Program

6 Across the World.

***Work***


Starting from my first Job in '88 as a junior graphic designer I've had a varied career (if that's what you can call it.)

Places I've worked in Grimsby


Dial Printers

This was my first job in 1988 when I was 18 years old. Dial Printers used to be on the corner of Victoris St. which is currently being used as a mobile phone shop. I do have some very fond memories of the building especially as the upstairs office made a cosy little pad for after hours activities. The title 'Graphic Designer' was a whole lot better than the pay I received as this job was part as a Govenment Employment Training scheeme. Also I was possibly a little too young for this job as I didn't take it particularly seriously. This wasn't helped by the jokery and trickery of my boss,Bryan Cullum.

People I worked with at Dial Printers


KP Foods.

Working night shift in a crisp factory was great! Yep, you read right. We worked Wednesday to Tuesday with saturday off and a full week off every fortnight. We worked 10pm until 7:15am which was really hard but at least I had the daytime to myself. Plus all the crisps you can eat!Sleep deprivation was a lifestyle. In a factory of hundreds of people it's very hard to start mentioning names but as I turned twenty-one while working at the factory you can imagine the proportion of KP workers who came along to my party.


MacDonalds

"You worked where?" you may ask. Yep, I was seen as quite a geriatric working as a twenty-one year old with the other students in the Mac's we affectionately refered to as'Murderburger Int.' This was the first job I landed after returning to the UK and that's the only reason I was working there.

There were real MacEnthusiasts there and the MacHero of the restaurant ('restaurant' used in as loose a term as possible) was Paul Kirby (left) who knew not only his ambitions within the job but also knew all the cooking temperatures and cooking times of a McNugget. Darren Burns is another name that comes to mind an years later I bumped into him when he also was working in London. For all who were wondering, yes he does do a rather impressive Boy George impersonation.

At the time I had a real lack of enthusiasm for the job but reflecting on those who did I think that the enthusiastic ones had an ambition that back then I just didn't realise. Everyone should have ambitions.

Because I was a comparative old codger I didn't strike any bonding relationships at Macs' but I did go paintballing one day which was a blast.

There is no self glorification in the next photo (right) - just a warning that paintball capsules can be a real pain in the backside!



East Yorkshire Glazing

Working here part-time after finishing my A-levels in 1994 was an interesting way of getting back into working. The work was cold calling straight from the phone book to sell double glazing in the Grimsby region and the atmosphere was always upbeat which we needed to keep calling and annoying the local residents (apologies to everyone I called for the inconvenience.) The only girl on telesales with us was Kirsty, whose name fitted well into the phrase 'Hello this is a Kirsty (courtesy) call from EYG.' Craig is also a local DJ, and there was Dave who liked to annoy with the song 'this is the song that'll get on your nerves' (repeat ad infinitum) Yo! MC!

One day I phoned up one househod and of all the thousands of numbers in Grimsby I heard a voice ask "Is that Rob Price?" I'd called the house of one of my college mates, Emma Craven, without realising.

Here's a shot of Craig Ranson who I worked with at EYG. Nowadays he's a DJ and Karaoke compere in and around Grimsby. He's due to get hitched in October this year. Best wishes to the happy couple.



British Telecom - International Directories

Working here was one of the turning points in my life. It was here that I started a real difficult relationship with my long time 'soulmate' Tracy Warren. It was difficult first, because I'd only recently finished my three year relationship with my only fiancee, Claire. Also because Tracy was twelve years older than me and married, although seperating, with three Children.

The job in itself was great as I had the chance to practise languages and speak to people all over the world. It was here that I received an enquiry for a number in France that lead to my working at Healthcare magazine in London. The customer commented on my French ability and mentioned his interest in Chinese which also interested me. This lead the conversation to which line he was in and ultimately an invite to the company offices the following Monday which, because I was in Grimsby, wasn't really possible. I had a telephone interview and started in the following May.

There were many people working there and as the majority of the staff were, let's say, middle aged and female then there would always be plenty of gossip to listen to at coffee time. Later because of the nature of Telecom and it's tendancy to take on more and more agency staff the staff were becoming younger and younger.

One good thing was that there were a lot of people there that I knew from other areas of my life. My old mucker Malcolm Roberts worked there for a while (he outlasted me as I went on to London). Also there was Rob Wilson, although he worked in another department.

There are some real strange people who phone up and ask for strange place names which actually exist, such as 'Knob Lick' in the states and 'Pissenpost' in Germany. On the same theme I've had some great times when customers have phoned up.

Once a gentlemen phoned asking for 'Peeket' in Thailand. I asked him to spell it and I put it into the BT computer. When nothing came up I tried a near miss search that yielded some success."I don't have a listing for 'Peeket' but I've got 'Fukkit'!", I announced with trepedation. All around me in the switchroom ears that had heard guided their eyes to my direction. Malc Roberts tried to surpress uncontrollable laughter.
"I beg your pardon?", came the reply.
"I said I've got 'Fukkit'. It's spelt P-H-U-K-E-T!" Well, I'd never been there. How was I to know?
"Oh, well that must be it then".

***

Then there was the time a customer wanted a listing for 'Knell' (pronounced with the 'k' like k'nell) and after searching Holland for it I came back with,"I'm sorry, I don't have a listing for Knell." (pron. 'fuh k'nell).


Celanese UK Ltd.

While resting my weary bones after a hard time in latter 1998 I came home to spend time with friends and family, and loved ones and luckily landed this job working for a former subsiduary of Hoechst. In the picture you can see myself, Stuart Barter (rear right), Andrew Lawson (fore left) and Paula Green.

Having moved to Grimsby from London, Stuart decided that this was not what he wanted to do after completing his chemistry degree and wanted to move back down south. So working for an agency for which I'd applied to work directly after coming home in December I started here in mid January and finished on the 30th April, my position having been taken over by Gilly Slater.



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Last updated14/02/99 - Created using Notepad by Rob Price.