WHO WHERE YOUR MENTORS YOU HAVE MOST TO THANK FOR?

[marconi]

Lucien Nunes mentioned and gave credit to one of his mentors which reminded me of three fellows who I have much to thank.

My next door neighbour taught electrical engineering, apprentice electricians and the electrical aspects of refrigeration systems. He did his apprenticeship at Metropolitan-Vickers in Leeds and then the Yorkshire Electricity Board before teaching. I learned from him the art and science of electrical work. Enough as a teenager to do electrical work and my own design of burglar alarm in folk's homes and businesses and do the testing required at the time. He taught me to abide by the rules which he regarded as accumulated wisdom.

The next is my physics teacher who applied physics to everything from the green flash at sunset to the Magnus effect of footballs. He posed me problems which in the early days I could solve or get close to solving but increasingly problems that were beyond my ken and reach at the time - and that was their purpose.

Finally, my uncle who was an electrician in the 1930's, volunteered for the RAF and served as a flight sergeant maintaining the electrical and electronic equipment in the Wellington bomber. After the war he made TVs, repaired them and radios in his wonderful workshop and invented solutions to problems - he was just pipped to the post on the automatically operated extractor fan in toilets. He loved experimenting - how things perform in real life and not just on the drawing board, and fixing things.

What about you?

 

[Pete999]

My Mentor Pete Orange, nice bloke. good Sparks, sadly left this world far to early, rest in peace Pete O. My teachers at Day release, Edward Woodward (no not the original Calan or Equalizer) just a good teacher, Les Gault who took over from Ed and Dr Death he looked like ---- Scientist, scared me to death but he gave me a prize at the end of my course, funny as it may be he was German by birth, but he was adept at getting the best out of you, took no prisners, if you messed about you were out end of, thanks to all of them, teach the Angels how to rewire Heaven.

 

[marconi]

My Mentor Pete Orange, nice bloke. good Sparks, sadly left this world far to early, rest in peace Pete O.

Might you say please a little more about him and his influence on you?

 

[hightower]

For all I don't agree with everything my uncle told me, I can't thank him enough for allowing me to work alongside him and gain much needed experience. Other than that, this place has been the biggest mentor, so thanks all.

 

[Pete999]

Might you say please a little more about him and his influence on you?

Pete O was about 7 years older than me, he taught me loads of things (this was in the late 60s mind you) one job I recall, was wiring some sockets in a remote cottage, Pete actually got fired for takng time to teach me (got taken back on after though)
He taght me Domestics, Conduit, MICC How to treat customers, I was the only one from the small firm we worked for who was invited to his Wedding, lots of people thought Pete O was a snob, far from it. he was a Gent, we often joked that I was better than sliced bread, and he was sliced bread.
We lost contact for a while, Pete O went to work for the PSA Property Services Agency, looking after MOD properties, I seemed to follow Pete O around for a while, he was posted to MOD Bath looking after a computor suite A/C installation, I followed him in that area as well,something else he taught me about, PeteO was posted to Cyprus Akroteri, I followed but was shoved up the top of the Troodos Mountains, by this time we were both posted back to the UK, I was posted to Moscow for 4 years, by the time I was repatriated and promoted, Pete O had become riddled with Cancer and died, a very sad time for me as a good Friend, Pete O had a daughter and named her Peta, I liked to think he named after me, but sadly I'll never know, as his Wife had passed away a few years ealier.
I still think of Pete O occasionally with regret that he was gone, PeteO a Gentleman, good Sparky above all a good Friend. RIP Pete O, hope we will meet again in the hereafter. You did ask Marconi.

 

[Squid]

All I remember was a big black dude from Brixton when I was 16.5 and just starting out mellow as anything and taught me some tricks his nickname was Uncle, also Ron and old sparks who would always ponce 50p off me on a Wednesday to play the dogs until payday on a Thursday.

 

[Pete999]

All I remember was a big black dude from Brixton when I was 16.5 and just starting out mellow as anything and taught me some tricks his nickname was Uncle, also Ron and old sparks who would always ponce 50p off me on a Wednesday to play the dogs until payday on a Thursday.

So he taught you well then?

 

[Squid]

So he taught you well then?

Uncle yep, Ron taught me not to gamble and not to be a loser in life.

 

[pirate]

My Dad...simple as that. He was mad keen on building things, and built a 32' powerboat in the garden...taught me how to do woodwork, plumbing, electrics...mainly simple stuff you would find on a boat..but he always told me there ain't no RAC or AA out at sea, so you'd better learn how to fix it yourself...I could strip a marine diesel and rebuild it, carry out electrical installations that were waterproof, and bypass a busted cooling water pump with a bit of hose, resurrect a drowned outboard motor, all by the time I was 14. He got me a wee sailing dinghy when I was 10, and just let me loose on the water, no lifejacket...in all, I learnt self-sufficiency and that has helped me my whole life...
He was a doctor by profession, but just lived to sail the west coast of Scotland.
Also, Albert Camus, who's book L'Etranger changed my outlook on life.

 

[7029 dave]

My oldest mentor, would be over 100 years old now , he was 66 then, a very long time ago.