Arthur West

By Judy Tarran

Arthur West as a young man

During my father’s employment by the East Riding County Council he had the job of a ‘lengthman’. This meant that he had responsibility for a ‘length’ of road – in his case it was the A166 from Andrews Garage (near Fridaythorpe) to the turn-off for Malton past the end of Skirpenbeck Village, at which points he met up with other lengthmen. His responsibilities were keeping the grass verge cut and hedges trimmed (using a sickle and scythe), the gutters clear (using a spade), sweeping the road (using a large bristle brush) and the spreading of grit by hand in icy weather and snow on Garrowby Hill, which was particularly hazardous. All these ‘tools of the trade’ were carried on the crossbar of his bicycle which was provided by ERCC.

He had to start work at 7 am so if he was at the top of his ‘beat’ it was walking most of the way – coming home his progress was perhaps faster! He often left home at 6 o’clock, not returning until 6 or later in the evening depending on the weather. His starting and finishing work were often checked by a supervisor, and he had to complete a ‘time-sheet’ at the end of the week, which was Monday to Saturday. In the late 1940s he received no ‘holiday pay’, so his break was Saturday night to Sunday night at his brother’s in Hull. The buses were more frequent then! My mother and I were more fortunate, spending a week in Scarborough each year (I was one of the lucky ones as most children didn’t go away at that time).

He witnessed many serious accidents on Garrowby Hill, the worst being a bus crash in which a lot of people died – he talked of his helplessness at being unable to free trapped people. Traffic, of course, was less but he had many anecdotes about motorists, one being that he spent the whole afternoon helping this chap and his ‘man’ who were travelling to the Spa at Bridlington. He was thanked for his assistance and was given the princely sum of two shillings! The gentleman he assisted was Joe Loss.