10 Wednesday

Saw D. Hunter about 8:30 am, he showed me thermocouple charts in the instrument panel (blast furnace control room).

Spent most of the most sorting out cheques and putting them in order. Blast furnace was ‘off blast’ all day – saw two worn tuyeres – one leaked badly. Stairs out of use in Melting Shop. Spent some time at the mixer today and watched it pour iron into a ladle.

TV : Saw ‘Public Eye’ about ‘Vyvyan’ (sic.)

11 Thursday (Wulfrun College ‘Day Release’)

Did Manufacturing Accounts in Accounts today. Mr Mansell talked over our papers – simplification etc. Bridge closed (this was a connecting walkway bridge between two buildings at Wulfrun). Looked at BSC ‘Safety’ magazines at dinner. Given topic on Victorian prosperity to do.

TV : Saw ‘Please Sir’.

12 Friday

Sorted out more cheques (Dad did not give me a lift – caught bus, arrived abt. 8:25. Saw blast furnace cast and plug-up before going ‘off blast’). Ken and I spent late morning sorting Pension Warrants in his office. At dinner saw ‘G’ furnace finish a cast – one heat already cast from ‘H’ and being de-gassed, then saw ‘B’ furnace cast – saw R.Barnsley who told me it was steel for ‘Bromford Tube Works’. Hung around Instrument Panel (blast furnace) – tuyere missing-borrowed a torch (to peer into the furnace!). Had ‘Steel News’ – ‘Into the 80’s’ !

TV: Saw Morecambe & Wise and ‘Cannon’ (about a secret bomber airfield in the desert!).

15 Monday

Arrived early this morning to find the blast furnace flushing slag. Sorted some more pension warrants after which I emptied the telephones, taking a detour to D. Hunter – the book had not been left there ! (no idea what book it was!). Furnace was casting abt. 10:30. At dinner I saw the blast furnace flushing – stood by a chap overlooking the slag ladle. Hung around melting shop – came back to Instrument Panel (at blast furnace) only to be lectured on blast furnaces by a Scotsman (!!). Bought a plug for Dot from the General Stores. Hoping to get helmet goggles soon.

TV: saw Dave Allen tonight.

16 Tuesday

Blast furnace ‘off wind’ all day, to change blast pipe and repair No.1 (?) stove. Filed and punched cheques out of the metal drawer as well as being on the till. In melting shop at dinner ‘H’ furnace’s middle doors water pipe had broken off – a chap was on the roof welding. Returned at 1:45 to Instrument Panel. Bought case for Praktica LLC (camera) At Tech we started ‘Farming’.

TV : saw ‘It’s the Only Way to Go’ – about flying. This was about a flight to Nicosia with James Burke.

17 Wednesday

Had reply from Shelton. Very foggy all day, could not see top of blast furnace at all. Spent all day counting cheques as well as being on the till. Caught bus today. Arrived in time to watch the blast furnace casting. At dinner saw them use the drill to start a cast for the first time.

TV : saw ‘Public Eye’ about ‘Windsor Roses’.

18 Thursday (Wulfrun College ‘Day Release’)

Did 20.6A in Accounts today – terrible! In Commerce we covered banks and their uses by drawing diagrams. In History we did our topics – I changed mine to The Iron Industry in 19th Century. In English Mr Carrick chatted on about our 5,000 word topics. Mr Heaton did 20.6A on the board.

TV: saw Comedy Playhouse with J.Cleese and W. Rushton. Sherlock Holmes.

19 Friday

New batch of un-assorted cheques returned from bank today – guess who sorted them! Also went down to cellar to sort books in a cupboard. Brought telescope in today. V. cold too. At dinner the blast furnace was flushing slag and charging skips. Saw the very last drop of ‘G’ furnace cast – but caught ‘H’ furnace’s – told to keep back due to danger of water and steel explosions. Returned to blast furnace to see them begin a cast – a minor disaster occurred when the iron crumbled the sand away and began to run away – soon dealt with.

22 Monday

Sorted cheques into order today (snow hard but slushy in places). Emptied telephones, with a bit of muscle ache (?). At dinner saw blast furnace then went into Melting Shop where I saw ‘C’ furnace cast. Then I went to the Soaking Pits and, for the first time, saw a view over the balcony inside the pit. Chaps at blast furnace told me that Messrs Ashmore, Benson & Pease built ‘Lizzie’ started in 1951. Got ‘Carbon Steelworks News’. Mr F.H. Lloyd – a victim of hotel blaze today.

23 Tuesday

Caught bus today. Saw blast furnace flush some slag. Finished sorting cheques and started to book them. On the counter today too. At dinner saw the blast furnace at about 1:15. Stockline recorder stuck too. Had a ride in diesel shunter 10, ‘George’ for rest of dinner time; 1st time in a shunter for me. Cleaned hands in ‘Swarfega’. Balanced (cash). Got a black ring binder file from J. Chudzik, left at work with photocopies of blast furnace. Did irrigation at Tech.

TV: saw Joe Frazier v G. Foreman this evening.

24 Wednesday

More cheques to sort and file today. Ken and Audrey went to Sheffield all day. Blast furnace off all day. At dinner saw a tuyere hole minus tuyere – red hot coke visible with slag or iron trickling down – very good and interesting. Having trouble removing No. 13 tuyere, next to slag notch. Rode about on the loco for the rest of dinner – great! After dinner I had to run over to the scrapyards to find Ray Webb – 1972 instead of 1973 on a cheque. Saw ‘B’ furnace cast en route back. Also saw groups of visitors. Had to buy my own tea tonight – had pasty and chips at ‘Shands’ (Penn).

TV: saw ‘Public Eye’ about ‘Excelsior (Europe)’ about selling photocopiers.

25 Thursday (Wulfrun College ‘Day Release’)

Mr Heaton was unwell today so we had a stand-in who gave us a Manufacturing Account to do. In Commerce we covered banks and cheques – what happens to a cheque and Merchant Banking too. Homework on Commerce too. Mmmm…pasties for dinner(!). Did a touch more History project, 19th Century iron industry, then had a look at some English projects. Mr Heaton came in and we touched on Cashbook analysis in between stories about Sheffield in his youth.

TV : last episode of ‘Colditz’ and first episode of ‘Whoops Baghdad’.

26 Friday

Had some new cheques to send off today and two urgent ones to be signed. Paid today – influx of customers – hundreds of them. At dinner chased No.2 shunter – and drove it! Shunting ingots around the back of the melting shop. Was raining a little. Dot and John were busy on the counter until about 3:30 – over £3,000 cashed ! D. Hunter saw Ken today – forfeited my tea for him, he’s on £145.81 a week.

TV: saw ‘Cannon’ about a girl who drowned – her bike went over a cliff.

29 Monday

Stapled many cheques today – prompts. Emptied telephones after I visited melting shop offices to see Colin Foster – he’d written £25 instead of £20 – he is the ‘Ingot Planner’. At dinner I hunted around for some locos to ride – no luck. So I took a walk along side the blast furnace bunkers – must look up ‘RUSHDEN’ ore. Love to have a shot at being blast furnace manager! Saw the blast furnace begin to cast at about 1:45 pm. Hoping to see Mrs Barham soon about changing over (moving departments).

TV : saw ‘Dave Allen’.

30 Tuesday

Finished off stapling ‘prompts’ today. Posted some by mistake. At dinner blast furnace was off – Mixer is full. Chap told me there was a meeting on to discuss whether or not to install electric furnaces at Bilston. Ken said it was a rumour: “they’re all over the show!”. Picked up a piece of foreign ore from the bunkers too. Met Keith (best friend) at Tech, he gave me a ‘Blakes’ brochure on Norfolk Broads.

31 Wednesday

Started to put cheques in envelopes this morning etc. Balanced the till after a mix-up over 10 pence in daybook. At dinner at melter on ‘H’ furnace was telling me about his idea over double firing system*. Josefowski was fairly sceptical but agreed that the principle was good – and sound. During the course of the afternoon D. Hunter came in and – Mrs Barham – also to cash a cheque. Rang up later on – Mr Mundy was out – ring up on Friday morning.

TV: saw ‘Marker’ (Public Eye)

*This was Jim Latham. See ‘Steel News’ section : September 1973 and September 1975.

February

1 Thursday (Wulfrun College ‘Day Release’)

Did petty cash analysis in Accounts – the import system. A cinch. In Commerce we covered the rights of the buyer – their assumed intelligence. During dinner I clinched the purchase of Chris Bestall’s gadget bag. Borrowed ‘The British Iron & Steel Industry’. Covered a little more on education in History, then did projects in the library. Came home on Wombourne bus (8p).

2 Friday

Messed about doing very little today. Bored to tears most of the time. Rang up Mr Mundy – and saw him later. At dinner saw the blast furnace flushing slag – plenty of it! Then proceeded, after depositing safety helmet, to the library (at the Training Centre) where I borrowed two books. Also took home some BSC letter headed paper.

TV : saw ‘Money at Work’ – Steel – efficiency or employment – Lord Melchett and Peter Walker – future of BSC.

5 Monday

Had nothing to do all morning. At dinner the blast furnace had just finished casting, went in melting shop then took a walk by the blast furnace bunkers. Slag notch (stopper rod) broke – had to stop by hand. After dinner Ken gave me some cheque statements and paper to tick-off.

Evening: Visited (friend) Keith, took slides, saw his colour tv. Must get holiday date.

6 Tuesday

Blast furnace off during morning to repair the slag notch. Caught bus today- Dad’s teeth playing up. Did pension warrants cheques and being on the till. At dinner went to the melting shop, over the soaking pits and back via the skip hoist (blast furnace). A chap from the Iron & Steel Industry Training Board surprised me with a visit today – in Ken’s office. Balanced, after trial and error, Sundry Debtors.

At Tech tonight did ‘Wheat’ (Econ. Geography)

7 Wednesday

Managed to balance the pension warrants to the bank statement. Went on safety hazard course – passed it too! Got a certificate for it. Later on started to mend the sliding cupboard for Ken. Took practically all day. Caught bus again – Dad went to dentist.

(Radio in evening) : Heard a play called ‘The Experiment’ about two chaps communicating during death by telepathy.

8 Thursday (Wulfrun College ‘Day Release’)

Dad took me to college the Paget Rd via Compton Rd way today. In Accounts we did the receipts & payments account and income and expenditure accounts. In Commerce we covered hire purchase agreements. Got an entry form for summer exams – managed to scrounge enough to get 65p. Paul Williams did not come to Tech. Dave Round sat by me. In Accounts we had a film on ‘Hardy Heating Co.’ with Graham Turner.

9 Friday

Caught bus today. Sorted some cheques returned from the bank today. At dinner saw the blast furnace finish casting and went into the melting shop and by the soaking pits. Outside it was raining. Went into Bilston in the 3-litre Rover with Mr. Baggot, to collect some pension warrants. In the Express & Star was news about electric furnaces for Bilston.

12 Monday

Ken had his office decorated today so I moved out of my place to the tea-table. Bit more lively with him in. At dinner walked around the blast furnace, melting shop, soaking pits, returned and saw my loco shunter friend. During the afternoon Ken split his pants picking up carbon paper (!!). I finished the pension warrants.

TV: saw Dave Allen at Large.

13 Tuesday

Caught bus today – waited ½ hour for it by ‘Rats’ Aluminium in snow*. Nothing much happened. At dinner saw ‘G’ furnace – it was stripped ready for re-bricking – still heat waves inside. Saw the iron ladles being slagged and poured into Mixer. At Tech did Plantation Farming. Deciding on where to go : Switzerland (family holiday).

*This was actually ‘Star Aluminium’ on the Penn Rd ! The bus was the No. 25 ‘Circular’ which ran past the works.

14 Wednesday

Sorted some cheques this morning. At dinner I had a ride on the shunter to the ‘Tarmac’ slag heaps and back – v. good! Had a driving lesson at 6:00-7:00 pm, strange at night.

TV : saw ‘Al Capone’ with Rod Steiger, finished at 10:00 pm.

15 Thursday (Wulfrun College ‘Day Release’)

Did Income & Expenditure accounts. In Commerce we did the wholesale and retail trade. Did some notes in History – went into library to look up Beveridge.

TV : Saw first episode of ‘Some Mothers Do Have ‘em’. Michael Crawford.

16 Friday

Did some cheque sorting etc. this morning. At dinner meandered into melting shop where I jumped aboard shunter No. 9 ‘Alexander’ where we shunted ingots in and out. After dinner I fetched some salary slips for Ken in the Computer Link Dept.

19 Monday

Dot’s on holiday today and tomorrow, so I sat in her place. Typed a letter to BSC Llanwern asking for any literature. At dinner visited ‘G’ furnace – the gantry for the retractable guns was fixed up and on the floor I wrote ‘Good Luck’. Josefowski gave me some ‘Melting Shop Furnace Report’ sheets – very useful. J. Parkes came in with February’s BSC ‘Safety’ magazine – alright. Ken found guilty of putting ‘pool car not available’ when it was on 26.1.73.

20 Tuesday

Wrote to Ashmore, Benson, Pease Co. (Blast furnace constructors) for information, on Dot’s typewriter. Had expense sheet back – went to get from Training Centre. Stuck up my picture of a Scunthorpe blast furnace. At dinner got inside ‘G’ furnace – Mr (Latham?) in there with me, a plumb line was set up between the guns. Saw blast furnace begin to cast at 1:50 pm. Went to ‘Lea & Henn’s’ – no go for eye test.

21 Wednesday

Dot was back today. I was on the till. At dinner I didn’t have the staff canteen dinner – it looked lousy for once. Trod in some squelchy oil/mud by the mixer shop; rode about on a loco for rest of time. Paid some nut £2.00 over a sundry debtor.(!!)

22 Thursday (Wulfrun College ‘Day Release’)

Mr Lowbridge took us for Accounts, we did Bar, Sports and Council accounts for 19.9A book work. In Commerce we did supermarkets and retail prices. Had a film in History about a court case on infanticide. Mr Lowbridge took us for the rest of the afternoon. I borrowed ‘Through Birmingham (Snow Hill)’ by M.Hale.

23 Friday

Sorted out some more cheques. Pay-day today. Audrey’s office being painted – they moved into Ken’s office. At dinner watched blast furnace flush some slag. ‘G’furnace nearly ready for next heat. Had ‘White Paper’ supplement to ‘Steel News’ (See ‘Steel News’ section). Had reply from Llanwern – v.good stuff!

26 Monday

Audrey and John are still in Ken’s office as theirs is being re-painted. Went to work in new shirt and trousers. Sorted some cheques in a tray today. At dinner visited blast furnace – a chap – Mr Fletcher – said he’d bring ‘the book’ tomorrow. Had a look at Jim Larner’s Steel Report booklet for 1972. Finished 19th Century Iron making tonight.

27 Tuesday

Nout to do this morning – got ‘the book’ – Practical Ironmaking – v.good. Mr Fletcher gave me the keys to his car – Consul Classic (presumably to get the book-I don’t recall driving it). At dinner went into melting shop and saw them putting the gun (on) in between furnace doors on ‘D’ furnace – sort of dull red inside, the flame took a bit of firing. Gave ‘White Paper’ supplement Steel News to Mr Hughes – Econ. Geog at Tech tonight.

TV : Saw ‘Banacek’ with George Peppard.

28 Wednesday

Sorted more cheques today. At dinner saw blast furnace flushing at about 1:15, saw ‘G’ furnace, hung around the melting shop. Returned to blast furnace where a chap told me that a man was gassed once around the bosh*. John went to Wolverhampton Works.

*The bosh area is slightly above head height and this gassing occurred on an elevated walkway around the furnace, just above the bustle main. The point of the story was that it is possible to be gassed even at lower levels.

March 1973

1 Thursday (Wulfrun College ‘Day Release’)

Did some more ‘single entry’ accounts today with Mr Lowbridge. Did wholesalers in Commerce. Had sandwiches, sausage roll, yoghurt and doughnut for dinner as no hot dinners were available. In library all afternoon. Had Mr Heaton for a bit then Mr Lowbridge.

2 Friday

John on holiday today and yesterday, so Ken was in. Plenty of cheques to send today – hundreds in fact. At dinner phoned up the bus depot to find out times of buses into town tomorrow and Monday. Visited blast furnace and melting shop – chap in de-gasser said ‘F’ furnace was about to cast – I was there! Had mix-up over ‘Hardon Iron and Steel Co.’ cheque today.

5 Monday

Driving test @ 12:15 !! Left work at 10:30, caught 10:50 ‘Circular’. Had preparation lesson at 11:25. Had driving test at 12:15 – passed! Mr Harrison took me as far as the first traffic lights on Parkfields Rd. Had bite to eat at Works canteen. Put cheques in envelopes and did the telephones too. Hope to drive to work on Wednesday.

6 Tuesday

Finished off sending the 28.2.73 Prompts. Counted telephones money. Had people in cashing their prizes awards 1971/72. A chap cashed expense sheet for German exchange scheme – loads of receipts. Did I.O.C.’s in Geog. Drove (Hillman) Imp to our house – 1st time ! By myself.

7 Wednesday

Drove to work for the 1st time today – a bit frosty this morning – nice coming back though. Did some re-tax coding for Audrey too. Balanced ok. Did washing up for Audrey – she will do it on Friday. Managed to put the Imp in the garage – got home at 5:05 !!

8 Thursday (Wulfrun College ‘Day Release’)

Drove to tech today – had the Imp in the garage at night. Did single entry 18.11 and 14 in Accounts. In Commerce we did production of commodities & futures. At dinner had a sandwich, checked tyre pressures. In library to 3:45 had Mr Heaton to 4:45. Did Accounts with Mr Lowbridge to 5:30. Got home at 5:40 ! Got a W.E.Lewis red ‘driving wallet’.

9 Friday

Drove in – got there at 8:15. Did some more tax coding for Audrey. Visited blast furnace then went into melting shop – saw them teeming opposite ‘G’ furnace, walked to the end, up steps and back along the landing. Saw blast furnace flush slag at 1:45. Drove home at 5:05.

TV : Saw end of ‘Magpie’. Saw ‘The Comedians’.

Music: played Beach Boys: ‘Little Deuce Coupe’.

12 Monday

Dot’s away today – I was on the till – balanced OK. At dinner blast furnace slag was rather red and coldish looking. “It’s got the bellyache” I was told. In the melting shop ‘E’ furnace was casting, slag was overflowing near a fork-lift truck. Returned to the blast furnace where the stock slipped and charging commenced.
Started to reconcile the pension warrants. Drove to and from work today.

TV: Dave Allen tonight.

13 Tuesday

Dot’s here today – and so is Mrs Barham – went in to see Mr G. Davies at about 9:15, came out at 9:45, he said, “so the Cashiers is not your forte!” At dinner blast furnace off blast, approx. 4 tuyeres undone – a chap using an oxygen lance on one tuyere (see my sketch below). 3 furnaces off in the melting shop – I think ‘B’, ‘C’ and ‘D’. ‘D’ was ‘simmering’. Drove home and the on to tech. John (McGraw) got (book) ‘Heat the Furnace Seven Times More’ out for me.