• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
  • HI folks the server that hosts the site completely died including the Hdd's and backups.
    Luckily i create an offsite backup once a week! this has now been restored so we have lost a few days posts.
    im still fixing things at the moment so bear with me and im still working on all images 90% are fine the others im working on now
    we are now using a backup solution

COLLIS Radio & TV

Ted W said:
I remember Ron Mosely. He worked as a field engineer at Wednesfield during the years I worked there. Ron used to do a bit of casual bus driving in his spare time (sometimes during work time too, it was suspected). Ron used to organise bus transport for us to some Collis's dinner-dances.
Click to expand...
Yes Ron became the service manager at Redditch, I often wonder what became of a lot of the people that worked there it was probably the friendliest company I've ever worked for.
 
I agree Ted ,wouldn’t it be good to have those people in our lives now ,certainly make things feel a bit better
 
stevie c said:
Hi
What’s your name,just trying to place you. I worked at the service workshop on castle vale ind estate
Click to expand...
Hi, i came across your post and was wondering if you could help? I’m researching genealogy for my wife. We are looking for any leads on past employees who worked at DER TV rentals that served Castle Vale in the mid 1960s. Do you know the addresses of the shops that may have served the Vale back in the 60s?
Thanks. Lee.
 
Stager said:
I worked at the Litchfield branch of Collis Radio as a TV field engineer in the late sixties to early seventies for five years or so. The shop manager when I first started was Malcolm Woodward-Bennet followed by Pete Avery then Graham Felton. The service team was headed up by the manager Harry Booker, engineers were Graham Wood, Tony Marsden, Mervyn ..... myself and Bench Engineer Ron. There was also an engineer Mike ....who emigrated to Canada and sold me his AVO 8 for a fiver which I still have. If you drew the short straw and got the Burton on Trent run it was around a hundred miles a day and twenty calls. Still I enjoyed every minute of it. Collis was a great employer, pay and conditions were among the best in the trade which gave a lot of deserved loyalty to the company. Happy days and fond memories!
Click to expand...
I've just spotted this post from some 6 years ago :) I had a Saturday job at Collis in Lichfield in 1968, working with Graham Felton. I seem to recall that it came about via a good friend of mine from Rushall (I lived in Shelfield at the time) called Mike "Inky" Perry. I think he worked on the fixing side, ie he was good with a soldering iron. Graham and I got on very well, as we both collected soul and Motown records, and when he went to take on the Walsall shop the following year I went with him. We ended up deejaying together at various venues for some time afterwards. I'm still in contact with him and we meet up occasionally.

I can't recall many other names from back then, but I know Graham's friend Paul Lomas used to help out as well, and down at the Walsall shop I recall Ella Bamford on the reception desk, and George Dovey came along later as well. I also dimly recall somebody at, I think, the Lichfield shop who lived in Norton Canes and I went out with his daughter a couple of times, and they moved to Canada some time later...I don't think it was because of me :)
 
Grizzlee said:
Hi, i came across your post and was wondering if you could help? I’m researching genealogy for my wife. We are looking for any leads on past employees who worked at DER TV rentals that served Castle Vale in the mid 1960s. Do you know the addresses of the shops that may have served the Vale back in the 60s?
Thanks. Lee.
Click to expand...
Hi Lee
I started work on the vale in 1972 so carnt help regarding the 60’s. What exactly are you looking for?
Steve
 
Lye, yes, vaguely. During the time I worked at Walsall, I was sent to help out at other workshops for a few days here and there when they were snowed under. . Spent a few days a couple of times at Stoke on Trent and I seem to remember working at Lye for a few days... maybe a week. Was the service manager there called Bob Johnson?....or John McMahon.? I'm trying to remember names and faces. it's a long long time ago.
 
Ted W said:
Lye, yes, vaguely. During the time I worked at Walsall, I was sent to help out at other workshops for a few days here and there when they were snowed under. . Spent a few days a couple of times at Stoke on Trent and I seem to remember working at Lye for a few days... maybe a week. Was the service manager there called Bob Johnson?....or John McMahon.? I'm trying to remember names and faces. it's a long long time ago.
Click to expand...
John McMahon
 
Ted W said:
I began working for Collis Radio in 1964 as a fourteen year old school kid. I had a part time job at Wednesfield Service Depot and was paid 'ten bob' for working Saturday mornings.


Arthur Morey was the service manager at Wednesfield and Jeff Proffit was in charge of the stores depot next door. Charlie Gittins was 'shop steward' and another engineer I remember was John 'Monka' Jones.


I left school at Easter 1965 and was offered a radio and tv engineering appticeship at Collis's. I was required to spend the first three months at Head Office in Cleveland Street, to learn a bit about the commercial side of the business: those were some of the happiest days of my working life.


On my first day I was introduced to Carol Chater and Maureen: Maureen Statham I think, and given a desk to work at in Carol's office. One of the jobs I was given was writing up hundreds of Hire Purchase contracts using using a 'ready reckoned' to work out the repayments: no desktop computers or calculators in those days.


The office was bounded by a glass wall and my desk looked straight into the general office. On more than one occasion I was told by Carol 'stop looking at those pretty girls and get on with your work!' Lol.


Carol owned a 'tuned up' mini, a red one I think. A damned fast little car I seem to remember!


After a few weeks I was moved to another office for a few days, staffed by Mr.Paul, a dark haired lady with specs called Christine and a very attractive, petite young woman whose name escapes me. I was given a 26inch TV carton filled with Mullard Warranty cards; about 10,000 cards I think. Each card had a tube serial number and was I asked to sort them into alphanumeric order.
Hmmm, somebody's idea of a joke I think!


Anyway after a few weeks I was moved on to Wednesfield: they'd had enough of me at HO I think.


A few other names I remember at Wednesfield included old George Morey, the cleaner and odd job man, and an engineer called Cliff Windmill who was a part time musician. Cliff played double bass with a local band.


There was a sort of production line between the workshop and stores where a polish bloke called Oswald spent all day fitting slot meters on TV sets. He got paid 'piece rate' , 9 pence a job I think.


After a few years I was transferred to the new depot at Walsall where I stayed until I left in 1971.


The service manager manager at Walsall was George Everet and the sales manager was Ray Statham. A few other names I remember include engineers Philip Jones, Neil Beddows and Frank Woodward. H.O. Service Manager was, I think, Pat' Brown. John McMahon was senior shop steward, as well as being a fellow patron at the Ash Tree Inn in Wolverhampton. Another
H.O manager I remember was Frank Rice.


A few folk have mentioned Graham Felton. Yes I remember Graham well. Graham and a few of us started a 'ham radio' club in a room above Snow Hill shop in the late 60's. We met once a week and usually adjourned to the pub after an hour or so. Graham always had tall story or two to tell after a pint :)


In 1971 I left Collis Radio, actually, we'd been taken over by Loyds by then, and went work for James Beattie's. A year later I moved to Yorkshire. I worked for Telefusion and then Trident in York, as service manager. In 1975 I met Vicky who later became my wife, and in 1976 we settled in Australia.


My name is John Whitfield, AKA, Ted. At Collis's I had the nickname 'Flash' and I'm now retired in Port Macquarie, NSW.
Click to expand...
Hi
 
I joined Collis Radio in 1965 after being told to go and work at the Everready battery factory as I wanted to be an electronics engineer.
I blagged a job as an " improver", cleaning and repairing rental TVs. I did get to work on the bench with Charlie, Brian and John at the Wednesfield branch. Occasionally I would go out on my motorbike with a box of spares for those jobs that were on their own and remote. I enjoyed working for Collis radio. I helped install a colour TV at Mr Collis's house with Frank. Frank would wash his car every Saturday morning.
In 1967 I moved to HO and joined the computer dept having passed an aptitude test. The move changed my life totally and completely.
I could write a book on my experiences for technology change I have experienced.
I have to be eternally grateful that I was given the opportunity and will only ever have fond memories of everyone I met there.
I am now happily retired in Somerset.
 
Spikehunter said:
I joined Collis Radio in 1965 after being told to go and work at the Everready battery factory as I wanted to be an electronics engineer.
I blagged a job as an " improver", cleaning and repairing rental TVs. I did get to work on the bench with Charlie, Brian and John at the Wednesfield branch. Occasionally I would go out on my motorbike with a box of spares for those jobs that were on their own and remote. I enjoyed working for Collis radio. I helped install a colour TV at Mr Collis's house with Frank. Frank would wash his car every Saturday morning.
In 1967 I moved to HO and joined the computer dept having passed an aptitude test. The move changed my life totally and completely.
I could write a book on my experiences for technology change I have experienced.
I have to be eternally grateful that I was given the opportunity and will only ever have fond memories of everyone I met there.
I am now happily retired in Somerset.
Click to expand...
Welcome to the Forum Spike, enjoy I’m sure you will!
 
Spikehunter said:
I joined Collis Radio in 1965 after being told to go and work at the Everready battery factory as I wanted to be an electronics engineer.
I blagged a job as an " improver", cleaning and repairing rental TVs. I did get to work on the bench with Charlie, Brian and John at the Wednesfield branch. Occasionally I would go out on my motorbike with a box of spares for those jobs that were on their own and remote. I enjoyed working for Collis radio. I helped install a colour TV at Mr Collis's house with Frank. Frank would wash his car every Saturday morning.
In 1967 I moved to HO and joined the computer dept having passed an aptitude test. The move changed my life totally and completely.
I could write a book on my experiences for technology change I have experienced.
I have to be eternally grateful that I was given the opportunity and will only ever have fond memories of everyone I met there.
I am now happily retired in Somerset.
Click to expand...
Hi, are you Steve? Was your motorbike an Arial Leader?
I remember Frank. His car was a Humber Scepter. Do your remember those 'two bob'washers we tested the slot meters with. Well, Frank was at a Car Wash facility one Saturday morning. He put a two bob washer in the coin slot and started washing the car. Then the guy from office walked over and emptied the coin tray. Frank's 'coin'was the only one in there. Sprung! Ha ha.
Frank emigrated to Canada.

Glad to hear you did well after moving into computing. I attempted the aptitude test too, quite a few of us did but only you and one other I think, made the grade. Well done. The other guy, I seem to remember was the wages clerk.can't remember his name.

I had another bash at getting into computing after moving to Sydney, with IBM. Got through the aptitude test that time and onto a short list but was passed over at final interview.

Just remembered another name from Wednesfield. Bob Vickers, a trainee.
 
Ted W said:
Hi, are you Steve? Was your motorbike an Arial Leader?
I remember Frank. His car was a Humber Scepter. Do your remember those 'two bob'washers we tested the slot meters with. Well, Frank was at a Car Wash facility one Saturday morning. He put a two bob washer in the coin slot and started washing the car. Then the guy from office walked over and emptied the coin tray. Frank's 'coin'was the only one in there. Sprung! Ha ha.
Frank emigrated to Canada.

Glad to hear you did well after moving into computing. I attempted the aptitude test too, quite a few of us did but only you and one other I think, made the grade. Well done. The other guy, I seem to remember was the wages clerk.can't remember his name.

I had another bash at getting into computing after moving to Sydney, with IBM. Got through the aptitude test that time and onto a short list but was passed over at final interview.

Just remembered another name from Wednesfield. Bob Vickers, a trainee.
Click to expand...
Yes I am and yes it was. Geoff Hadland was the other guy and he was indeed the wages clerk.
I spent about 8-9 years working on a variety of mainframes, mainly IBM and UNIVAC but in 1978 went into sales and subsequently worked for many companies including Oracle and IBM twice. Bob Vickers was actually my best man at my wedding in 1971. I have tried to find him but as of today I have been unsuccessful.
Frank was a character and I often think of the time he tried to sell me, unsuccessfully, some binoculars, I guess they may have been dodgy. He and I went to Mr Collis's house to install what was probably the first colour tv in the West Midlands. It was a full mornings work to set up the colours not like todays plug n play.
Those were the days, I often look back now I am at the other end of the age scale, and think of all the things we used to get up to. Times have changed and I think we had the best of them.
Best wishes and take care.
Steve
 
Spikehunter said:
Yes I am and yes it was. Geoff Hadland was the other guy and he was indeed the wages clerk.
I spent about 8-9 years working on a variety of mainframes, mainly IBM and UNIVAC but in 1978 went into sales and subsequently worked for many companies including Oracle and IBM twice. Bob Vickers was actually my best man at my wedding in 1971. I have tried to find him but as of today I have been unsuccessful.
Frank was a character and I often think of the time he tried to sell me, unsuccessfully, some binoculars, I guess they may have been dodgy. He and I went to Mr Collis's house to install what was probably the first colour tv in the West Midlands. It was a full mornings work to set up the colours not like todays plug n play.
Those were the days, I often look back now I am at the other end of the age scale, and think of all the things we used to get up to. Times have changed and I think we had the best of them.
Best wishes and take care.
Spikehunter said:
Yes I am and yes it was. Geoff Hadland was the other guy and he was indeed the wages clerk.
I spent about 8-9 years working on a variety of mainframes, mainly IBM and UNIVAC but in 1978 went into sales and subsequently worked for many companies including Oracle and IBM twice. Bob Vickers was actually my best man at my wedding in 1971. I have tried to find him but as of today I have been unsuccessful.
Frank was a character and I often think of the time he tried to sell me, unsuccessfully, some binoculars, I guess they may have been dodgy. He and I went to Mr Collis's house to install what was probably the first colour tv in the West Midlands. It was a full mornings work to set up the colours not like todays plug n play.
Those were the days, I often look back now I am at the other end of the age scale, and think of all the things we used to get up to. Times have changed and I think we had the best of them.
Best wishes and take care.
Steve
Click to expand...
Glad you made contact. It would be nice to make contact with a few others too.
Click to expand...
Best wishes to you and yours.
 
Micheal Shakespeare said:
Who worked at

Collis Radio Podmore Lane​

1969/1970
Click to expand...
I did not realise Collis had so, so many repair departments, whilst I worked at a few Collis shops in Birmingham our main repair depot was in Washwood Heath ? guy who worked out of there was Vernon, he was a big, big unit of a man, had a son who worked with him who was just as big too.
 
Barry Wilkes said:
I worked as an apprentice TV engineer at Pedmore road from 1972 to 74 fitting coin boxes on colour TVs...
Click to expand...
Hi I left in 73/4 after Phillips took over and redundancy were to be made and as I was already in the process of applying to go to NewZealand along with Dave Sullivan we both volunteered to be made redundantThe Manager was Tom Dougherty when we left
 
Someone asked a while ago if anyone remembered their father Frank Brocelhurst (hope I got the spelling right)
But yes he was one of the engineers who I worked with
 
Gary Brocklehurst said:
Would anyone remember my father, Frank Brocklehurst, who worked as a field engineer during the late 60's/early 70's? Any information would be greatly appreciated. My father sadly passed away in 1976 at the age of 40

Kindest Regards To All


Gary Brocklehurst
Click to expand...
Hi Gary my wife and I both new Frank well when we worked at Collis Radio on Pedmore Lane in fact he came to our wedding along with the rest of the engineers and the manager Tom Doughorty we were sorry to hear of Franks death on a trip Back to UK
we now live in NewZealand you can find us on Facebook under Rosina Shakespeare
 
i am Graham Felton worked for Collis 1952 to 1973 was Mr Collis first employe left school at 15 amd worked with Mr Collis himseif
wanted to mend TV sets, had a good time and enjoyed working there. read a post early saying about the radio ham club we started
i went on and got my ham licence and so did Graham Wood , i am now retired living on Anglesey aged 86
 
Hi Rosie,

Perhaps you are thinking of George Felton's shop in Bearwood.
He was well known to a chap I used to talk to on the radio,
and when George died, - about 2016, I believe, - he sent me a picture
of the shop which I am attaching.

Kind regards
Dave
 

Attachments

  • George Felton.jpg
    George Felton.jpg
    114.3 KB · Views: 14
Thank you Dave for the photo, I will show it to my husband. I just wondered if there was a family connection, hadn't realised George died. We miss that shop!
rosie.
 
Ted W said:
Best wishes to you and yours.
Click to expand...
Hi Ted (EJW) ..... I worked at Walsall Freer Street as an apprentice when George Everitt was manager and Ray Statham was sales manager.
I started in 1966 and moved to Wednesfield when walsall closed.
Hope you are well.
Paul Lewis
 
Paul L said:
Hi Ted (EJW) ..... I worked at Walsall Freer Street as an apprentice when George Everitt was manager and Ray Statham was sales manager.
I started in 1966 and moved to Wednesfield when walsall closed.
Hope you are well.
Paul Lewis
Click to expand...
Paul, Ted W (EJW) has not visited this site since September 2021,so my not see your message unless he logs on again.
You might be able to send a personal message to him, by clicking on the envelope in the top right hand corner, it might ping his computer. RobT
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top