[Finance] How big was your paper round?

RossyG · Feb 16, 2020

Those of us delivering free sheets could only dream about tips. Three christmases and not a penny...

People would actually ring up and complain if they didn’t get their free paper, though, and I’d get a snotty rebuke written in pen on my wage packet. I remember being amazed at the sense of entitlement of some people. Just shows that if you regularly give people free stuff it doesn’t make them grateful and it doesn’t take them long to get indignant if they don’t get it.

Arkwright · Feb 16, 2020

I had a milk round in Caterham in the 1970's working Saturday and Sunday use to start at 6am and finished by midday.
Paid £2 each day plus tips. A terrible admission I use to put an extra penny or two on customers bills, it covered the cost of the train for home games.
Always had tea stops on the round normally sweet old ladies wanting ten minutes of company. Sadly killed by the supermarkets.

Ernest · Feb 16, 2020

I worked a bit in the local greengrocers , got fed up with all the old dears asking to SQUEEZE my plums. Delivered the Advertiser for a while till they found out my idea of delivering them was to lob them by the bundle into the fields off King George VI Avenue and did a morning paper round for a while which was the best of the lot especially when the papers/trains or whoever was on strike and only had to deliver a few papers that morning

Stoichkov · Feb 16, 2020

Great thread

I did 'The Leader' - 115 on a Thursday around Hollingdean so loads of steps and, of course, zero tips

A bloke did once come out around Christmas with a couple of quid and then realised I wasn't the Argus delivery boy and went back inside. Marvellous.

Leaflets were a nightmare and had to be put inside each paper. The Bus time table was the worst and the best was - by far - trial single fingers of 'Time Out' bars so of course no one got those through the door. Also - they were in a packet so there was no way of getting them in a newspaper.

I graduated to being a bulk 'drop off point' for the Argus van which would deposit about 700 Leaders on my verge on a Wednesday evening. The driver was always furious, late and driving about 100mph

I'd have to sort the bulk load into the various rounds for other Leader delivery kids to pick up.

I'd try to deliver about 80 of my round before school on a Thursday and then do the rest afterwards. The weight of the bag was ridiculous sometimes.

I was pondering the other week how I'd get a sense of satisfaction of a job well done once that last newspaper had gone through the letterbox unlike anything I've had at work in a 'grown up' career. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that there was one week which I can honestly say was, looking back, one of my greatest feelings of contentment - school had just finished for summer, it was sunny and warm, I had 6 weeks of football, tennis, cricket with my mates to look forward to and as soon as that last paper went through - I went down the newsagents to buy sweets, crisps and a car magazine. Absolutely brilliant feeling.

Sorrel · Feb 16, 2020

I did an early morning one 6 days a week and a free paper one one evening back in the mid 80s. Lots of flats with old ladies who said "Have two shillings" and gave me a 10p bonus at Christmas.

On the evening one I used to buy a bag of sweets to eat on the way round and spent most of the money I'd earned before I got home. That taught me all about economics, in the end.

Herr Tubthumper · Feb 16, 2020

I initially had an Evening Argus round in Newhaven from Dees Newsagents. Took it over from a friend, but then got my coveted morning round very quickly. I used to deliver up Brighton Road, an old people’s home and then a few houses up the top of valley estate near the home. I had about 70 papers, mainly Sun and Mirror, and never did Sunday as this was a separate gig. The home was about 20 papers indoors and I used to sit in there for 10 mins and flick through a paper, was nice especially in the winter. I can’t recall how much I got paid but it wasn’t much possibly a pound a week. If the papers were late we were given some small amount of pennies extra. I enjoyed it and it gave me some income.

A neighbour had an Argus round directly from the Argus. He’d collect the papers from the Argus van dropped off at the bus stop on Brighton road opposite the Schooner garage; he’d then deliver about 50 papers all over Newhaven. I stood in for him a few times when he was ill or on holiday. This direct round was much much better paying than mine, I think I got about 6 pounds a week. It needed a bike as it covered such a large area and walking was not possible.

Garry Nelson's teacher · Feb 16, 2020

lawros left foot said:
My Mum wouldn’t allow any of her kids (6 of us)to have a paper round, “ Slave Labour”, I can see her point, although I do look now as if I had 5 rounds, in Siberia, and no bike.

Used to go beating for the local shoot on a Saturday, and help out on a farm on Sunday.

Now that's what a call a dream job: beating off and getting paid for it.

mune ni kamome · Feb 16, 2020

Up Medmerry Hill, Few houses at the Birdham Road/Bevendean Crescent junction and back down Nyetimber Hill. 3 years solid. Must have been 1966-68

Nitram · Feb 16, 2020

Early seventies, no idea of the pay but saved enough to buy a racing bike. Posh area and remember getting a £5 tip from one house at Christmas which was a fortune then. Best part was the house that had Men Only delivered. Other highlight was the one occasion the lady of the house who took delivery of the mag was wearing a black see through nightie.

upthealbion1970 · Feb 16, 2020

Did one early 80s from Norton’s corner in the dip.

Think it was about 30 houses but it was down roedale road then up the bottom of Hollingdean terrace, stanmer villas, Brentwood crescent then up over to Dave drive and back to the top of Hollingdean terrace

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

thedonkeycentrehalf · Feb 16, 2020

Kids today are so pampered - had loads of arguments with Mrs DCH about have Jnr do a paper round and her saying it isn't safe etc.

I was lucky as my main paper round was for Taylors in Tarring. They would mark up the papers ready for you and paid more than most papershops. I had a weekday only round (weekend rounds got extra) but it was a spread out round and we used to have local papers twice a week (Gazette on Wednesday, Herald on Friday) plus things like the Radio Times. Always remember one flat near Tarring Church had The Lady delivered. As I was always one of the first out in the mornings, I would sometimes get a second round if someone had called in sick. I couldn't believe my luck with Christmas tips and the first year went to Rayfords Electricals to buy one of those new fangled clock radios!

On top of that was a Advertiser round of several hundred houses on a Wednesday night before I got rid of that and swapped it for an Argus evening round instead which paid more money for much less work.

There were also the ad-hoc delivery jobs. I remember getting paid decent money for delivery loads of Dialling Code booklets on behalf of BT all around West Worthing.

Towards the end, I got rid of the Argus round and started a little entrepreneurial business for a local estate agent. I would charge them half the price of postage to deliver their new house details across town and those I couldn't deliver I would drop off at the main post office saving the boss a trip out. It meant they saved money and their info got to the customers before their rivals. I was able to plan my own route so, when I had football training on a Tuesday night, I would set my route to finish by the training ground rather than hope. They ended up paying me more money as the service was bringing them benefits.

smartferndale · Feb 16, 2020

Several years back Tescos would take money off vouchers for items they sold even if you did not buy them. Daughters did the free papers and made more on the coupons than delivering the papers, Surprised that so many people did not want the coupons!!!!!

swindonseagull · Feb 16, 2020

In the Mid 70's My paper round (morning) started at home Foredown Drive....bike to shop Portslade Village probably 1.5 miles.....Paper Round in Mile Oak (claim to fame was Peter Wards paper boy when he lived in Mile Oak)
finished next to my school Portslade Community college.....but not that easy......cycle back to shop, drop off bag...cycle home then walk to school ....

Wages no idea long time ago.....kids today huh.....taken to school by Mummy in a Chelsea tractor...

Boroseagull · Feb 16, 2020

I used to do a paper round for Chevin's or Woodbourne Ave. An evening round that consisted then of The Evening Standard and as it was the then The Evening Argus. The round covered Highfield Crescent and Wilmington Way and I finished at the top of Wilmington at the No. 19 bus stop, let the driver and conductor read the last paper and got a free ride back to the bus stop outside our house, 48 Greenfield Cres., was paid 6 shillings a week for that. Happy memories of 1960. I also used to help the milkman, Holes & Davigdor on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

Stat Brother · Feb 16, 2020

It does seem thanks to this thread many have had a pleasant jaunt down memory lane, which is nice.
Especially as I was aiming for pamper teens and 'you think you had it bad'. :lol:

father_and_son · Feb 16, 2020

Can't believe how short some of the rounds mentioned are. I did a free paper in the early 80s and it was 270 papers and about a 2 mile round trip (started in next street so that was easy).

Covered quite a few rounds over the summer hols so did over 1,500 one weekend.

At 1p a paper all the money was in the leaflets though. 2 or 3 and you doubled your money for very little extra work.

LamieRobertson · Feb 16, 2020

Sunday morning paper rounds were a curse when I did mine back in olden days..size of the feckin letterbox’s for the Sunday Telegraph or Times..geez ...what with that and the beware of the dog” signs ..I quickly managed to get my round shrunk by dumping their newspapers elsewhere

Sirnormangall · Feb 16, 2020

I did a round in the early 70s in Patcham ( lots of hills). 7 days a week, up at 6pm to deliver around 30 papers. Most people expected their paper before 7.30 , so they could take it to work or read it before going to work. As others have said, Sunday’s were a nightmare when the Sunday supplements were invented as it doubled the weight! Pre decimalisation pay was around £1 and 10 shillings per week. Xmas tips were fantastic if you did the job well. I can’t imagine many kids ( including my own) doing that now.

Weststander · Feb 16, 2020

GREASED WEASEL said:
what year were those times introduced?

pretty sure I was there when they changed (76-80)

Tideway started the 8am to 2.30pm (with just a 30 minute lunch) school day in 1971, when Southdown Buses refused to supply buses any later for kids coming in from Peacehaven, Telscombe Cliffs, etc. As they were needed for normal bus routes.

So it started before our time, I was there in the same years as you.

Every other secondary, comp or grammar in the country was doing an 9 til 4 back in the day, or thereabouts.

The long afternoon/evenings after school were very much appreciated, thank you Mr Rothwell.

No school (orange) uniform from the second year (year 8 now) was also fantastic for kids.

Lindfield by the Pond · Feb 16, 2020

portlock seagull said:
Best part of two evenings a week for several years doing the freebie. Leaflets were bonanza time! 1/2p per house. Cat used to love playing with those plastic strips that wrapped a bundle of papers. Happy days and all weathers!

Yep remember the days of the leaflet bonanza. Even got involved in some crime fighting, delivering to a burgled house (door had been kicked in). Notified police as saw some suspicious characters on the round. A quick rush to the station, and they were picked up at a station downline.

Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊

[Finance] How big was your paper round?

Well-known member

Arkwright

Stupid IDIOT

The Miserable Bulgarian

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

bring on the trumpets....

Retired

Active member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Not awoke

Well-known member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Share this page