Recorded Memories

Harold Cash Interviews. October 2000 & 2001.

‘I started work at 14 at Moore and Osborne’s running about in the warehouse…

we were making a lot of cashmere stockings for the WAFs and ATS…

after 6 months I didn’t like it and got myself a job as an apprentice knitter down Atkins’

Harold had an extremely varied career at different hosiery factories in Hinckley, Burbage and Earl Shilton.

He started his working life at the age of 14 in 1942 in the warehouse, as an apprentice counterman, at Moore and Osborne, Druid Street, Hinckley, staying only six months, the work of a counterman didn’t appeal to him so he got himself a job at Atkins as an apprentice fully fashioned knitter which he loved.  He left at the age of 18 to do national service and on his return to civilian life went to work for Moore, Eady & Murcott Goode, he felt that Atkins was far too strict, although a very good company to work for.  He discusses the technical aspects of operating fully fashioned knitting machines and being ‘head hunted’ by a manager at Bird & Yeoman in Earl Shilton where he operated the Mellor Bromley four-at-once knitting machines.  With the demise in the demand for fully fashioned nylon stockings he took a job at Fine Jersey, Hurst Road, Earl Shilton where he spent 25 years becoming a ‘ trouble-shooter’- he thrived on the challenges presented to him.  The last 10 years of his working life was spent at the Argee, Keats Lane, Earl Shilton as a sewing machine mechanic.  He enjoyed his extremely varied working life and stated that all the factories he had worked at produced top quality goods.