From Terry Baker:
Further to my submission in NetLetter #1430 regarding my memories of LHR staff. This, incidentally, first appeared in NetLetter #960 issued February 5, 2007 but I thought that it was worth repeating, if only to encourage readers' responses.
At that time we received this memory from Trevor Trower which appeared in NetLetter #962 and we will repeat here –
So many names you mention talking about the old days at Heathrow.
I operated into that station as a Purser flying out of YUL and YYZ, with the North Star and the Super Connie. How well I recall those wonderful people who worked for the company in those days.
Everyone pulled their weight, everyone went that extra mile to fix things that went wrong. How pleasant to have Big Jim, Kenny or Archie meet the airplane with that old Bedford crew bus, they were so pleasant it almost made us forget the vehicle had no springs and they made the ride to our Hotel very pleasant. Dickie at commissary, however busy, always was so darn cooperative and friendly. Rae George could always be counted on to provide a little something extra, like a birthday cake for one of the crew.
Does anyone remember that one of the kitchen staff would go to the market at 4 o’clock in the morning to buy special tomatoes to put on the passengers' salads? Also, those wonderful afternoon teas they would prepare for our customers, scones, clotted cream and strawberry preserves, I can almost taste them now.
Harry on the ramp with his two-way radio, and April in the traffic centre, almost all those names I'll remember most fondly.
A team of ladies would hit the airplane as soon as the passengers were off, with a smile and now and again a song as they made the airplane spic and span for the return trip.
Those days of course are long gone now, but with the ability to recall, we can bring them back once in a while and dust them off, and for a while they bring a smile to our face.
Remember the amazing first flight on the DC-8 to Shannon, I was the purser on that flight and we served thirty two bottles of champagne while airborne, I recall how impressed the employees and the press were on that 'fam flight' and the super write-up we received in the press.
Thanks for the memory,
Trev Trower, Flight Service Director Retired.