British Telecom 1970 - 1980

I started work as an apprentice, TTA (trainee telecoms apprentice) for British Telecom on 12th October 1970. The first two days were spent on an induction course in Telecom House on Leeds Westgate just outside Leeds City centre near the Westgate swimming pool. I found out, later on, that there were over 100 apprentices started at BT Leeds that year.

The third day I had to go to Hammond Street , South Accommodation Road Leeds 9 to work with a gang of men that did Rodding and Cabling. We did some work with a new machine that put the ducts and cables in without digging. After this I spent 6 weeks on jointing cables. Because I was an apprentice I had to make notes and answer a questionnaire about every job I went on.

Also during my appenticeship every Friday I had to go to Kitson College of Technology. The college was in Leeds City centre near my school Leeds Central and I started at 09:00 - 13:00, 14:00 - 16:00 and 18:00 - 20:00. My first two years at British Telecom were discovering every job I could do and the last year of my apprentice was doing the job I was going to do when my apprenticeship ended.
Other jobs I was allocated in the first two years were Contractor watching which was very boring, external planning, installation in Leeds City centre, fitting in Leeds City centre, PABX installation, subscriber maintenance in Hunslet, test desk duties in Leeds Basinghall exchange, exchange constrution in Leeds Westgate exchange, exchange maintenance in Hunslet, Leeds Basinghall, Leeds Westgate, Telex maintenance in Leeds Westgate and Leeds Head Post Office.

As detailed  in the previous chapter my love consisted of various Girls from swimming, Hilary Munroe, a girl that met in the Lake District, Gale Parmer swimming, Helen Muhl swimming, Barbera Leighton swimming, a girl from Long Benton Newcastle at Butlins Filey, Diane Carter from Holbeck, Sandra Lazenby from Dewsbury Road, my Wife, various girls from Beeston YMCA, a girl from Harehills, a girl from Heckmondwike, a girl that sat with me on the coach to Wembley, on the way back a girl I met before we got to Victoria Coach Station  etc....

During my apprenticeship I had to take three internal courses at Otley training school but if you lived close (25 miles) you weren't allowed to lodge. I had to catch 2 buses and to get there at 08:00. All three courses lasted for 4 weeks and because the courses were allocated by your name several students were the same throughout my apprenticeship. I got friendy with Rob Marrows, John Robinson, John Richardson, Graham Smith, John Tinsdale and Steve Vickers.


Leeds HPO(Head Post Office) used to be the trunk exchange before Leeds Westgate was opened in 1968. There were lots of ghost stories because Leeds HPO used to be a hospital before. I spent a lot of time doing exchange maintenance at Hunslet, Leeds Basinghall and Leeds Westgate. Leeds Westgate was the trunk exchange and during my second year as an apprentice I went to LS/WGT (Leeds Westgate) three times lasting over 15 weeks. I went on exchange construction, exchange maintenance and telex maintenance. Not many apprentices liked LS/WGT but I liked it and at the end of my second year I said I wanted to work in LS/WGT on exchange maintenance. LS/WGT was a very big trunk exchange with five floors and a tunnel to connect with LS/B the transmission repeater station over the road, Burley Road. It was said that there was a ghost called Harry who haunted the tunnel and although I worked in LS/WGT for 22 years I never went into the tunnel. Somebody told me there is a nuclear shelter in the tunnel. There were over 150 people working in LS/WGT in 1972 but in 2002 there wasn't 5 such is the scale of modernisation telecommunications.

My third year as an apprentice I started on the T2A(technician 2A) rota. On this rota there were several duties, trunk test, group selectors, motor uniselectors, reference centre, circuit provision, switchboard maintenance and telex. I still had to go to Kitson College and I think I went for 15 years. For switchboard maintenance you had to go to another building which housed 100 female operators in Park Place which is in Leeds City centre. There were about 10 T2As on the rota but we all enjoyed going to Park Place because most of the operators were about the same age. Their supervisors were much stricter they had to leave their headsets in the room when ever they went to the toilet or for a break. I got to know several Operators and went to the pub with some at Christmas to The Central. I saw a few on Monday nights at Tiffany's in the Merrion Centre.

Outside of work, when I was 16, I used to go to Beeston YMCA on Cemetry Hill where they held a youth club. Around this time I met my wife when we were watching a football match on Hunslet moor. I used to hang around with a gang in Beeston and our enemies were from the Cardinals estate on the outskirts of Beeston/Leeds. I can remember one Sunday afternoon, because we were bored we decided to visit the Cardinals but we were spotted by the police. After about 15 minutes there were police cars all over Beeston picking up our gang. We all split up and I went home. That evening in Beeston YMCA youth club we all told our stories. The funnist was somebody was picked up and the policeman saw somebody else. So he told the first to stay in his car while he went to pick the second one up. While he was away the first one got out of the car and went home and the policeman never got the second one. Other stories I can remember were one night we had a sponsor walk to Harry Ramsdens in Guisley, on the other side of Leeds, and back to Beeston. It was 25 miles and took us about 7 hours. We went to the Lake district a couple of times to climb mountains and abseil. I tried to sleep with the 2 girls the leaders found me and sent me back upstairs. Once we went to Scarborough, Scalby Mills had disco on the beach at night time. One girl Sandra had Firm tits she let me play with them but no further ! They were really firm, the firmest I've felt.

A gang of us, about 15, use to go to watch Leeds United home and away. When we went away we used the football special which was a very old train solely for the use to take football fans. At home matches we used to go to a pub near Beeston YMCA, The Highfield, where a pint of bitter cost 2/6p . Then we would walk to Elland Road via the cemetry.
Later on we started going into Leeds city centre to meet other fans in the pinball arcade "pinners" and after the match we went back to Leeds city centre and hopefully meet the away fans who were going to the train station. I met a lot of mates from other parts of Leeds and BradfordI(Shipley) who liked the things I liked, fighting and football. I used to go to these areas during the week especially if they were going to fight some other lads... Belle Isle use to fight Middleton, Harehills use to fight Moortown, etc,. I was able to go other parts of Leeds because I had a good job and I had enough money. Most of my friends were on the dole. I earnt about £20 per week and gave my mum £5 board. Aged 17/18 I passed my driving licence 1st time and bought a Vauxhall Viva C registration 1965. I used to go to Wigan Casino on a Saturday/Sunday morning because Wigan Council allowed Dancing from 0001 - 0800 and after we went swimming in Wigan baths. I used to go to Tiffanies and Cinderellas in the Merrion Centre.
My left my mum on Boxing Day when I was 18 to live with another woman. I helped him moved before I went Elland Road to watch Leeds United. About same I started helping Cliff the landlord at the Moorhouse which was opposite our house. When I came home at 2230 Cliff keep serving the police who have just finish the late shift. I run the bar while Cliff would keep an eye things up to 0200. It became a regular job where I got to know the police from Dewsbury Road,

Special memories were Blackpool versus Leeds about 50 of us hired a coach to take us to Blackpool. We got there at 11:00 and went to Woolworths were we stole a lot of footballs. We played on the beach then we went to the match. After the match we to a department store where we had a wash and brush up. We went to a Fish restaurant and went to a pub where we stayed all night because our coach didn't leave until midnight. While were going back to our coach someone broke a tobacconist window and stole all the cigarette lighters. On the coach before we set off the police came and everyone was searched. They didn't find anything but they provided a police convoy to take us out of Blackpool.

Leeds played Sheffield United on a night match we were going back to the station when we saw a policeman arresting a Leeds fan but as there were about 15 of us we told the policeman to go. The young Leeds fan came with us to the station.

Again we hired a coach to take us to Coventry because some of the gang met another gang from Hinckley near Leicester. They were having problems with a gang of Hells Angels and we planned to go to Hinckley after the match. On the way to the ground we saw a large gang of Coventry fans near some roadworks. We picked up shovels, pickaxes and anything heavy then we charged but a car(unmarked police) tried to run us over. Loads of police came and surrounded us and escorted us to the ground. At most of our away matches we went in the home end not displaying our scarves. If we were let in we would start a fight and usually get moved to the away end. At this match we managed to stay in the home supporters end all match. After the match we went to Hinckley and sorted the Hells Angels out. We went back to Coventry because our coach did not leave until midnight and went drinking. When we got back to our coach a gang of Coventry fans were waiting for us. We ran at them and kicked a few but the rest disappeared.

Another memory is once I went to Ipswich on a Wallace Arnold coach. It took us 6 hours to get there and we picked up a friend who was hitch hiking because he couldn't afford to pay. About 30 of us went in the Ipswich end but due to all the aggro we decided to split up. At the end of the match we all met up in our coach.

We went in various pubs in Leeds City centre The Wellesly Hotel downstairs was The Buccaneer Bar where a lot of gays use to hang out, The Scarborough (taps), The Black Lion(opposite the pinners), The Guildford Hotel where we used the baths and showers, The Peel, Whitegates, Yates Wine Lodge, The Piccaldy Bar, The Charles and The Wade.

At a home match when Leeds were playing Liverpool after the match we caught up with the Liverpool fans in Holbeck Moor. I started fighting with one of the Liverpool fans(he was one of the Kelly's) but stopped when he went down and he didn't get up. All the little Leeds fans started kicking him but I left to find more Liverpool fans on the way to the station. That night when I was in town the police came to my house and asked my younger brother what he did after match(his nickname was 'tillo' as well). He had witnesses to account for what he did after the match because the police said a Liverpool fan was seriously injured following the match.

In 1972 Leeds played Arsenal at Wembley in the final of the FA Cup. Although I used to collect tokens from programmes that allowed you to get ticket for the final. My Uncle Joe got me a semi-final ticket and said he would get me a final ticket. When the sales began he told my mother that he'd seen me fighting and wouldn't get me a final ticket. I had given my tokens away to a friend but my mum bought me one from somebody who lived in the multi-storey flats on our estate.
Leeds won 1 - 0 with Alan Clarke scoring the goal. I went with several of my mates. We went on a Wallace Arnolds coach setting off at midnight and returning at midnight on Saturday. It was a brillant day ! On following Monday Leeds had to play Wolverhampton to win the Football League but they lost.
I got really friendly with Charlie from Shipley who use to go in the pinners on a Saturday morning to met me. We would have a drink in either The Scarboro' taps or The Black Lion and we walk to The Peacock opposite Elland Road. At about 13:30 we go in(0.75p) The GELDARD END. We stand near the back to watch the match. After we walk to Leeds City Station where Charlie caught his train and I went home.

In 1972 my father moved out because he was seeing another woman. From what I remember he had been seeing her for several years and she had 2 children ? At Christmas that year he decided to move in with her. After I began working at the Public House opposite our house called The Moorhouse. It's owner was called Cliff and he used serve Policemen after 2200 when their Late shift finished up to 0200 am. At Boxing Day Cliff called to ask me if I would help  move some barrels. I did and tidied the cellar. He told me anytime I wanted to work after 2230, closing time, I could serve the police after time. I did this until Cliff retired about 2 years. It worked well because the Police were from Dewsbury Road police station who look after Elland Road. There were a few times I was arrested but just thrown out of Elland Road.

I was on the T2A's rota for 6 years and at LS/WGT we enjoyed plenty of outside interests, football, rugby league, cricket and treasure hunts. When it was sunny we went up to Woodhouse moor to play football, rugby league and cricket. Also British Telecom Sports and Social used to organise events that we could enter. Because LS/WGT was a big exchange we had are own teams. The only other exchange was LS/BAS/(inghall).
Treasure hunts were usually good the process was 10 cars with four passengers, including wifes/girlfriends were given directions and had to find answers to questions on the information sheet plus they had to find the treaure asked for. The treasure hunt always ended up at a pub with food laid on. On a Friday lunchtime we used to go to the pub next door "The Highland" it was very popular.

I was on the T2A's rota for 6 years when I was promoted to a Technical Officer. I started as a pool T.O. which was to cover the rota T.O.'s. There were 3 rotas at LS/WGT and if you were on a rota you were better off financially. On each rota, trunk test, RT unit and 2nd floor, there were 5 duties. Earlies 07:00 - 14:30, Nights 22:00 - 07:00, Week off, Days 08:00 - 16:00, Lates 14:00 - 22:00. If you covered a rota post you got an extra 'Z' £7.95 plus any overtime.

LS/WGT had plenty of floors that were not used so we built a badminton court so we could use it in our lunchtime. At meal times there was a card room, a reading room, a quiet room and a table tennis room.

After about 2 years as a pool T.O. my manager asked me if I wanted to work in a new part of LS/WGT called the transit exchange, located on the fourth floor. I didn't know a lot about it but decided to give it a go.

Apart from learning new skills working in a trunk exchange and studying at college I went on several training courses. Basic auto Harrogate, 2000 switch maintenance Harrogate and Non-Director Trunk Exchange maintenance at Stone near Stoke. I visited Stone every year training. Other courses I attended at Stone were Register/Translator(RT Unit), MF2 signalling, TXK4.

With my wife we saw Slade and Rod Stewart plus The Faces at Leeds Town Hall. Every Friday we went to see a movie in Leeds.


In 1973 I passed my driving test, first time. I bought a Vauxhall Viva Mark 1 for £60. It wasn't very good but it better than using the bus especially when my wife moved from Garnet Road to Cottingley. Also in 1973 In 1974 I changed my car to Ford Cortina 1600 L Mark 3 costing £550. I had to sell it to buy a house when we decided to get married. I was told by the Dewsbury Road police to settle down and move to another district. I used serve the police in the Moorhouse after hours when they finished lates at 2200 - 0200.

In 1975 we got married and bought a house in Armley 71 Highfield Close near The Dragon public house on Whitehall Road. My wife caught me playing away shortly after our wedding. She asked why my shirt was covered with foundation ? My mother used to wash my shirt ! We had problems with our noisy neighbours next door. Their were South African, the bloke was O.K. but the woman and two kids were very noisy. We had a few upsets and one time the bloke and her brother called for me to come outside and fight. I refused and called the police but we didn't have phone. I had to go to the coinbox and when the police came it was quiet. One morning I was waiting for the bus and the bloke came and stood next to me. There was little traffic and I smacked him a few times and I threatening him. But the noise carried on even he tried to commit suicide. Eventually we decide to move and sold our house in October 1976 to move into a new house in Ossett, Wakefield. I bought a Morris Marina 1800L before we moved to Ossett. Our new house wasn't finished but the people who bought our old house wanted to move in straight away. We moved into with my mother and my brother for about 6 months.

We moved into our new semi-detached, 3 bedroom house in March 1977. Our house was one of the last houses to be occupied in our street. My sister in law's, father in law built the estate. It's address was 38 Fairfield Gardens, WF5 0LX. It was very different living in Ossett rather in Leeds. We both worked in Leeds and my wife didn't drive. We use to set off at 07:00 and I used to drop my wife at my mother's house before I went work. I started work at 08:00 and my wife started at 08:30. She worked at the Yorkshire and Humberside Council of Further Education at the old Princess Field school in Holbeck. I finished work at 16:30 when I went to pick my wife up who finished at 17:00. In 1978 the traffic between Ossett and Leeds on the M1 was light so it only took us about 20 minutes. We went drinking, in Ossett, in The Weavers or Two Brewers. We became regulars in The Weavers but eventually stopped going in because the landlord, Les was always drunk, kept giving us free drinks. We used to go out every Sunday night with my sister in law, Janet, and her husband Phil
Clarkson.
On New Years Eve we went to The Warehouse in Leeds. It was different because it opened in March 1979, it played tunes that were not Top 40 but some were Northern Soul which my brother and me liked.