Leyland Motor Works ..Pancake Tuesday tradition

[jwhi]

(31-Jan-2008 06:26 PM)Dave Hewitt Wrote:  We kept the pancake Tuesday blacking of apprentices going in the Boilershop up to 1979 think it most probably died with the demise of Leyland. We used to chase the lads around the factory then black their faces and parade them around with a collection box, then they went off home. Never grumbled about it they got a good collection and a day off.

I also remember when I got married I was working at Municipal appliances in Bamber Bridge. They wired a chamber pot up in the roof trusses and I had to climb up to release it with everyone banging on the noisiest things they could find.

Health and safety might not approve nowadays

I never experienced the blacking on pancake Tuesdays, don't know why - I was an apprentice in Comet shop, OEF, BX and No 8 shop from 1963 to 67. I do remember getting out early though.
No 8 shop at Spurrier works had a tradition which I didn't come across anywhere else - on the last day before Christmas all the apprentices on the engine assembly lines had to go round singing carols with a collecting box....then the big shareout which made it all worthwhile.