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Fisher & Ludlows factory

Well, I finally managed to get the photo's, thanks Speedwing. Unfortunately most were before my time there. I started as an apprentice in 1955 and although some of the production of Bendix washing machines and sinks were still being produced, I didn't have much to do with the factory until I came down from the apprentice training school in Ashold Farm Road. By then we were producing Nash Metropolitan's, A35, vans and later the Mini. The press shop hadn't change though, only the tooling for the different cars. Very interesting part of the history of Fishers. Thanks again for showing them to us.
 
My father worked for Fishers all his working life starting at the inner city factory (where he lost the first joint of his index finger in a press) and later moving to Castle Bromwich. He was a tool setter and eventually became a foreman. His name was Tom Henn. During the war he rigged up a tractor to provide power during power cuts (I think that is correct but it was something similar) and his photograph was in a booklet picturing him sitting on the tractor. Unfortunately we have since lost the book. I would love to see that picture of him again and wondered if the Birmingham Library might have some information. Have really enjoyed reading this thread.
 
Here are a few more pictures generally from when F&L left Rea Street for the Albion Works in Tyburn Road, Castle Bromwich which I believe was in 1950.

We had moved from the top of Ladypool Road to Castle Bromwich around the autumn of 1952 which was probably when my dad moved to the new offices to the right of the main gates facing Tyburn Road occupying an office on the front left corner facing the security gatehouse. After demob he returned to what was left of the F&L offices and factory at Rea Street and worked there until 1952.

He worked at CB throughout the 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's working his way up the greasy pole costing most of the vehicles that were produced by the then Austin and Morris, Standard and Triumph and in latter years British Leyland after the Press Steel Fisher years.

I was fortunate to see the very early ADO14 Mini prototype shells in the making when the panic over Suez focussed attention on the need for small economic cars.

Dad found the uncomfortable truth that the first Minis went out the gates at a loss on every sale which wasn't good news to deliver to Sir Leonard Lord over at Longbridge.
Thankfully the 1100 made good profits.

We even had prototype Bendix washing machines in the house care of F&L which my mom had to document the performance of each load. Some I recall leaked like sieves.

https://images.birminghamhistory.co...=lastup&cat=10449&pid=10882#top_display_media

The aerial view shows the site which was constructed during the war as a shadow factory and famously built Spitfire and Lancaster assemblies. These were hauled across the A452 Chester Road on the left for final assembly at Castle Bromwich airfield to the east. Running east to west is the Derby railway line and the red brick Castle Bromwich station is visible on the road bridge. Out of frame would have been the Birmingham Industries Fair buildings along the south side of the railway.

In the top right is the edge of Hodge Hill estate with the A452 curving up to the Clock Garage in the middle whilst at the top left is the old part of Castle Bromwich village with the Hall on the ridge.

https://images.birminghamhistory.co...=lastup&cat=10449&pid=10883#top_display_media

During the war years F&L were heavily targeted including some of the shadow factories such as Tile Hill near Coventry where production had been relocated and the nearby Coventry Radiator plant at Canley.

https://images.birminghamhistory.co...=lastup&cat=10449&pid=10884#top_display_media

The Albion Works Tool Room with very little in the way of safety guarding or yellow paint on the floor!
There appears to be some form of visual hierarchy determined by the colour of your overalls or did one make a style choice when dressing first thing?

https://images.birminghamhistory.co...=lastup&cat=10449&pid=10885#top_display_media

One of the small press shops which formed, pierced and raised the myriads of small pressings that went into a car body. Even on a Saturday morning when I went there as a child the noise was deafening. In another shop I recall be dazzled by the spot welders that married the various widgets into something recognisable like a right hand rear wheel arch for an A30.

https://images.birminghamhistory.co...=lastup&cat=10449&pid=10886#top_display_media

Here is were big presses stamped out the large components like wing, door and roof skins etc. When one of these presses closed there was often sparks and smoke as the oiled surfaces of the virgin steel sheet became suddenly heated by closing dies and combusted.

https://images.birminghamhistory.co...=lastup&cat=10449&pid=10887#top_display_media

The noise from some of the big daddy presses could be heard from top of the Water Orton Road if the wind was in the right direction and inside the plant the whole building and ground shuddered as the dies struck and closed.

https://images.birminghamhistory.co...=lastup&cat=10449&pid=10888#top_display_media

The sick bay with a chappy having his eye brows plucked, a lady with a poorly finger following a serious typing accident and a chappy with his legged propped up on a special poorly leg stool whilst the nurse in the vignette is about to administer an all purpose Aspirin to all of them. Possibly a staged picture.

https://images.birminghamhistory.co...=lastup&cat=10449&pid=10889#top_display_media

Finally a few cuttings showing the Social side of life at F&L, the man with the cigar is Arthur Keates who was the big cheese in those days and had an office next door to my dad's though considerably bigger and a whole lot plusher.
 
I may have posted this before.My dad was a fireman at F&L in the early 50's and the fire engine is preserved in the museum at Leyland
 
In the photo with the sick bay - it certainly was set up for the photographer. The man in the glasses with his leg propped up was my Dad, George Bowen, who was the 'welfare officer' there from 1950's to late 1970's - and there was nothing wrong with his leg!!
 
Clearly many of the pictures were staged or were stock shots airbrushed by F&L's advertising agency Toon and Heath of Solihull which probably explains the lack of feverish activity particularly in the body shops.

Many of the pictures were derived from monochrome originals taken after the Saturday morning shift ended and were later hand tinted some having staged "extras" posing in the foreground.

Glad you spotted your father.
 
Picture Gallery 008.jpgPicture Gallery 018.jpgPicture Gallery 019.jpgPicture Gallery 030.jpghi folks...jimbo has asked me to post these great pics of his father in law at work at fisher and ludlow welding mini floors...his name is joe phillips and is still going strong at the age of 94...joe is on the the right on pic 2 and his mate billy bryan is on the left
lyn
 
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My dad worked at fishers from about 1957 to 1975/6 jerry flynn he worked as a finisher. I remember george bowen and his wife (forgot her name) they used to live 30 odd doors away from me in millington road, when i got older i used to live over the road from them. I remember him as the polo man, if us kids were out playing as he walked down the road coming from work he would give us a polo mint, he was allways whistling as well. If i remember he used to be a birmingham football fan. Sadly the morning he passed away i took his wife to the hospital and stopped with her until her daughter arrivied. Lovely lovely couple
 
Bit more info on the photos of Joe at work, he is welding "Mini floors". The other chap in photo 2 is his work mate Billy Bryan, sadly no longer with us.
jimbo
 
Hi Castalla, Thankyou for your lovely tribute to my Mom and Dad. Moms name was Anne and she also worked at Fisher and Ludlows. She was in the print room (1970 - 1980) and worked with Joan Evans, Tom McGilbury and Harry ? I remember your Mom and Dad too. Happy days! I have great memories of growing up in Millington Road - a really happy childhood. Mom and Dad also used F & L Social Club - George Bowen being well known in the snooker room - he played with Jack Barron and Tony Hinds - does anyone remember them?
 
Bit more info on the photos of Joe at work, he is welding "Mini floors". The other chap in photo 2 is his work mate Billy Bryan, sadly no longer with us.
jimbo


thank jimbo ive just edited my post with this extra info

lyn
 
My brother in law, Harold Soden, worked in the toolroom back in the 50s-60s. E.
Hello there. My uncle was Harold Soden, son of William and Alice (nee Williams) of Kingstanding. Both my father and his brother Harold were toolmakers and both worked at F&L for a time. Is this your Harold?
 
My family had connections with Fisher and Ludlow, my fathers uncle Len Craythorne worked there during the 1950's and '60's though I do not know in what capacity. My mum had two brother working there from the 1950's on, Len Reeves was a welder from conversations with him I gather at times he worked on special projects such as prototypes and those strange half cars you saw at the motorshow.

The elder brother Bill Reeves went to work there in the early '50's after selling his share in a small engineering company. He started on the shop floor but by 1957 he had some sort of management or supervisory position. By then the association with Standard Triumph was over and the way ahead lay with BMC, he went to work for BMC, in Sydney, Australia, as Engineering Production Controller. He came back to England, for family reasons in 1959 and was as I seem to remember a block superintendant of I think D or C block. I know that by 1964 they were building Morris 1100 bodies, I know he had retired by the early 1980's.
I aways got the impression that he could be a bit of a b*stard in the work place, but while I found him a bit abrupt he was always kind to me, but the relationship somewhat changed when he got me an apprenticeship draftsman job and I refused to take it.
.
 
Hello Eric are you any relation to a Wally sodden he too lived in king standing very good footballer played gor Bokdmere st mucheals as I di d an went priffessional with Coventry think a younger brother or cousin also played for thr Mikes


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