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COLLIS Radio & TV

Hi Stu

Carnt recall your name,that could be an age thing though! Lol ,but like you, I had the best days of my working career there. What do you do know Stu ?

Cheers

Steve
 
Hi Stu

Carnt recall your name,that could be an age thing though! Lol ,but like you, I had the best days of my working career there. What do you do know Stu ?

Cheers

Steve
I'm retired now living down in Brean Somerset, some of the other names from Redditch had a manager first name Pete he was into amateur radio he was replaced by Ron Mosley, engineers one had the nickname Digger think his name was Graham also Bill Whitehead, Colin Broomfield.
 
I remember pete beech who became our service manager at castle vale,probably because I mainly worked at the vale and sparkbrook depot during the 3 day week when there was the power cuts in the city. Our workshop engineers were tony hunt , Norman crisp,Keith Gordon,Dave Morris,John Hyde our senior was Roy Jackson
 
I remember pete beech who became our service manager at castle vale,probably because I mainly worked at the vale and sparkbrook depot during the 3 day week when there was the power cuts in the city. Our workshop engineers were tony hunt , Norman crisp,Keith Gordon,Dave Morris,John Hyde our senior was Roy Jackson
And then there were the Christmas party at the Tower Ballroom in Birmingham.
 
Did anyone go to the Christmas party at the Tower Ballroom in Birmingham I remember they brought staff in from all of the Midlands.
 
Hi mate, no ,we all went to local pubs each Christmas ,they were great times. I believe the tower ballroom was a bigger event ,was there a band on ?
 
I went to most of the Christmas Dinner-Dances between 1965 and 1971. Tower ballroom was probably one of them. There were also one or two big dinner -dances at other venues throughout the year. I remember one at the La Reserve.

I lived in Wolverhampton in those days: the firm organised buses to transport everyone to and from these events. There was always a big three course dinner or buffet and a band. Memorable events.
 
I'm retired now living down in Brean Somerset, some of the other names from Redditch had a manager first name Pete he was into amateur radio he was replaced by Ron Mosley, engineers one had the nickname Digger think his name was Graham also Bill Whitehead, Colin Broomfield.

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.
 
Morning Ted, sounds good, wondered why castle vale depot was not invited , although they might have and our service manager never wanted it. Was trying to find out if any of the guys there was still about,I can only think if Facebook to find out ?
 
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.
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
 
Hi
What’s your name,just trying to place you. I worked at the service workshop on castle vale ind estate
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.
 
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!
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 :)
 
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.
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.
 
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.
John McMahon
 
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.
Hi
 
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