect a lot. The engines and other specialist items bought in I would suspect but were they ?

Allan C.

Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago

Posted by John Shearer on June 25, 2022, 16:02:27, in reply to "Re: Thursday's header from 133 years ago"

Allan I remember hearing years ago that the Ships were 90-94% made with yard men and materials. I think the biggest import was the Paints organic powders.

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