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Charles Winn (valves) Ltd

Banjo

Banjo

master brummie
Charles Winn started his business in 1859 as a plumbers merchant. The business ran for 141 years until it's closure in 2000. I had the privilege of working for Charles Winn (valves) Ltd as a Quality Control Inspector for just over 25 years. When I first started in 1974 they were located along Granville St - Commercial St - Washington St with the main entrance being on the corner of Granville St and Commercial St. They also had a holding stores for castings next to the canal in Granville St. The same year I joined, they were taken over by Delta. It was a rabbit warren of a building and you could get lost in it. It even had converted horse stables. In time it became too cluttered and outdated for a modern business model so in 1976 we moved to the old Fisher & Ludlow building in High St Bordesley. We remained there until we were closed down in 2000 and the business was transferred to Hindle Cockburn in Leeds. In the 24 years we were at Warwick St there were a few takeovers, the last one being Tyco Intl. I was the last employee ever to receive a 25yr service gold watch from Charles Winn Ltd, which I received 3 months before closure. charles winn copy 2.jpg
Here is a photo of the Charles Winn annual staff outing to the coast in 1895. The man himself is sitting on the front wearing a flat cap and cloak. This photo was copied from a company news sheet.
 
mikejee said:
Cannot find a Sam Colwill, coach (or cab) proprietor in Kellysc
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Hi Mike, this photo was taken outside of Sam Colwill's shop in Ilfracombe. So it looks like they are returning home from their annual outing. That's probably why they look so glum.
 
Not only did Winn's have their own on site foundry, they also had their own on site printers shop. This part calendar from 1972 was on their wall. I always found it funny so, I kept it when the printing shop closed down in the early 80s.Winn Calendar 1972.jpg
 
Incidentally, one of Charles Winn's Grandsons was Godfrey Winn, the journalist & television broadcaster of the 50s and 60s.
 
Winn's had a good social club up to 1977. Some of the Dinner dance tickets I obtained.
Winn Dances.jpg
Finally, newspaper article of the demise of Charles Winn (valves) Ltd and photos of the building in 2000 & 2019.
Winn closure.jpgWinn's building in 2000 and 2019.jpg
 
My wife worked for another Valve Co called Enots of Aston.Who moved to Lichfield in 1966.So we moved to Lichfield with them
 
Hi. This thread is of interest to me as my father worked for Charles Winn for years. I think he started working there in the 50’s but not 100% certain. I know that in approx. 1966 he was asked to relocate to Sunderland to open their new factory there, making predominantly ships valves. I was only 4 at the time but I know he had a very good job. He had a serious accident there when manoeuvring a 1.5t machine into place, the hoist/pulley broke and the machine fell onto his foot. it broke very bone!
we moved back to Birmingham (well, Halesowen) in 1969/70 where he carried on working for them until redundancy in 1976ish. If anyone has any more info or photos I would be so grateful. His name was Reg Walder and I believe he was a shop manager. ‍
 
debbpic said:
Hi. This thread is of interest to me as my father worked for Charles Winn for years. I think he started working there in the 50’s but not 100% certain. I know that in approx. 1966 he was asked to relocate to Sunderland to open their new factory there, making predominantly ships valves. I was only 4 at the time but I know he had a very good job. He had a serious accident there when manoeuvring a 1.5t machine into place, the hoist/pulley broke and the machine fell onto his foot. it broke very bone!
we moved back to Birmingham (well, Halesowen) in 1969/70 where he carried on working for them until redundancy in 1976ish. If anyone has any more info or photos I would be so grateful. His name was Reg Walder and I believe he was a shop manager. ‍
Click to expand...

Did he live in Broadway Avenue ?
 
Hi debbpic, I worked at Charles Winn from Oct 1974 until they closed down in 2000. As you say your Dad retired in 1976 I may not have known him at that time. The works manager was Alf Chaplin when I started followed by Roger Allcock in the 1990s. We did make valves for the M.O.D and Swan Hunter Shipyard on the Tyne but as far as I know Winns never had another factory in Sunderland. We relocated in 1976 from Granville St to Bordesley (next to the flyover).
 
Banjo said:
Charles Winn started his business in 1859 as a plumbers merchant. The business ran for 141 years until it's closure in 2000. I had the privilege of working for Charles Winn (valves) Ltd as a Quality Control Inspector for just over 25 years. When I first started in 1974 they were located along Granville St - Commercial St - Washington St with the main entrance being on the corner of Granville St and Commercial St. They also had a holding stores for castings next to the canal in Granville St. The same year I joined, they were taken over by Delta. It was a rabbit warren of a building and you could get lost in it. It even had converted horse stables. In time it became too cluttered and outdated for a modern business model so in 1976 we moved to the old Fisher & Ludlow building in High St Bordesley. We remained there until we were closed down in 2000 and the business was transferred to Hindle Cockburn in Leeds. In the 24 years we were at Warwick St there were a few takeovers, the last one being Tyco Intl. I was the last employee ever to receive a 25yr service gold watch from Charles Winn Ltd, which I received 3 months before closure. View attachment 142496
Here is a photo of the Charles Winn annual staff outing to the coast in 1895. The man himself is sitting on the front wearing a flat cap and cloak. This photo was copied from a company news sheet.
Click to expand...
Banjo, that is a great story.............so sorry about the take overs, I went though the same thing. a company I worked for 20 was taken over twice in 15 months! I survived but it was ugly as my grandson would say. Particularly so about Tyco, not a people centric company!
 
Banjo said:
Hi debbpic, I worked at Charles Winn from Oct 1974 until they closed down in 2000. As you say your Dad retired in 1976 I may not have known him at that time. The works manager was Alf Chaplin when I started followed by Roger Allcock in the 1990s. We did make valves for the M.O.D and Swan Hunter Shipyard on the Tyne but as far as I know Winns never had another factory in Sunderland. We relocated in 1976 from Granville St to Bordesley (next to the flyover).
Click to expand...
Thank you. I definitely remember the name Alf Chaplin.
Are you saying there was NO CW in Sunderland?
 
debbpic said:
Thank you. I definitely remember the name Alf Chaplin.
Are you saying there was NO CW in Sunderland?
Click to expand...
Hi debbpic, in the 25 years I worked at Charles Winn there was never any mention of another Winn factory in Sunderland. Given that there was a 114 year history prior to me joining, anything is possible.
 
Banjo,

Your inability to delete your own posts is one of the shortcomings of the Forum software, though the mods can do it. I've also noticed that even it you don't actually post it, it will still persist at the bottom of the thread for some time even though you have deleted it.

Maurice :cool:
 
debbpic said:
Hi. This thread is of interest to me as my father worked for Charles Winn for years. I think he started working there in the 50’s but not 100% certain. I know that in approx. 1966 he was asked to relocate to Sunderland to open their new factory there, making predominantly ships valves. I was only 4 at the time but I know he had a very good job. He had a serious accident there when manoeuvring a 1.5t machine into place, the hoist/pulley broke and the machine fell onto his foot. it broke very bone!
we moved back to Birmingham (well, Halesowen) in 1969/70 where he carried on working for them until redundancy in 1976ish. If anyone has any more info or photos I would be so grateful. His name was Reg Walder and I believe he was a shop manager. ‍
Click to expand...
 

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debbpic said:
Hi. This thread is of interest to me as my father worked for Charles Winn for years. I think he started working there in the 50’s but not 100% certain. I know that in approx. 1966 he was asked to relocate to Sunderland to open their new factory there, making predominantly ships valves. I was only 4 at the time but I know he had a very good job. He had a serious accident there when manoeuvring a 1.5t machine into place, the hoist/pulley broke and the machine fell onto his foot. it broke very bone!
we moved back to Birmingham (well, Halesowen) in 1969/70 where he carried on working for them until redundancy in 1976ish. If anyone has any more info or photos I would be so grateful. His name was Reg Walder and I believe he was a shop manager. ‍
Click to expand...
i started for chas winns in 1966 and trained for the sunderland factory in birmingham.have attached a photo that was in the sunderland echo at the time.one of my first jobs was up at your new house in houghton-le-spring putting your curtain rails up.i was with the company till 1969.text me if anymore infor required.
 
john wharton said:
in sunderland 1966 till around 1970,i worked there
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John, thank you for your memories. It means a lot to me. You worked in our house in HLS! That’s amazing. I was only small....about 4. My brothers would have been 9 and 14. It’s a shame my dad isn’t on that photo.
 
mr roy hattersley mp opened the sunderland factory in 1966.was one of the board of trade ventures,but when the grants ran out,and winns got their foot in the door with the shipbuilding contracts .closed it down.think i;m the youngest on the photo i was 21.
 
Nice to get some 1960s info from John Wharton and that debbpic got some answers. As previously said, I only started in 1974 so would not recognise any of those names (apart from Roy Hattersley).
 
I wonder John, if you remember much about my Dad? I know it was over 50 years ago but I love the stories about him. I miss them and him. Do your remember his secretary Terry? I met her once I think when I was about 5/6 and thinking how glamorous she was.
 
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