Originally posted by DoctorStrangelove
View Post
"Polaris the history of the UK's submarine force" by Keith Hall.
It hasn't mentioned Cobalt Thorium G yet, but I've got my fingers crossed.
It hasn't mentioned Cobalt Thorium G yet, but I've got my fingers crossed.
Next: "Britain on Borrowed Time" Glyn Jones and Michael Barnes, 1967.
Well it ain't changed for the better since then, just think "we" could make our very own nuclear power stations back in 1967 without being beholden to the fecking Red Chinese.
How are the mighty fallen.
Apparently the UK produced 27 million tons of steel in 1967.
2018: 7 million tons.
But never mind, "we" can always buy some of the 966 million tons of inferior grade steel produced by the Chinese.
'King 'Eck, there's a lot of names from the grave in this epic.
Ray Gunter.
I vaguely remember him.
Strewth, it's a while ago.
And the chaos that was the docks back in the day, casual work etc. that disappeared with the containers.
Apparently Felixstowe was bought by a chap out of the RAF, who started it off with 8 employees in the early 50s.
It also goes into what was termed "Treasure Island" locally: i.e. Margam Steelworks.
The inbuilt overmanning with every craftsman needing a mate to carry his tools for him, then sit around waiting for something to do.
Remarkable.
No wonder we got our arses handed to us on a plate by the Japanese, Germans, Koreans, & the Septics.
I'd forgotten about The Prices & Incomes Board, the Wages Councils, and myriad other quanqos.
One of the more eyeopening things was this little gem:
Council Storeman, late 50s.
Basic: £12/3/3d (£12 16p) per week.
Out of which:
Income tax: £1/4/0d (£1 20p)
NI: £0/13/6d (67.5p)
Pension contributions: 9/9d (48.5p)
Graduated pension contributions: 3/1d (15.5p).
Expenses per week:
Rates/lighting/coal: £1/10/0d (£1.50)
Lunches: 15/- (75p)
Food: £2/0/0 (£2)
Drink: 0
Going out: 0
Tobacco: £1/3/0d (£1 15p)
TV (on hp): 2/6d (12.5p)
Moped (tax/ins/petrol) 3s (15p)
Savings for clothes, house repair, extras: £1/10/0d (£1 50p)
Donations to charity/church: £1/0/0. (£1).
Stone me.
Things seem to have gone up a tad in the lst 55 years.
Leave a comment: