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GEC WITTON WORKS

My Dad (Tom Collier) worked for GEC/CA Parsons from 1947 to about 1985. He was a Radial Driller / Slotter on the night shift. Anyone remember him?

if its the tom collier i know he used to be a life saving instructor on tuesday evenings at moseley road baths, and then drop
me off at the george pub, and then he would go into work,
 
The tall bloke making the presentations looks like someone who used to play for the cricket team, but I could be mistaken. I think the person's name I'm thinking of is Cox.

Hi,I just noticed your comment. I knew a lady who worked at the GEC who had a stepbrother who also worked there as an accountant
 
I was only a child when i knew tom collier, he and my dad phillip thompson worked the same night shift, tom collier used to take me swimming at woodcock street baths and moseley road baths,
 
Re: Stafford Fred.

Was an a GEC apprentice in 1965, a C A Parsons apprentice in 1965

Worked with Tom Dilworth, Kieth Richardson in Projects moved into Tyburn Road after the closure of Witton.

Then worked at GEC Rugby, GEC Stafford, Parsons Peebles, Clarke Chapman, Dowding & Mills and now AREVA T & D (old Gec Measurements Stafford Site)

In answer to your question Viv Horder died several years ago. Kieth Richardson is still going strong as is Tom after two new hips.

Jim Allworth has changed his name to Stafford Fred.

Regards to all old Witton stars.

Fred, you haven't worked a day in your life mate!
Hope all's good with you.......thought you'd like to know that Rod Williams retires today

Cheers,

Richard Howlett
 
Towards the end at Witton, I was working for Parson Peebles machine service department and Bill Brown was in charge. Remember in 1983 being a job in near Alexandrian in Egypt with Bill, Bill always had a nack of getting into scrapes, one was as follows our job there was to change out a damaged generator stator and refit a new one which was being sent from the UK. The new stator arrived in a large wooden crate, Bill said be careful unpacking the new stator as he intended to send the old stator back in it. One day Bill noticed that parts of the crate had been removed by the locals to build shelters on the site, he complained to the Egyptian engineers and was told security would stop people taking the wood. After work one night Bill decided to retrive the wood that had been taken, so the five of us were carrying this wood back when we were stopped by one of the security guards (army conscripts) pointing a rifle at use so we all went into single file behind Bill, the outcome was we did not speak Egyptian and he did not speak english and he had the gun, so we had to take back our wood from where we got it. Bill was not well pleased, weon the other hand thought it was funny, not at the time but later

Hi,

The job mentioned was Mahmoudia Egypt...............I was Tony Badlands apprentice for 6 months or so......top bloke Tony was!

Cheers,

Richard H
 

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I was given this magazine today by a friend who was having a clear out. It is entitled Witton News, Spring, 1966.

Imagine my surprise and thrill to see our old neighbour Geoffrey Weaver (known to me as uncle Geoffrey). He worked for many years at G.E.C. He was head of planning and later personnel manager. I was very fond of him and his wife, who were very kind to me as a child. They were a real aunt and uncle to me and my brothers and sister. This was probably because they didn't have any children. I visited them in the late 80's with Michael and our boys in Clevedon where they retired to. Some people have a great impact on your life and they certainly did on mine.



Witton News.jpgGeofrey Weaver.jpg
 
Does anyone know where the war memorial is, the one that was outside of the Magnet Club at G.E.C. Witton in the 1950s & 1960s ?

Moggy
 
I used to score for the GEC cricket club for a few years, think it was 1960/2, my dad was umpire for many years. He worked in Transformer 1935-around 1964 I think, then went off to help run a company started by a chap called Povey who was a manager in Transformer. Paddy Ryan was skipper when I scored. I also remember Tommy Owens (usually 2nd team), Len Peakman, Cox (openers), Hunt, Boyman, Tommy and Bernard Cotton and Thompson, who was a very quick bowler, and I remember him breaking someone's jaw during a game at Sutton Congs and Meths. The cricket square in those days was immaculate, and so was the outfield. I remember the scorers hut being in the corner by the old water tower. The changing rooms were in the boiler house under The Magnet Club.

I came back a few years ago to have a look round, it left me in tears.

I think when the cricket club packed up some of the pads/balls/bats etc were given to the orphanage at the Beggar's Bush, New Oscott which is now a Tesco supermarket. I was about ten years old at the time and on their way my father, who worked at Witton from when he left school just before the war until it closed, let me have a bat that I still have. It was originally from Harry Parkes' shop who I believe also worked at Witton for a time.
 
Message for Ray Griffiths and a few others. Bob Ash joined Birmingham City Police and I worked with him for a number of years in Handsworth. He is now retired but has become a Vicar.
 
help, can anyone tell me what has happened to the 2016 posts please?. MICK BOND, DAVE KEITH, are you still posting memories? do you know what became of COLIN WEBB, despatch bench, L.R.P.D. or was he carried away when they knocked the building down!. Went to TONY SIMPSON'S funeral in February. Ray Cope.
 
hi ray the forum had a few problems and unfortunately we lost a couple of months worth of posts...

lyn
 
Hello G.E.C.
Found this old photograph of myself in the Apprentices Training School around 1964 give or take a year. The group was a fair mixture of craft, student and graduate apprentices so one or two faces may seem familiar. I'm afraid after 50 years or so names escape me.Because of it's age and the fact that it has been around the world a few times, the condition is not great so if any of our computer Buffs can sharpen it up- many thanks. Regards, Mike
 

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Hi everyone,
I posted a photograph yesterday of the Apprentices Training School 1964 but I had so much trouble getting the image to register, I must have altered my log in status. It went onto the G.E.C.Witton Works thread but did not register on the new posts so no one knows it's there.
I have also found some old photographs of the G.E.C. Rugby team, I will post them shortly- you may see a familiar face.
Regards, Mike.
 
mike
The new posts thread only records new posts that "you " have not seen. It did appear., but as you have seen the post when you posted it will not show on your new posts. Hope that makes sense to you
 
Hello Pedrocut,
Great photograph from the G.E.C. Operatic Society. When I started my Apprenticeship in the early 1960's, the starting wage was 30 shillings per week old money so by the end of the weekend I was broke.
I joined the Society for a couple of years working back stage making props etc. They did the full range of productions including plays and a Christmas Pantomime. The standard was very high helped by the wonderful facilities at the Magnet Club i.e. full size stage and workshops.
Regards, Mike.
 
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