Vic Patterson

I have to agree with a lot of what you say HPW, 1976 at my first interview here in Grande Cache I presented myself dressed in my suit and tie (to the great amusement of the other workers) with my brown C.V. envelope with all of my experience, references etc, I passed it over to the interviewer who didn't open it but pushed it right back saying anyone can get bits of paper tell me what you can really do! Nine years later my next interview was with the Government and I had to rephrase their questions so they made sense before I could answer them! I was later involved with conducting many interviews, I always put myself in the candidates chair and remembered how it felt, trying to see them through the computer generated applications. At school I was a poor student and didn't learn much, I later learned as I went, self taught, electrical apprentice (with no schooling), later mechanics, refrigeration and every aspect of building maintenance. I believe (early) schooling isn't a lot about what your going to do in life but more about who you are or going to be! I don't think that reads very well (told you I was a poor student!) I sympathise with you regarding not getting excused P.T. but look around today and see what the lack of exercise does to our children! in the big picture I think they were right!

Hi Eggy, Maybe the Kino was a local name for the Plaza, I remember my mom and dad telling us about getting in for a jam jar,sitting on forms and the guy at the front playing the piano..... Looking up the Theatre Royal I see Stan Laurel worked and played there also Gracie Fields and Charley Chaplin.

Essoldo, Wallaw, Roxy, Theatre Royal and The Central were all cinema's in Blyth, there was another cinema at Newsham, I think it was the Kinno! The Theater Royal was used as a theater more than a cinema, Plays, pantomimes, even circuses, almost all of the famous actors and actresses played there, Else Tanner and Ena Sharples were two of the more modern era actresses. "Danny Long Legs†was the opening movie at the Roxy Cinema, must have been late 50's

Happy birthday Brian, Hope you have a good one.

Thank you all for the birthday wishes, I've just read it's also Pi day!

Hi Eggy, My only concern was not hearing about them, after reading of a few financial issues the club news and results seamed to dry up! I was getting used to hearing of the results live on Twitter! new signings and general going on's! I think it was Neil who used to be involved with the club! Pleased to see they are doing well. Thank's for the link.

That's the year before my Model T Touring!

Happy birthday Merc.

So what your saying Eggy is recycling is available but not very well publicized and not made easy!

Happy Australia day mate.

Aye, Simple times with simple pleasures! Beatle drives, Whist drives even house decorating was a family event, wallpapering, edging the rolls, battering then hanging it etc, edging the rolls was as bad as holding the hanks of wool when mom wound it it balls! I can see the throw away mentality when it comes to technology, but even then it could cascade down to less fortunate, less fortunate! who is that, we used to surplus work computers to schools and other institutions etc but not any longer, they NEED the latest and best! "Retire your Ride†was a good program here, I got $3,000 for a car I was going to haul to the graveyard! You never see recycled furniture! you can't, it's made in such away you can't maintain or fix, try and find real furniture with a real wood frame with joints, nuts and bolts and screws, there nearly all staples into box wood (which does have a place in todays society) Precious metals and other things should be recycled from electronics, but not by sending to third world counties and killing them off! Some towns here have one Sunday a month when you haul useful stuff to the curb and people cruise around and you take anything you can use, then you put back anything not taken! cheap recycling!

Making clippie mats or proggy mats was a good recycling program! Old clothing cut into strips, stretching the hessian and family sitting gossiping or just listening to the records or radio!

Is there a way for members to do a search of the membership list that narrows the list down to active members, using parameters such as those who have either posted or visited in the past 3, 6 or 12 months? The present list is very large and is mostly of non active even deceased members!

Hi Maggie, Just wondering what the reference to breaking glass is? Sounds like there isn't a recycling program in your area and glass bottles are just collected and broken to be recycled! What about plastic milk bottles, beer can, beer bottles, pop cans, drinking boxes etc are they not recycled? What about paper, cardboard, fluorescent tubes, battery's, appliances and tin cans etc are they recycled or just dumped?

A true VIP Malcolm! good choice.

It would appear Bernicia is a rather large development company and may not be aware of the situation (but as a development company they should be!) the newspaper publicity will have reached them and I'm sure they are considering alternative plans! This is an ideal opportunity to improve their PR and keep a little girl happy. Now, if only "that†local radio had been able to stay on the air they could have made sure Bernicia were informed!

British Forces Broadcasting was it the World (wide) Service "Two Way Family Favourite's" Played requests from servicemen overseas, we had a couple. Pete Murray on radio Luxemburg. Dan Dare "Journey into Space" with the Mighty Meccon!

All of the above and Family favourites on wireless at noon

Diferent soot smell standing on the railway bridge as the trail went under! Gagging on the smell when passing "Fishy Harper's†wet fish shop at the top of Blyth market, but round the corner was the great smell of the pork pie shop!

Almost at epidemic proportions!

I'm sure a "good" employer wouldn't but are you suggesting bad employers don't! You ask, are we supposed to believe it happens regularly? I personally haven't heard of an unfair dismissal since 1962 when I witnessed it!(the employer gaining a contract extension due to contrived strike) is it a common occurrence where you live? I also believe totally incompetent employees are grossly over protected! which penalises the employer!

I have to agree there Canny lass, nothing infuriates me more than the media news deliberately giving a very narrow one sided perspective in order to sell papers.

What I see is the miners paid the price for "the unions†becoming too strong and and dictating to the government what policies they would allow! far from the original mandate of unions to look after the workers working conditions. My union at the time ETU was run by communists, it became EETU then EETUPTU gobbling up smaller groups to give them voting power at the TUC!

I realise the discussion is more about the miners strike for which I have very little knowledge, only that from the media.... I saw both Thatcher and the miners vilified! but I do find it interesting the views of both sides, I don't think anyone was on the fence for this dispute!