Rock and roll, oddballs and spirit level bubbles - former Advertiser reporter's book about Rugby in the '60s reaches Beijing

A former Advertiser reporter's vibrant account of Rugby during the Swinging Sixties has received glowing reviews as far as Beijing.

John Phillpott joined the Advertiser as a trainee reporter in the 1960s, and he shares his experiences in his latest book, published by Brewin Books and titled Go and Make the Tea, Boy!

And within less than two weeks of the book hitting the shelves, John’s former colleague Pete Welton not only had a copy delivered to his newspaper office in Beijing, China, but he also read it in a continuous marathon sitting, taking only a short break for a meal.

Former Rugby Advertiser reporter Pete was full of praise for his old mucker’s account of the various oddballs, drunks and assorted characters in the newspaper trade they both knew once upon a lifetime ago.

Pete writes: “Last night, I once again put my Yale key in the side entrance door to the ‘Tiser in Albert Street, passed the offices of Messrs Leeson, Newey and Tew, ascended the stairs, where the linoleum was turning up, turned left and entered the smoke-filled L-shaped reporters’ room.

“I made my way round the corner and plonked myself down in the corner next to your good self.

"You were feverishly busy with some crime exclusive. As the new recruit, my lot for the morning involved the wedding forms.

“Go and Make the Tea, Boy! has reached me here in Beijing courtesy of Paul Turner, an ex-Advertiser photographer. Paul now lives in Austria. I devoured the book last evening with just one break for dinner. I couldn’t put it down.

“The nostalgia came flooding back, and you’ve set it all against the backdrop of massive changes taking place on the music scene. Bravo, thoroughly enjoyed it. Amazingly, despite Covid 19, the book took only 10 days to reach the Chinese capital.

“I joined the Advertiser in April, 1968, by which time you had been there for some three years, were older than myself, and I thought you were very

much one of the ‘big boys’.

“As the new arrival, you lot sent me out on my first day to a hardware store to buy a bubble for a spirit level. Nervous and ever-willing to please, I got halfway down the stairs before twigging, returning to the office to a round of raucous applause.

“Fortunately, I think that by the time I arrived, the work culture had moved on a tad, as I don’t recall ever being called on to make the tea.

"Since 2012, I’ve been here in Beijing working for China Daily. Perhaps one day in the not so distant future we could meet up again and swap yarns of Albert Street days."

Released by Brewin Books on July 17, Go and Make the Tea, Boy! has already been given glowing reviews in newspapers across the length and breadth of the Midlands.

You can buy a copy by visiting www.brewinbooks.com/go_and_make_the_tea_boy