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Issue1 2
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I came to work at what Daniel Lumb
was then Armitages Robert Jolley
back in 1971, I think it Who all started full time employment at
was June 1st 1971 when Swillington during 2006
George Parkinson then Wor ks Sta tis tic s
the manager set me on Finish
though he said Date Produced Sales Stock
afterwards he always 1st- 8th May 372,972 262,396 10,846,720
regretted that decision. 8th- 15th May 462,932 333,224 10,997,220
He would often wail it was one of the worst 15th- 29th May 405,508 253,172 11,159,952
decisions he had ever made but he soon ran off 29th May - 5th Jun 272,132 229,868 11,402,784
5th- 12th Jun 454,736 303,472 11,554,500
leaving a new manager called Rex Armitage to
12th- 19th Jun 432,112 402,020 11,582,904
deal with me.
I started work doing all sorts of jobs round the Jok es B y Mi cha el
old kilns, working with the drawers and the For decades, two heroic statues, one male and
setters and did quite a bit of labouring. one female, faced each other in a city park, until
Towards the end of 1971 the Mr Men books one day an angel came down from heaven.
came out and I found myself packing bricks in "You've been such exemplary statues," he
the bottom garage with Maggie May, you know announced to them, "That I'm going to give you
those were the days. a special gift. I'm going to bring you both to life
About mid 1972 they were building the new for thirty minutes, in which you can do anything
factory and the general manager Oliver Speak you want." And with a clap of his hands, the
said to me about the new setting machine “Tha angel brought the statues to life.
mun’ get that machine learn’t lad” and so I did The two approached each other a bit shyly, but
and ended up working on it until 1982. soon dashed for the bushes, from which shortly
Blimey in the last 34 years here I have been emerged a good deal of giggling, laughter, and
through some managers I think I have mentioned shaking of branches. Fifteen minutes later, the
George Parkinson and Rex Armitage well there two statues emerged from the bushes, wide grins
was John Speak (Olivers son), Phillip on their faces.
Ploughright, Keith Wilcox, Geoff Warren, Mark "You still have fifteen more minutes," said the
Woodward and of course Mick Lardner. angel, winking at them.
I came into the office in 1982 I was in the office Grinning even more widely the female statue
with Mick Brayford, David Cossins, Eric Naylor turned to the male statue and said, "Great! Only
and Ernie Capper in those days we did two shifts. this time you hold the pigeon down and I'll crap
Below is a photo of us all… on it's head."
Innkeeper: The room is $15. a night. It's $5. if
you make your own bed.
Guest: I'll make my own bed.
Innkeeper: Good. I'll get you some nails and
wood.
In the first year of marriage, the man speaks and the
woman listens. In the second year, the woman
speaks and the man listens. In the third year, they
both speak and the neighbours listen.
A Sp eci al W elco me T o…
David Zinnis
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