I am Poached by C. J Ward and Son

131 as he could. He was fed up with being treated second rate. He hated having to stub out John Wards cigarette ends.

He came to Granada and past all the tests and was accepted. He joined Granada as a Technician in October 1974.

I am Poached by C. J Ward and Son

It was in October 1974 that I received a call from Mr. C J Ward asking me if I wanted a job.

I went for the interview and asked all kinds of questions as this company had recently made me redundant. I explained my problem about being a Christian and having the three-year conditional discharge over Mr Ward and he seemed sympathetic saying he had not realized this at all. I told him about the Lord Jesus Christ and what he had done for me. He said had I told him these things before he may have been able to help.

I was offered £50 per week (I was only getting £ 40 a week at Granada) plus a company car - with a day off - I was really tempted. When he offered me £60 per week and would I start straight away and not work my week’s notice I said yes, thinking this was the right thing to do. I had never had things so good. He wanted me to make a decision there and then, on the spot, without hesitation.

I thanked God for the promotion and this offer and Mr Ward seemed pleased as though he had won a prize. Here I was being offered £1000 per year more than I was getting at Granada.

After the interview I felt and asked the question was it the right thing to do and thought about my boss Tony Burnham - how would he cope? He had been good to me and got me the promotion at Granada. I then had second thoughts.

After thought and prayer I felt I should not take up the job so I rang Mr Ward saying I had decided against working for him.

The following is his letter, which shows I had obviously upset him. His letter certainly caused me concern so he got my reply.

Letter from Mr. Ward

Dear David,

I have to thank you for your letter dated 8th October, I have personally not written before as I have been trying to reconcile your actions with your religious beliefs, to this “God which spoke to you”.

You spent all one Friday afternoon asking about four pages of questions, I began to think it was myself asking for a job, which apparently were answered to your satisfaction and you agreed to take the position at a wage well above your actual capabilities but I was willing to accept, capabilities which in part we paid for you to acquire, you shock hands with me to seal

132 the bargain and when I asked if you required a contract you paid me the compliment of saying “ No your word is good enough Mr Ward”. What a pity that I cannot now pay the same compliment to you, as within 24 hours you had broken our agreement. One does not expect this from religious people of conviction; your religion is obviously different to mine. Just how it this compatible with seducing our apprentice away from us before he had completed his contract for which he so willingly, and at his own request signed for.

Yours Sincerely,

C J Ward.

My reply to Mr Ward

This reply from Mr Ward irritated me and I felt he was acting in spite so I wrote my reply 31/11/74

Dear Mr Ward,

I am sorry to hear you seem so bitter about my break of contract with you. I wrote firstly to apologize for inconveniencing you and wasting your time and money. My conscience had troubled me over saying I would start work for you and then turning your offer down.

What more can I say I know me saying sorry will not undo what has happened all I can do is apologize. Please accept my apology.

Surely you realized the reason why I asked you so many questions was because it was such a major decision I had to make. You wanted an immediate answer straight away so I had to weigh all the facts so to act in my own interest. Just as you acted in your own interest when you dismissed me before.

I am most grateful for your efforts in supplementing my training, which I realize, cost you money also. But Mr. Ward you did sack me I never intended to leave. And therefore I am under no obligation what so ever to you in that respect.

I did explain to you about Michael the last time we met. I hid nothing from you.

Whilst I worked with Michael he told me as soon as his apprenticeship was finished he was leaving you. It was under this impression I contacted him regarding working for Granada. I thought his contract finished this summer gone.

I never intended that he should break any contract. I explained to him that you had always treated me fairly and that he must make his own decisions. It was well within your own ability to freely agree to disannul the contract without aggravation to you or Michael. I am sure Michael would not have left unless you had agreed to dismiss him.