[Arthur Gill left school aged 13 and started his working life]

My next job was at a Painters and Decorators in Sunny Bank Street, Leeds. […] I remember being sent out with one of the painters on a house decorating job in Blackman Lane. One day when he was inside the house whitewashing the ceiling of the Sitting Room from a pair of steps I started gaily whistling to pass time on—he said to me “Stop that B----y row you young B----r”. Not being very obliging and thinking I had a right to whistle if I wanted to, I persisted—without any warning he threw the whitewash brush at me with all his might. Fortunately for me, I was a very nimble kid and dodged the brush [.]