CWS the Co-op

[j.sabourn]

My first offshore ships as said were Wimpeys before going with Seaforth and was considered still green behind the ears in 1978 . Offshore and deepsea were totally unlike and to me a new profession to learn. luckily there were some good shiphandlers and masters in SML and learned to start listening and watching again. 0nly managed a year or so as master on 4 of their vessels before being made redundant with many others . Won’t dwell on the stand by boats as you will know what they were like by just looking at them. Don’t make a mistake however by their manning as you’d be surprised how many good men took them as jobs rather than the dole. Australia had a different approach to manning , if you had the qualifications you were assumed to know the job , so I was on Rigs and ships that I had only looked at in the past.Life to me as regards seagoing has been a mixture of most types of shipping but there was still plenty more to see. Should be thankful for still being here and surviving in old age. Cheers JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

John.
I've been meaning to ask, how is the hip coming along, hope you are close to playing with your golf buggy again.
Des

[j.sabourn]

Still walking with crutches Des , thanks for asking , the older you get the longer it seems to heal. The pain is still there also. Cheers JS

[happy daze john in oz]

John, for the pain some excellent liquid medication is required.
A very good friend of ours who had similar problems when knocked over by a very large Scottish lady when on a cruise ,ending up in an Oman hospital.
Swears by Brandy and Ginger Ale.

[Harvey Stanger]

The CWS defined the principle of controlling the means of production to control prices. CWS brands were of good quality and reasonably priced. The membership system meant dividends were paid based on the money spent in their stores. My family’s local Coop paid a dividend of 12.5% at its peak. Quite a return and a lovely bonus for hardworking families. In my area there was a big print shop, a shirt factory and other facilities making it large employer in the area.
I believe it was finally brought down by poor management and corruption within the staff. Stories of having your choice from the furniture warehouse for £50 didn’t come from nowhere…..

I have fond memories of watching my mother making her purchases (I couldn’t see over the counter) butter came from a block and meats sliced on demand. When the items were complete the assistant would give the total immediately having added it up as she went along. Very impressive to a small child.

[Captain Kong]

Still walking with crutches Des , thanks for asking , the older you get the longer it seems to heal. The pain is still there also. Cheers JS

Hi John S,
last August when I had a New Hip I was told that the pain would last for 12 months
Nine months later I still use crutchés and a walking frame. Tho` some pain is from my 2 nd broken leg in January
cheers
Brian

[Donald Young]

I remember my mother during the war lining up at the coop just to be told
they had run out of everything when reaching the counter.
More than once this happened after a two mile walk each way.

[j.sabourn]

#36. It’s not the ball of the hip bone Brian , it’s a short way below it where there actual leg is broken and a new piece had to be inserted to fill the gap , that’s what it looked like on the drawing they did for me to explain.However the knee and the lot aches now Doing the operation awake and aware didnt help matters even being frozen from the waist down was still Awake the whole time. Said if he put me out I might not come round .when he said do you want to be resuscitated I said yes please.I still had a half bottle of whiskey at home. Think the difference in the pain levels they had me on pain relievers every 4 hours the whole time in . Cheers JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

No more standing watches or racing ashore for a pint and whatever then John.
Des

[j.sabourn]

#39.. Thought if I appeared hard done by Des , Cappy might have sent a case of Drambui over. ? JS