I was bowled over to find my name in the Westinghouse list, and was
delighted to recall so many names and characters.
Had nearly forgotten the nick name "The apprentice vicar" in fact I was the
verger at the village church, which was part of my enterprises to subsidise
being an apprentice. I used to be paid for funerals and weddings, get paid
for digging graves, (not that I could do it now with arthritis), I was
projectionist at three cinemas, The Grand at Frome, Vista at Westbury and
the Regal at Warminster, I do remember organising that the entire group of
apprentices from our year visited the Studio Cinema projection room at the
Old Astoria in Marshfield Road, I was also writing articles for the
Wiltshire Times and Chippenham News, quite a workaholic.
I stayed at Westinghouse until I finished my apprenticeship, and then joined
the Wiltshire Times & Chippenham News, working out of Duke Street
Trowbridge, I still kept all the other jobs going, and then took on sports
reporting for Radio Bristol.
Ah yes... BBC Bristol, that's where I lost my identity because they had a
Mick Pearson doing the breakfast shift, so we used my middle names Paul
David, which got twisted to Paul Davis.
I am never quite sure why, but I became quite successful in the broadcast
industry and have remained with it ever since, I eventually did the mid
morning air shift that is now occupied by John Turner at Radio Bristol, then
I went down to 2CR in Bournemouth doing drive time, then to County Sound in
Guildford where I rejoined the four AM in the morning gang to present
breakfast for some years.
I was also a continuity announcer for BBC World service, Radio 4, BFBS 2 and
for my sins for many years was a voice-over for the famous Pearl & Dean
cinema commercials as well as Rank Screen advertising.
For the last fourteen years I was General Manager of Sunrise Radio Ltd in
London, but for the last five years I am just a director, and have moved
back to the original house I was at when I was an apprentice at
Westinghouse!
The last year has been a bit rough with a small dose of cancer, but am now
recovered and still a regular at the Dilton Marsh Prince of Wales, which is
where I drank as an apprentice!
The last five years have been fun, I bumped into a pal who persuaded me to
join him lobbying the Radio Authority for a West Wilts FM licence out of
Trowbridge. Part of the exercise was to run RSL broadcasts under the name of
Moonraker 106.8FM which of course we did from Chippenham College and also
Trowbridge College.
While we were in Chippenham doing the broadcast, I did discover that my old
mate Viv Sherman (another Westinghouse apprentice) who was from Malmesbury
and the greatest Emmerson Lake and Palmer fan, is now a lecturer at
Chippenham College, although it was holiday time and I didn't track him
down.
Apprentice Names I remember... yes most of the ones mentioned in your site,
I do remember Michelle who was from Doncaster, Rob Lauder, John Teagle (who
had a Ford Zephyr at the time, I believe his brothers had a nifty Toyota?)
Yes I remember Alfie, and also Gizmo - yes his dad did run a radio and TV
shop.
I do remember Mick Hole being told to change for the presentation, he looked
brilliant!
David Barcham came from Marston near Devizes and Westbury, I used to pick
him up in the mornings if his bike was knackered.
Stephen Fisher I remember his army gear and the bandana...
Now as for the instructors.
Yes I read with amusement about Benny Jenkins, who never smoked until he
took over from Doug Jones, and then it went with the image.
Bert Wheeler of course used to live in Dilton Marsh, so I would often talk
to him, I remember when we would crash the lathe gears and he would say
"sort em out, you've got a box full there, one will do".
Rod Howell will always stick in my mind for his comment after the exploding
milk carton, yes this carton entirely vapourised! the instructors rushed in
as already described and after no one answered Ron Witts who dunnit? Rod
said "Must have been the fairies Mr Witts".
Keith Shepherd was my mate from Westbury Leigh, in fact his mum and dads old
house is now the Hollies Pub, he was mates with Instructor Brian Fields who
used to motor cycle race at Keevil, we often went to see him. We used to get
a lift into Chippenham before we could drive with Steve Teagle who also
lived at Newtown in Westbury, God when we were apprentices just starting, that
bloody relief road had not been built around Melksham and we used to have to
queue for hours at the crossroads.
College lecturers...
One sticks out in my mind and he is still remembered at the college and that
is Ken Hill, whose famous expressions used to be Hotdawgs or lets Fuckoffee!
It is sad to think that the Chippenham site will go soon, especially when I
remember being totally overawed the first day I went into the canteen and
saw how large it was.
Good memories, if anyone fancies meeting up for a pint of Butcombe, it's an
art I never forgot!
