Let's get back to my home town in the 1950's and 1960's, Stonehouse in Gloucestershire. Around 1960 I was about 13 years old and got myself a Friday, weekend job in this chippy.
Now we all like a good local Fish and Chip shop in the UK and this was owned by the Mills Family. Dai was the owner and the nickname of this place was Greasy Joes, Joe being Dai's nickname.
You see the flat roof building behind the chippy, well that's were I peeled the potatoes in a machine before putting them in a full sized bath, I had to fill the bath up with spuds and when chips were wanted in the shop, I put a bucket full of potatoes in the chipping machine and carried the full bucket of chips through to the shop ready to be cooked.
I used to get paid some money plus some fish and chips to take home. The best bit was being able to have as much "Scrumps" as I wanted. Scrumps were the odd bits and pieces of batter that fell off the fish, yummy.
Now get your tissues ready for the sad bit. One Saturday evening Dai asked if I could come in Sunday morning and prepare the potatoes for Monday, yes I said. When I got home and told my Dad he said, "It's Sunday you are not going in to work".
He was born in a very Victorian way and as far as he was concerned children went to church on Sunday in their best clothes, and we were not allowed out of the garden for the rest of the day. Nobody contacted the shop to say I wouldn't be in.
Result: My only ever sacking in my life and it wasn't my fault. In fact, "It was chips for my job that day".
That's a really good story Lady M but it's so unfair!! You didn't deserve that sacking.
The scrumps (or scraps as we called them) were definitely the best bits. We used to go in the chippy and ask for a bag of scraps and were charged about tuppence :) We couldn't afford to buy chips but the scraps tasted better anyway.
Great capture and narrative - I grew up in a town where nothing was open for business on Sunday (it was called a blue law - don't know why) so no one in retail/restaurants worked on a Sunday - seems very odd nowadays. Fav'ing this one.
Oh dear that was bad Heather...I bet you felt upset. Hope your dad did too on the quiet because he would be pleased you were working & probably proud. It might never have passed his mind to let someone know & could have felt bad himself but would never admit it!!
The scrumps (or scraps as we called them) were definitely the best bits. We used to go in the chippy and ask for a bag of scraps and were charged about tuppence :) We couldn't afford to buy chips but the scraps tasted better anyway.