Eddystone
I began work at Eddystone in the summer of 77 as an apprentice, under the watchfull eye of Ken Mills.
There were plenty of characters working at the Bath Tub on Alvechurch Road who delighted in sending us "kids" to the stores to collect the usual glass hammer, bucket of sparks, long weights etc etc.
I loved the canteen first thing in the morning when the cooks were preparing the breakfasts as they used to let me have slices of bread dipped in the bacon fat...explains my size now i guess.
One day we were all called to the canteen to watch a film of Lord Weinstock announcing some changes, but i cant recall what they were.
I worked in all sections during those years, PCB assembly (John ?), flow soldering, press shop (Bob ?), die cast boxes (Good old Dorothy Pilkington) paint shop (John ?) Looms (Marconi special projects) and dispatch.
I enjoyed working for Harry Travena (DCB and Dispatch Manager) so i transfered to this section as an assistant. Harry retired a couple of years later and i took over as manager. Harrys wife made and iced my wedding cake.
One of the other apprentices used to write notes on slips of paper and put them inside the buttons on the front of the 830's?? then put the cap on the button. Only a few were ever discovered by QA so i expect there are still a few receivers with his notes still there.
Easter bonnet parades were an annual event..i came 3rd once with a Donald Duck hat. (i have the photo somewhere)
John in the paintshop used to produce fantastic pieces of art by spray painting bits of metal with layers of different colour paint then scratching images into the surface. I purchased one for my mother of a sailboat which still hangs on her wall now.
I remember one incident in the spray shop where the trychloroethyline tank boiled over and the whole factory was evacuated for the rest of the day.
My packaging material was stored in what was once some sort of chemical room for the Lido which was still intact allbeit in disrepair a few yards below. The diving boards stood like rusty guards at one end of the stagnant pool.
Characters i remember...
Bill Cooke
Chris Pettit (and his son Simon briefly as he was studying the British Potato at university).
Stan Harvey
Ken Mills
Bob (purchasing)
Richard and Sue
Ken Craig (Testing)
Steve Temple
Mervyn Dyke (Sales)
Edna Monk (assembly)
Dave Watkins (he provided me lifts to the railway station ...thanks Dave)
and many more whos names escape me but fond memories remain.
If anyone has any photos of the old Bath Tub then please post them as the web has next to none, other than a couple on the excellent Eddystone User Group site....https://www.eddystoneusergroup.org.uk.
I would love to see some other members memories posted.
Regards top all
Hawkmoon
