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Dunlop

I can tell you that my familly worked at both Dunlop Aston Cross and also Fort Dunlop Erdington... Harry Burr and Henry Burr were both Managers in the Mill (at different times)
 
Rowan, 3 generations of my family worked there but sadly they're all gone now. My cousin, Brian Preece, would have remembered him as he was a great supporter of the Sports and Social Club.

I worked in the Pattern Shop at Fort Dunlop and I recall a Brian Preece

Ian
 
My husbands uncle Harold Partridge worked in the offices at Dunlop, he retired in the 70's.
 
George Styles worked at Dunlop as a foreman until coming to australia,still alive and well at 82 this year,still talks about the good old days

Sadly my Dad George Styles passed away ,but still talked about his working life at Dunlop.....
 
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My apologies if I have posted this in the wrong section.. perhaps the Forum Admin could move it if I have.

I have a few photo's which some of you may find of interest, taken during WW2
https://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i65/zzf00l/scan0005.jpg
https://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i65/zzf00l/scan0002.jpg
https://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i65/zzf00l/scan0001.jpg

And this one taken from the Dunlop Gazette in 1929

https://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i65/zzf00l/scan0004.jpg

Please allow me to elaborate. the first 3 pictures were taken during the making of a replica of Fort Dunlop around 1939/40 in wood, in the Patternshop within the Machine Tool Dep't at Fort Dunlop. The purpose of making the model was so that upon it's completion it could be dismantled and shipped to the War Office or thereabouts for artists to 'paint' the model to look like a country village when viewed from above (in other words camouflage). This was duly done and when finished and approved by the War Ministry the Dunlop site was painted as per the model. I believe that other factories such as Fishers were also completed in a likewise fashion and indeed camouflage paint is still visible on the now Jaguar buildings.
Those old Dunlopians among you will recognise many of the buildings and especially Commercial Offices and Base Stores stand out as does the Power Plant. Interestingly Base Stores is for some reason now referred to as Fort Dunlop! Yet as we know Fort Dunlop was the whole site.
The last photo was taken and reproduced in the Dunlop Gazette some time earlier in 1929 and shows my Father as a young man standing at the rear.

Ian
 
Did I post this in the wrong section? I find it amazing that it doesn't appear to have sparked any interest!
 
Did I post this in the wrong section? I find it amazing that it doesn't appear to have sparked any interest!

I worked in Machine Tool in the 70s. Brought back memories to see the inside of the place.
As you say the camouflage is still there but getting hard to see.
 
Yes nothing much had changed really.. still easily recogniseable. You were there the same time as me... 1969 - 1985
 
Your profile pic looks sort of familiar... were you on the Fitting? I was in the Patternshop, my Brother was on the View.
 
Your profile pic looks sort of familiar... were you on the Fitting? I was in the Patternshop, my Brother was on the View.

Yes I was on the fitting section. I can't remember names, you may remember George Fletcher who was in the Operatics society. He drove me barmy with is singing all day:D
I bet it was your brother who rejected my work all the time:rolleyes::D
 
Yeah.. I remember George. Even though I was in the Patternshop I was over talking with Alex much of the time.. I think by the 80's he was on the View by the Boring M/C's. He has loads of M/C Tool pic's I'll see if I can scan them and send them to you.... you may be on some!

Ian
 
Yeah.. I remember George. Even though I was in the Patternshop I was over talking with Alex much of the time.. I think by the 80's he was on the View by the Boring M/C's. He has loads of M/C Tool pic's I'll see if I can scan them and send them to you.... you may be on some!

Ian

I look forward to seeing them Ian. I don't think I will be on any photos though. I always had a face mask and goggles on and covered with dust. Would be nice to look at them photos. I'm alright with faces not with names.

Chris
 
My grandfather worked there till he retired in the 60's , at one time he was foreman of the mill ( the black ole! )i have a couple of pics , though the quality is not good. one is a framed pic behind glass that i do not want to disturb as it is its original frame , so it has my reflection :) the other was taken by Dunlops Advertising unit , and the third taken by me with a 110 camera from the tower block ( soon to be demolished ) opposite the fort.

Thought i would add the official stamp on the back of photo 2.
My grandfather was William G Arnold.
 
My Grandfather William G Arnold worked at the Dunlop in the black hole , i have posted some pic's on the "Dunlop Help" thread
 
Somewhere hopefully ,their will be pic's and negatives from Dunlops official advertising phot unit
Where there were many pic's taken at the company's club and different events.
 
i remember an unpleasant experience at the Dunlop One shut down fortnight i had to install new lighting in the steam tunnel that ran from the top of the site under all the buidings down to the Fort 12hr working days 7 days a week the whole tunnel was alive with Crickets and Rubber Bugs not one of the nicest jobs i ever did took a month to get the grime out of my skin.Dek
 
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