A Hatfield – ASME96GMMA

By Arthur Hatfield

My glory days as a welder at James A Joblings glassworks that lasted forty years. I started 21^st of the 12^th ’65, I planned to be there just six months, boy I got that wrong. Pyrex as everybody named it in Sunderland 7.30 till 4pm my working day, a lot of overtime I would work seven days a week for months, welding moulds, plugs made of stainless steel for the pressware factory, to make plates, cups, pans and washing machine windows, casseroles for cooking, a host of glassware for the housewife. Then blow (?) for the glass blowers, blow irons all sizes water cooled, doors at the side of the tank to keep the men from getting hot. Apart from that work me and my workmates would work inside the layer, ?? the layer of glass would be burnt at the sides, working 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 11 months a year. I enjoyed my work, it was very hard, very, very hot in places, 100 to 130 degrees of heat. I worked with some wonderful men and very good tradesmen, a big help to me. I’ve had some laughs, good times, still meet up for a chat and a drink. I finished my working career April 2002, very lucky, still miss my work and good friends. Arthur Hatfield ASME96GMMA