In September 1964 the Sun newspaper was first published to replace the old fashioned Daily Herald. At about this time I had my first paper round and earned fifteen shillings (.75p) a week in return for getting up at six o’clock, six days a week, to lug a bag of newspapers around the village before going to school.
Thursday was a bad day because of the Radio and TV Times magazines but Friday was by far the worst because the addition of the Rugby Advertiser doubled the weight of the bag. Later I had a Sunday round as well and that paid fifteen shillings for the one day but that stared an hour later so that thankfully meant a bit of a lie in.
One of the occupational hazards of being a paper boy was dogs, and as I have explained I really don’t like dogs! One I can remember used to scare me witless when it would jump at the letterbox and pull the newspaper through whilst I was delivering it. One day I hung on to the other end and the dog shredded the outer pages. I think it must have got a kick up the backside or something because it didn’t do it again for a while. I would be surprised if Sunday paper rounds exist anymore because to deliver to fifty houses or so would need a dumper truck to replace the old canvas bag on account of the size of the newspapers and the weight of all of the colour supplements.
The paper round was important because towards the end of my career I used to assist the newsagent, Mr Dalton, to sort out the rounds and this taught me new skills that I was able to put to good use later in life when it was my job at the council to organise the refuse collection rounds.
Have Bag, Will Travel 
Nice twist on the theme interpretation!
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Hi,
I haven’t seen a paper boy around for many years now, it is a shame really it was one way for kids to earn a bit of money. Here in Australia, they banned child labour so it is illegal for any child to deliver papers, maybe other parts of the world done the same thing.
I love the way you have done this post, brilliant idea for the theme. 😀
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Ha! Another one here who thinks that is a neat interpretation of ‘Sun’. I suspect you and my partner could down a few beers while swapping newspaper round stories. He was another one up at the crack of dawn struggling with huge bags of papers before school. Can’t remember how much he got, must ask when he gets in.
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If he got more than 15 shillings I’m going to register a retrospective employment tribunal claim against Darlaston’s News Agency on the grounds of exploitation!
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But of course if he got less than I guess Mogfords Newsagents will have a forthcoming tribunal on their hands instead 🙂 I do know when he started his apprenticeship he got more for the paper rounds than at work!
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Clever interpretation of the challenge. Have to admit I’m enjoying seeing the Murdochs being put on the spot in the Leveson enquiry, definately a bit of a smell of pants on fire going on there
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But will anyone actually go up in flames at the end of it?
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Well I reckon Hunt will have to resign soon to save the rest of Poshboys cabinet and in the fullness of time Rebecca Brooks may end up in the dock when they can’t pin anythiong on the dirty Diggeer and his brood
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I delivered the paper as a kid, too! I think it’s a wonderful rite of passage 🙂
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Around here, a newspaper boy’s life is still a rite of passage. I believe it teaches young boys many things even as they struggle to peel themselves off the warm bedsheets every morning. Two thumbs up for all newspaper boys.
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