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Luster Finish and anodising company.

G G Jean

G G Jean

Brummy Wench.
Has anyone recollections of this company in the 60's?. It was just up from Bullpit the matchmakers. Thanks. Jean.
 
Jean: I used to work for Lustre Finish Anodising in the 60s. The manager then was John Wharrad, it was owned by Britachrome and the parent company was Folkes Engineering. It was in Camden Drive and I'm sure I have a photo of the derelict plot it was on. I posted it on here (with others) some time ago. I'll try and find it again if you like?
 
Charlie you ain't gonna believe it but so did I. I was Mr Eric Bristow's Goffa. Did his letters invoices filing and anything else that required doing. I was in the little front office. I hated the smell of the acid didh't you. I can remember quite a few of the fella's there. John Wharrard does ring a bell I think he had a young baby at the time. Jean.
 
Charlie do you remember a lad by the name of Peter Thickbroom whose girlfriend would not marry him without a name change. He was on tv and had his name changed to Broom. Just as bad as the other. We went to the wedding and watched from a distance. Too la de da for us so we spent a day on the river bank at Stourport where I remember losing one of my favourite earings. Jean.
 
Blimey Jean, you must have been my predecesor. I worked in that front office from around 1965-1967 when John Wharrad was manager - Bristow must have left (didn't he start his own company?) Jimmy McGinn was foreman.I didn't mind the smell of acid so much as having to go across to the timber yard to use their loo - there was only that smelly brick one across from the office - men only I think!
Hated "walking the plank" through the factory, ruined me tights if I didn't put the wellies on! I'll try and find that photo, small world ain't it?
Lencops: Maybe Lustre Anodising relocated to Wolverhampton then? Shame, I was there last week at the Archives, I'd have gone to take a look had I known.
 
Well Charlie I hope I left my desk nice and tidy for you. I did that job after I came back from working with the horses. I remember Jimmy he used to keep pigeons and doves. He gave me four doves for Foxhills riding stable but the cats killed the poor things. Mr Bristow did start his own company but I lost touch. Do you remember Jerry who lived up Barr Beacon?. The thing I will never forget is when they caught a rat in a cage and when alive dropped the poor thing in acid while in the cage. It makes me ill just thinking about it. Bye. Jean.
 
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The thing I will never forget is when they caught a rat in a cage and when alive they dropped the poor thing in acid while in the cage. It makes me ill just thinking about it. Bye. Jean.[/quote]

Yuk. Glad I wasn't there when they did that! I didn't see any rats either....maybe that's why!?
 
Charlie do you remember Rob and Fred brothers who worked there?. Do you know I can't remember thoses loos and think I used to hang on till I went for my lunch at the little cafe down the road. Can't remember the name of it though. Jean.
 
This is the only photo I can find of Lustre Anodising - it's taken from Legge Lane. Maybe I didn't take one from Camden Drive, all you can see are weeds and rubbish.
 
Thanks for that Charlie. I was sad to hear about the gentlemans son in my message I do remember someone with a child in a wheelchair. I remember the boss of Britachrome he was always praising his wife for her cooking and how fast she could rustle up food. Did John have a baby when you started there?. He was quite a large built man. I remember Nelly in the back she was a right chatterbox but funny. Bye. Jean.
 
I worked in the office at Bulpitts, and I do remember tha anodising coming into fashion on the kettles. They were beautiful colours. I would think that the company you are talking about actually did the anodising for the Swan Brand company.
 
I worked at Bulpitt's from 1957 onwards. I have got an idea that the kettles that were anodised were whistling kettles. I know they went out to a factory nearby to be done.
 
Len that is so much posher than our dump. I remember the old clocking in clock on the entrance wall and the fella's trying to get me to initial over the time if they were late. The factory was horrible and dingy and as Carlie said if you had to walk over the factory floor to find someone the acid would sometimes splash on your stockings or tights and the pairs I ruined. No tanoy system in those days. Jean.
 
You were definitely the one in the office before me then Jean. I worked there until my youngest son was due and he was born in 1967. So it was your b+++dy writing I couldn't read in those ledgers! John Wharrad was quite a small guy, no children, lived in Bromsgrove.
Len: The Lustre Anodising in Cosely looks very well set up. Health and Safety would have had a field day with that place in Hockley!
 
Charlie can you remember the auditers name he was the big chap with a baby. I never managed to get the books to tally as I was not trained in book keeping but I suppose it's easy ins and outs. There was another cafe down the hill and you tured left. I loved their boiled ham and parsley sauce. Funny I can't remember the toilets or maybe I chose to forget them. Bye. Jean.
 
hi guys
if i am correctly right was they next door to william sapcotes the big builders contractors in the city
they occupied a court yard there i can remember whem this lustre anodizers moved into camden st and i can recal the little cafe
jean as mentionedf they must have made a little mint
always choc block with punters and the take way was unmentionable to say about the take away services and you had to get your order in before any factory runners with there orders for factory workers whom depended on to get there sarnis because they could not get out
best wishes astonion
 
Charlie I left in January 66 is that when you started?. I was off sick for a while when my eardrum perforated and an infection set in. Maybe there was someone in between. My maths were rubbished but my writing not too bad. Oh well never to late to say sorry. Jean.
 
Charlie said:
This is the only photo I can find of Lustre Anodising - it's taken from Legge Lane. Maybe I didn't take one from Camden Drive, all you can see are weeds and rubbish.
Click to expand...

I think that is the building within the Barrowclift Spinnings company grounds. My dad worked for Bulpitts/Swan for many years and took all the photo's for their catalogue in the 70's.
Was the Luster Finishing company on Legge Lane then?

Another company worth a mention was on the same road, Ashton and Moore. I took some shots in there a few weeks back, and there was still quite a lot of equipment in there.

https://forum.birminghamhistory.co.uk/showthread.php?t=25765
 
Jean: Maybe I was only there for a year then .... and it just seemed longer!
I know I left in 1967 because that's when my son was born.
The accounts guy you mentioned was Brian (can't remember his surname). Nice chap - and I was only joking about your handwriting, honest! I don't remember the cafe I'm afraid. We used the King Edward pub!!!
Virusman: You're right, it was at the back of Barrowclift Spinnings, in Camden Drive off Legge Lane. Bunny and Patrick Barrowclift did the spinnings for the trophies, when I worked at Toye Kenning and Spencer in Warstone Lane.
Camden Drive seems to have featured a lot in my life, it's where my grandparents and mother were bought up (back to Kathleen Dayus again)!
It's a shame I wasn't interested in the history of the place then.
 
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