Bob Parkin born 1920 at Pye Hill tells of his early working life at James Oakes & Co’s Pye Hill Pipe & Brick Works. He started work there early 1935 in the Blacksmith’s Shop on the brick yard side of the works. Bob says when he started the pipe yard had been operating for 50 years and the brick yard even longer. He tells in incredible detail, the difference between wire cut, common and engineering bricks and of the 18 chamber kiln with its 150 foot square chimney which was
built when Bob worked there. He went up with the steeplejack on a wooden and rope lift to help steel band the top of the new chimney and he said the draw on the chimney could have pulled you down. An absolutely fascinating account.
Photo: Bob aged about 15 when he first started at the pipeyard.
