| My Work
History. |
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| Before
joining South West Trains in June 2004,
I took a temporary job in a call centre.
In my last main job I had been a customer
service manager in a bingo club where
I had many varied responsibilities including
looking after the customers, cash handling,
stock control, and staff training. This
line of work was fun although sometimes
hectic. I worked here from October 1987
to October 2002. Earlier, I spent sixteen
years as a bus conductor, on both country
and city services. I really enjoyed
this job and would happily have carried
on doing it had this been possible,
but then I would have missed out on
so much more. |
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| Variety
and Flexibilty. |
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| Although
I haven't had a structured career, I
have a wide range of experience both
in employment and outside the working
environment. I've often had to work
unsupervised and have been given responsibilities
from the earliest times. With the exception
of the period at the end of my employment
with Southampton City Transport, I have
a good attendance record and have always
been flexible in what I do and when
I do it. |
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| Now
retired , I regularly go out for walks
on which I often challenge myself to
go further and faster. |
| See
Walking
Routes for more. |
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| Not
working weekends means I can get to
bus rallies to ride on and take photos
of old buses. |
| See
Bus
Photos for more. |
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| 1960 |
| 1961 |
| 1962 |
| 1963 |
| 1964 |
| 1965 |
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| Education. |
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| After passing
the 11-plus I went to Peter Symonds'
Grammar School in Winchester from
the age of 11 until I was 16,
in 1965. I left with GCE O'level
passes in maths, English language,
French, Spanish, art and Latin.
While working in bingo I took
courses in supervision and training
as well as attending sessions
on employment law and gaming legislation.
In addition, in order to be licensed
by the local justices to sell
intoxicating liquor, I needed
to pass a BII exam and hold the
necessary certificate. |
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| Peter Symonds
05/09/1960 to 23/07/1965 |
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| Early work
history 1965-1967. |
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| After leaving
school at the age of 16, in 1965,
I worked in three clerical jobs
spread over two years. These were
a filing clerk at Southern Counties
Agricultural Society (SCATS) in
Winchester, a cost clerk for Warrens
printers also in Winchester, and
the last was with Eagle Star Insurance
in Southampton. However, I was
unable to find one to really suit
me and in 1967 I decided to look
for an alternative direction. |
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| 26/07/1965
to 29/09/1967 |
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| 1967 |
| 1968 |
| 1969 |
| 1970 |
| 1971 |
| 1972 |
| 1973 |
| 1974 |
| 1975 |
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| Bus conductor
1967-1975. |
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| In 1967
I joined the Hants & Dorset
bus company in Winchester, as
a bus conductor. This was intended
to be a temporary job but I found
I enjoyed it too much to look
for anything else. In 1969 I moved
to Southampton, staying with the
company. As well as taking fares
I had to generally look after
passengers, giving information
and assistance as required. We
had no two-way radios or mobile
phones in those days and conductors
were expected to take charge of
any situation which arose, including
traffic accidents where we were
often the first people on the
scene. From early on I was involved
in staff training and often took
new drivers out for their first
few days. I also worked, often
at short notice, from other depots. |
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| 02/10/1967
to 18/01/1975 |
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| 1975 |
| 1976 |
| 1977 |
| 1978 |
| 1979 |
| 1980 |
| 1981 |
| 1982 |
| 1983 |
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| Bus conductor
1975-1983. |
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| In 1975
I left Hants & Dorset to join
Southampton City Transport, mostly
for a better basic pay. I was
forced to take (very) early retirement
in 1983 when persistent knee problems
seriously affected my ability
to work in this job. |
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| 03/03/1975
to 30/06/1983 |
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| Click
here to find out more in |
| Hold
Tight! |
| My
life as a bus conductor |
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| 1983-1984. |
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| After leaving
Southampton City Transport through
knee problems, it took a while
before I could walk properly.
Having some savings and a lump
sum payment, I decided to take
a year off, not registering as
unemployed. I spent the time travelling
in Britain and on the continent,
walking as much as possible. I
also bought my first home computer
and learned to write my own software.
It's important to have interests
outside work. |
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| Schemes for
the Deaf 1984-1985. |
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| I had the
opportunity to join a community
programme project, Schemes for
the Deaf, raising awareness of
the needs of hearing impaired
people as they go about their
daily lives. For this we were
given training in presentations
and help from members of the deaf
community. In the beginning, I
was one of those sent out to seek
appointments. This project was
designed to give unemployed people
the chance to gain useful work
experience and to give something
to the community while looking
for permanent employment. As part
of a small team or on my own,
I gave presentations to groups
including staff and management
in shops and offices, informal
talks to small groups and on one
occasion I was guest speaker at
a Rotary Club lunch. At times
I was required to act as a team
leader, helping others to develop
their confidence. Many of those
on the scheme had never held a
long term employment or had been
unemployed for several years. |
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| 21/11/1984
to 27/09/1985 |
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| During this
period, I took an active part
in local politics, having been
asked to help a former work colleague
standing for the city council.
I had no previous experience of
politics and my views are rather
fluid but I soon found myself
co-opted onto a ward committee
as secretary. In 1986 I was asked
to stand as a candidate and came
second. This was a very interesting
and busy period and I gained an
insight into the workings of both
local and national politics, being
able to meet many people from
all walks of life in the process.
The need to get back to paid work
was too strong and I decided to
withdraw from political activity. |
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| 1987 |
| 1988 |
| 1989 |
| 1990 |
| 1991 |
| 1992 |
| 1993 |
| 1994 |
| 1995 |
| 1996 |
| 1997 |
| 1998 |
| 1999 |
| 2000 |
| 2001 |
| 2002 |
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| Mecca Bingo
1987-2002. |
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| I worked
as a customer service manager
in the local Mecca Bingo club
in Portswood, Southampton until
October 2002, having joined Mecca
in October 1987. I started as
a customer service assistant and
barman, then became a supervisor,
since when I worked in every department.
I had responsibility, working
with the supervisors and other
managers, for ensuring customers
enjoyed their visit and for staff
training, maintaining standards,
buying and controlling stock and
keeping records. My responsibilities
also included looking after an
arcade of slot machines, having
previously run the cash and prize
bingo department (twice) and reception
and memberships department. I
was also the relief caller. I
took courses in Skills of Supervision
and as a Craft Trainer. I also
passed a BII exam to enable me
to hold a licence to sell intoxicating
liquor. For the final two years,
in addition to my other responsibilities,
I oversaw the administration department.
The administrator was responsible
for issuing floats, collecting
cash from each department, banking,
paying wages, maintaining employee
records, controlling purchases
and preparing management reports.
This role required complete control
of all cash within the building
while supervising all departments
and every level of management.
In this business, a small team
of staff, supervisors and management
needed to work together, sometimes
overlapping jobs and responsibilities.
I often worked in three or four
departments in one day. I had
responsibility for health and
safety and fire training, including
drills and inspections, an important
matter when dealing with several
hundred customers and staff. |
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| 09/10/1987
to 27/10/2002 |
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| Year Off 2002-2003. |
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| Once I had
decided to leave Mecca Bingo,
I looked at the sort of work I
would like to do. I chose South
West Trains as an employer and
ticket office or revenue protection
as jobs. One of the reasons for
leaving, and there were several,
had been a desire for more free
time. I planned to take a break
during the summer of 2003 and
then apply for a position in the
autumn. I enjoyed the freedom
to choose what to do and the opportunity
to visit more places of local
interest. And quite a few days
at the the beach. Good practice
for when I finally retire! |
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| Blue Arrow
Personnel at British Gas 2003-2004. |
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| Following
my year off after leaving Mecca,
I took a temporary job answering
the phones at the British Gas
call centre in Southampton for
seven months. The job included
explaining bills, correcting meter
readings, taking debit card payments
and promoting additional products. |
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| 24/10/2003
to 28/05/2004 |
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| 2004 |
| 2005 |
| 2006 |
| 2007 |
| 2008 |
| 2009 |
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| South
West Trains 2004-2009. |
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| I left Blue
Arrow to join South West Trains
as a Ticket Office Clerk, the
employer and one of the jobs I
had selected before leaving Mecca.
This position included selling
tickets and advising on routes
and fares. Resolving problems
and adapting to changing circumstances
were key abilities. I took voluntary
redundancy after almost five years,
wishing I had joined sooner. |
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| 14/06/2004
to 25/04/2009 |
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| Time
on my hands . . . . and on my feet. |
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| I left South West
Trains in April 2009. |
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| I've always enjoyed
going for walks and I've now taken that
a stage further, going out several times
a week on a variety of routes. I still
have pain in my joints and I sometimes
seem to have more toes than toenails
but I think it's worth it. Back on the
buses too - I attend a number of bus
rallies and vintage bus running days
each year. Why not follow me in Walking
Routes Diary, Bus
Photos and on social media. |
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| 26/04/2009 to present |
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