I started working in the gas industry in February 1944 as an apprentice Gas Fitter. I worked in Pontlottyn, Rhymney and at Abertysswg . My pay was 50 shillings a week and 50 shillings war-bonus, that was about 1/3 of a fitters wage they were paid about £3 a week.

There were two gas rates 19cu. Ft. a penny if the installation was payed for and sixteen cu.ft. a penny if it was a free installation. The free installation consisted of three lights and cast iron cooker. The calorific value of the gas was 450 –500 B.T.Us. From these figures it means that gas was far more expensive in those days than it is today at about 70p.per therm.

There was no vans, the fitters walked or caught a bus and I carried the tools and materials in the basket of a carrier bike. When we fitted an appliance to a wall we used a Rawl plug chisel; electric drills came along much later, maybe the early fifties

The service laying gang consisted of three men and they carried every thing in a wheel barrow, picks, shovels, pipe stand vice. Sledge- Hammer and bar. There were no jack hammers; breaking road surfaces was real hard graft. The distribution system was very inadequate on Sundays on a peak lunch cooking load, one survey showed pressures below 1inch .w.g.

At some time during my apprentice ship some chip-shops were using gas which replaced coal firing and I think due Flam burners were used, I am not quite sure about the time off changing from coal to gas, what I am sure about is that the chip shop had their meter read weekly by me or the fitter and the owner paid the meter reader for the previous week, the bill was about £2, he paid in the old twelve sided three penny pieces.