ok so for the record I thought I would document every job I’ve ever had – not in Derek and Clive fashion though (I don’t suppose anyone other than Keith gets that reference) but in chronological order and approximate dates and salaries until my salary gets too embarrassing to post that is …
1. Langs of Richmond. 1975 to 1979. Camping shop owned by a lovely second career couple. Started working there when I was 13 on Saturdays after my Dad went there to buy a tent. I was the expert given I actually went backpacing. – £3 for the day. They also had a kiosk that I manned over lunch and once sold Phil Bennet (the Welsh 10 icon) some chewing gum before playing England later that day. Chris my sister worked in the kiosk for a while too – cannot remember why – was she at Uni then?
2. Sainsbury’s Putney. 1979 to 1980. Friday evenings then Saturdays too before heading into London for date night with Gisèle. £16 but I then wanted to leave (was so dull on the tills) so, because I wasn’t a retard they offered me the job of provisions manger on a Saturday only for same money so I did the cold meats, cheeses etc stock take. Early evening I would also discount soon to be out of date stuff – boy was I popular with the ladies (the 60+ somethings asking me to discount their preferred stuff)
3. Barts Hospital Histopathology Medical Laboratory Scientific Officer. 1980 to May 1981. Salary £3592 per year. Used to carry the body parts across the Barts courtyard (concealed obviously) for medical photography. Saw an amputated leg once – surprisingly heavy. Had my BCG on Little Britain – funny I live right there now.
4. The Victoria – a Pub in East Sheen Summer of 1981. I used to walk to and from and through Richmond Park at Midnight. Sheen gate to Richmond gate in the pitch black – always felt like someone was following me ..,
University of Surrey, Chemical Engineering undergraduate Sept 1981 to Summer 1985.
5. Pub in Wandsworth – The Old Sergeant Garret Lane. summer of 1982. They used to have live piano on Saturday nights – a Youngs pub and lock ins for the policemen who frequented (who were horrible by the way). Yes folks pubs used to close back then at 3pm and reopen at 6pm weekdays. Cycled to and from home.
6. Johnson Wax Frimley Green. Intern Chemical Engineer in Pilot Plant. Summer 1983 to 1984. £cannot remember per year. Used to drive down from home.
7. Matthew Hall Engineering. Sept 1985 to December 1986. Graduate Process Engineer. £8352 per year. Spent 3 months at bp office in Barbican and first time offshore visiting Magnus. Also worked in Sale, Manchester at a fine chemical plant owned by a company called Ward Blenkinsop. They made methyl isocyanate .. Bhopal killer.
8. Jan 1987 to Sept 1988 Brewing Research Foundation Nutfield. £11500 per year. Developing better way to assess viability of yeast before being pitched and automatic fermenter control. Beer tasting written into my contract … shame.
9. Sept 1988 to July 1989 Air Products. Process Engineer. £14500 per year. Did box check and then 4-month start up of ASU8 in Pohang South Korea.
10. August 1989 to Feb 1991 Genesis. £28500 per year. Short lives 12h days 7 days a week – was too hard.
11. March 1991 to Feb 1987 Air Products. £27000 per year and £37500 per year when I left + company car. Spent a year 1995-96 in Allentown.
12. March 1997 to July 2016 Genesis. £45000 per year rising to ‘a lot’ when I left in 2016. Spent 1998 to 1999 in Stavanger then 2001 to 2003 in Paris.
13. September 2016 to June 2026 io consulting. £cannot possibly say.
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