Peter Stringfellow - Career

Career

When Stringfellow was only 13 years old, he worked at the Wikka Cinema but his first job after leaving school was as an assistant tie salesman at Austen Reeds for three weeks. This was followed by half a day as an apprentice car mechanic. He then spent three days as a trainee Barber before finding work as a trainee projectionist at the Regal Cinema in Sheffield. Under pressure from his father, he left the cinema and went to join his father an apprentice Turner. He stayed six weeks then enrolled as an apprentice in the Merchant Navy, at the age of 16, as a trainee waiter, and a kitchen hand galley boy. His sailing career lasted two years and took him to Philadelphia and New York where he celebrated his 17th Birthday. From there he visited various Caribbean Islands and finally Venezuela, returning back to Tilbury Docks, England. He decided the sea life was not for him and he returned to Sheffield.

On his return to Sheffield, he worked briefly, at least one matinee show, as a curtain boy at the Lyceum Cinema. He finally settled as a van boy for Gilets Bakery where he met his first wife, Norma Williams. After passing his driving test at 18 he had several jobs. He worked as a travelling photographer, worked in Sutherland’s potted meat factory, and at Nova Sewing Machines and Dobson’s Furnishings Company. At Dobson’s he was accused of selling stolen carpets and sentenced to two weeks in Armley Prison Leeds in June 1962 and 6 weeks in Ford Open Prison.

After his brief incarceration, he was unable to find regular work and this led to the beginning of his career as a nightclub owner.