I started my apprenticeship in May 1977 - first weeks wage was £22. But that turned out to be incorrect, as I was 17 when I started, not 16 like most starting apprentices. Apprentice wages increased with age, so subsequent weeks were £28 - of which half went to my mother for board.

IIRC my final year apprentice wages were £69 a week (1981) and my first "skilled rate" job at a different company was £105 - all for 42 hour weeks IIRC.

My new CZ 250 Deluze cost £413 OTR in November 1979 - cheaper than the MZ TS250/1 I would have prefered (£525 OTR) but just affordable without a loan after being allowed £150 p/x for the MZ TS150 I was running at the time.

Nigel B.