Joe White was a builder and carpenter who traded from Bessie Street. Over the years he had a succession of apprentices, including a young Len Fairclough. He was still working in July 1962 when he suddenly died and his widow had no choice but to lay off his final apprentice, Jerry Booth. After spotting a card in the window of the Corner Shop on Coronation Street advertising for an apprentice, the newly-unemployed Jerry answered it only to find that it had been placed by none other than Len. On the basis that he had been working for Joe, Len took him on immediately.
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