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Fisher & Ludlows factory

zzfool,
It was all a long time ago and i forgotten the names of some of the lads i worked with, there was one man i remember the name of his name was Alf he made a guitar in the pattern shop and he also played the ukulele, i live in Pembrokeshire now a coulpe of years ago i was talking to a local nurse/sister and what came out was that Alf was her uncle and i had a chat with him through her she was phoning him and passing the coversation to and froe he would be in his late 70s now and thats about it.
 
Just found this thread and wondered if anyone would remember my Dad, George Bowen.
He worked there from early 50's till 1984 when he retired.
He got to know many people as he worked in what was then known as the welfare department or personnel.
He was responsible for the birmingham hospital saturday fund and also the pensioners outings.
I have many photos somewhere if anyone's interested.
 
My Son's Father In Law worked at Fishers and recently had to retire from Jag due to problems with his ankle. Name is Ray Orme.
 
Hello Ray, I would be interested in seeing some photos. You never know, I might recognize my granddad Harry Fellows. He worked there during the 50's and 60's. I think he was a fitter
Thanks much
Kevin
 
My Father in Law worked at Fishers (George Mann) up to the seventies, think he was a foreman toolmaker. I remember that he worked permanent nights and used to only have to go in for a few hours on a Friday night then off to the Toby Jug.
 
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To everyone who's shown an interest in the photots-at the moment they are somewhere in the loft!
It may be a week or two before they go on the computer-please bear with me.
 
Better late than never - I've finally found the photos that I promised.


Pensioners_outing_-_Fisher_and_Ludlow_-_5.jpg




I think this was around 1970, My Dad used to organise the F & L Pensioner outings as a Welfare Officer working for the Company.




Pensioners_outing_-_Fisher_and_Ludlow_-_2.jpg




Pensioners_outing_-_Fisher_and_Ludllow_-12.jpg
Fisher_and_Ludlow_darts_team.jpg
Fisher_and_Ludlow__snooker_players.jpg


Fisher & Ludlow Snooker Team
 
My name is Janet Lane. I worked as a receiptionist in Ashold Farm Road, for the above section. I remember all of the people mentioned. I then worked as a Secretary for Ted Solly and Norman Shuck. I worked there between 1968 to 1972 when I left to have my Son. I am still friends and incontact with Wilf Stokes Secretary Marg Bullock, she is now 86 and lives in Bromsgrove. I was also Friends with Stan Cooks Secretary, Jessie, until her death in 1978 or thereabouts.
Is Sue Wilson out there anywhere, or any of the other girls off Mr. Tovey's section.
 
Hi Janet,
You will probably know that in 1968 there were 11,000 people working at Fishers and long before i left in 1979 the work force was down to 5,000 quite a reduction in man power, i often think that were i live now 11,000 is far greater than the population of our town.
 
Hi Janet,
Would you happen to remember a Harry Fellows (my grandfather). I believe he was a fitter or tool and die man. He would have been 65 in 1970 (not sure of the retirement age in those days)
Thanks
Kevin
 
Hi there

Harold Soden is (was) my uncle. I am William Charles Soden's daughter. We have loads of genealogical research re: the Sodens. Love to hear more of Harold if you have any memories.
Eileen
 
Hello out there.
My wife Josie, (nee) Phillips, her father Joe, and his brother in law Charlie Williams all worked at Fishers for a number of years. My wife started there straight from School (Lee Village Girls) and worked in the Traffic Control Department until she left to have our son in 1967. Her dad Joe, worked as a Welder until he took his redundancy in 1982. He still keeps his hand in doing a bit of welding in his shed on the odd bits he makes for himself, he's 93 and still going strong, although he no longer rides his Triumph Tiger Cub. Charlie was a Fork Lift driver and he too worked there until he was made redundant at about the same time. Some of the names the wife recalls from her working days are Betty, Shelia, Jessie, Margaret, another Jessie, Irish Mick on the weighbridge and George "the gaffer"

Kind regards Jimbo (newbie)
 
Sadly the jaguar sports and social club on chester road will be closed by the end of january 2013. Jaguar want the land for new buildings and production lines.also they may use halfords.carpet world.and showcase cinema as we have been told jaguar owns all the land.They (jaguar) are considering building a new club where the new selco is on chester road or taking over the forget me not club on the tyburn road as they are struggling to keep it open.and renaming it.
 
I was a sheet metal work apprentice from 1955 to 1961 at Fisher & Ludlow. I worked throughout the F&L factory, including the first Mini in the experimental dept. A35 vans, Nash Metropolitan, Wolsley 1500. The attached photo was of a group of lads I worked with at that time. Happy days.PetersApprentices.jpg From left to right.Peter Sheppard,(Me) Alan Spencer, John Phillips,Jeff Hughes, Billie Thompson, Eric Nichols, Icy(Trainee from Iceland) Barry Abson, Mick Rhodes, John Atkins.
All these lads will be in their seventies now.
 
Great photo! Britain had world-class apprenticeship programs at that time, turning out an incredibly skillful workforce.

Do you remember a Harry Fellows at all? His nickname was "Blue" He would have been 50 in 1955

All the best
Kevin
 
fellowkev said:
Great photo! Britain had world-class apprenticeship programs at that time, turning out an incredibly skillful workforce.

Do you remember a Harry Fellows at all? His nickname was "Blue" He would have been 50 in 1955

All the best
Kevin
Click to expand...

Don't recall that name Kevin. I wouldn't have been in the factory until at least 1958 as I was being trained in the training school in Ashold Farm Road until then. What did he do and where in the factory did he work. I have a good memory for names of that era, are there any more names you can recall where Harry worked.
Keep in touch, I'm 72 now, but still live in the past.
Regards,
Alan Spencer
 
ray@28beech said:
Just found this thread and wondered if anyone would remember my Dad, George Bowen.
He worked there from early 50's till 1984 when he retired.
He got to know many people as he worked in what was then known as the welfare department or personnel.
He was responsible for the birmingham hospital saturday fund and also the pensioners outings.
I have many photos somewhere if anyone's interested.
Click to expand...

That name George Bowen does ring a bell. I would like to see some photo's of him. I worked at F&L from 1955 to 1969
 
Hi Alan,
There are photos in #39 which have my Dad,George Bowen on.
He's the centre person in the social club photo and the one holding the cup in the snooker photo.
My Mom also worked there late 60s and 70s in the print room with Joan Evans, Harry and Tom McGilbery.
Dad also ran the scrap sales area in lunch breaks!
Other names that come to mind are Alf Shock, Jack Barron and Audrey Rouse (Branch).
Regards
Sue
 
Hi Ray, there was only one chap that I recognized on the photo's, yes it was George Bowen. I bought a scrap windscreen (So called) from the scrap stores for my Mini Van. I remember the date well, as it was the day my oldest son was born. August 24th 1964. My windscreen shattered on the way to work and I got another one from the scrap store and had it fitted in the car park in the lunch break. It cost me 10/- for the screen and 10/- to have it fitted. I bet George Bowen was the one that sold it to me. What a small world, and the things you remember.
 
Ray, get those photos on. We all like to see if we can spot someone we know, it makes the thread more interesting. (Well to me it does)
jimbo
 
Right, I am about to try and post a photo of the wife and some of her old workmates, here goes,Image (2).jpgIt looks like it has worked surprise surprise. Clockwise from the top left are: Sheila Williams, Val ?? ( thinks she went to Australia) Margaret Tonks, Brian ?? and the wife taken on the Sports Field round about 1961-2.
jimbo
 
I was there then, of coarse I wouldn't recognize the ladies, but I vaguely sort of remember the guy. Your name please sir, and where did you work.
 
Bikeral72, see post#44 for info on the wife etc; I am doing this on her behalf as she is chained to the kitchen sink. ( well it saves taking her out)!!! Her dad worked in E Block as a welder on the Mini.
jimbo
 
Richie said:
One of Fisher and Ludlow's Castle Bromwich shop-floor creations, made sometime between 1954 and 1962. Still running, and exhibited at nostalgia-car rallies in the Midlands.
Click to expand...
Looks like this photo got hacked in the recent "Hacking" Richie, what was it of. I was there during those years. I started as an apprentice in 1955, and left in 1969. I will be interested to see the photo if you still have it.
 
What was the name of the little chap that had a shop in "E Block". He used to sell cigarettes and tea & coffee. We as apprentices used to go in there for a rest ( Tiring work being an apprentice) and at Christmas he used to make a huge pot of coffee with brandy in it. I've no idea what his proper job was, but a useful little hideaway he had.
 
Sounds like we had a similar bloke at Dunlop. Little one eyed chap. Had an apron with a big pocket in front. Sold fags and things.
 
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