MEMORIES OF WORKING IN A HOLIDAY CAMP My memory of events is not to bad my memory of dates is none existent so my silly little tales will not be in any chronological order It was a cold damp and miserable morning in the dry dock, in Glasson, as Miles and I worked on the coupling that connected the Main engine to the propeller shaft, . on this particular ship The MV Jan Bronsk the prop. instead of being perpendicular was 10 degrees out due to the fact that this smelling lump of steel had sunk in Dublin Bay. She had also broken her back and twisted The firm we worked for tendered for the repair which they won, it was rumoured, at the time, that no one else would entertain the idea. Just after 10 o`clock brew, I heard someone shouting my name from the top of the dock.It was a welder who wanted to borrow my works Landrover to go into town .“be back before lunch” I informed him as I need to be back at the works on the quay in Lancaster .He didn’t arrive so I had to get a bus into town ,little did he know what a favour and life changing event this turned out to be. Fuming I arrived into Lancaster and as I passed the labour exchange I decided to see what jobs they had for engineers In those days in the sixties it was a case of what jobs, not “are there any “? Pontins want an engineer in Middleton they said..Even though I lived on Heysham Road near the Old Hall, I only had a vague idea what and where it was I applied and got an interview with a chap called Hugh McCorkell who was the Maintainance Manager. He sent me to see the resident engineer Jimmy Lennon. After the interviews I was told I would hear from them in a few days .That evening a knock came on the door of 469 it was Mr McCorkell :someone whom I came to respect and admire a true gentleman: rather surprised and fearing the worst and expecting “sorry but you were not successful” he said “when can you start?” Unbeknown to me one of the other engineers with whom I worked, John Dodd had also applied.Good job Doddy and I we were friends ,but he never let me forget it bless him Monday Morning, and on my 150cc Lambretta, I arrive at the gates of Pontins Middleton Tower Holiday Camp.Little did know that it would be 30 years later when I finally drove through those gates for the last time. To those who don’t know anything about the camp and campers or as it became in later years centre and guests, to us they were always punters but don’t let senior management hear you say it. When full it would take 3000 guests on full board and in the early days at one sitting in the largest dining room in Europe Peak staffing levels would be in the region of 400 + Thanks to Jimmy, by the time the season started I have a good idea what was required of me ,and felt comfortable, I had always worked in a totally male environment until then and it came as a cultural shock working in this environment ;for example in the kitchen which was about the floor size of a pair of semidetached houses; by the back door was a walk in fridge I was passing when a lovely young lady asked me if I would kindly fill her jug from the milk churn why I asked to which she replied “ some f****** **** has stolen the f******* bulb “ My first lesson …don’t be shocked Dave it’s a totally different environment you have entered ! TO BE CONTINUED MAYBE
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 15:16:36 +0000
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