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GEC WITTON WORKS

mazbeth said:
was it the G.E.C. works that at various times was called 'Osram' (the lights people) and then Radiation?
as my dad used to work there in the 70's...(he was a driver)
Click to expand...
I've just realised...I got mixed up...the Radiation (where he later worked, after Osram/G.E.C.) was in Thimblemill Lane...
just come across this picture of when it was destroyed by fire in '85 (which I didn't know)
https://www.pbase.com/beppuu/image/44883791
 
Thank you Alf. It must have been where I saw the photo of the petrol station on Brookvale Road. I wrote about Stockland Garage on that site a few years ago.
That small petrol station in Brookvale Road was a one off even back then. It might not have been there in l950 Alf. I remember it towards the end of the l950's and has both my parents grew up around there, my Dad knew these two brothers who ran it.
Is that chimney stack behind the house at Hardy Spicers? That house, which was right by the bus stop always fascinated me because it stood alone.
 
Yes Sylvia, John Wights And Radiation Ltd were the same company, thats is where l worked after l left school, l started Jan 1st 1951 (did'nt have New Years off in those days), l knew every nook and cranny of the factory and the offices, so sorry to see and old firm come to such a sad end had no idea it had burned down. Have no idea how old the firm was but l had an uncle do his apprenticship in drafting in the 1920s and Johny Wrights was well established then. What lovely pictures they are priceless.
 
there used to be a cafe diagonally opposite the front of Radiation, and sometimes me, mom and my brother and sister would meet dad from work on a Friday? night...as he had his wages, and he would take us to the cafe and we would have pop or coke in bottles. :)
 
Hi,
I was a drawing office apprentice at GEC, starting on the 14th. August 1950. I worked in the transformer department. The part I think I really enjoyed was working in the Foundry School where we made a lot of castings in aluminium that we shouldn't have. I still have a few.
When I was in the foundry I used to get off the bus at Salford Bridge and walk along the canal towpath. there was many an occasion when I was nearly swept into the canal by the towing rope of a horse drawn T. S. Elliot long boat carrying coal.
I would love to hear from anyone who was at Witton at this time.
 
Sylvia, I bet you remember the tide of humanity that used to flood out of the GEC Gates at five eighteen every night in those days long gone?
ASTON
 
I do indeed Aston, and all the buses lined up in Dulverton Road. It makes you want to weep when you think of all the industry we had in those days in Brum, now we really are a nation of shopkeepers and poorly paid jobs for a large proportion of the workforce.
 
We're getting a bit off-topic now, but I can't help chip in on the buses to and from the GEC and Kynoch's.
There's a bit about this subject in the bus section, try: https://forums.birminghamhistory.co.uk/index.php?topic=7086.0
We lived off Warren Road, the other side of Witton Cemetery, so I used to see the daily convoy morning and night. Not to mention all the bikes, motor bikes and even a few cars (must have been the VIPs of course).
Peter
 
Any one know any of the following all Ex members of GEC or C.A. Parsons based at Witton Works:
Mr Tom Dilworth, Keith Richardson, John Prince, Don Richens, Viv Horder, Barry Bartleet, Doug Bragington, James Allworth, James James.Terry Doige, Barry Eyre, Ted Richards,
This is to name but a few of the many.
IF any one knows of these, or has any info, please PM Me.
 
That's a nice picture Postie has shown of Midland Red Sharras (as we used to call them), almost certainly on a works outing.
The French char-a-banc means a chariot with benches, and that is just what the seating was. No gangways or aisles, just a long bench across the width of the bus, and probably a door only on the left or nearside of the vehicle.
Peter
 
I grew up in Brantley Rd Witton in the 40's and at 5-18 we used to run for our lives when the GEC clocked out, it seemed nearly everyone worked there, my brothers Tom and Ken Clayton worked in Switch Gear assembly and obvious from the way they spoke they were proud of the jobs they did, I recall they soon snoozed off after sitting down 5 minutes, the Magnet Club became a Greek community club many years later, and the 'five Field's' where we played and the Barrage Balloons sites were in the War is now dissected by the M6, but the gully to Brookvale Park is still there. Eric Clayton
 
I have a toby jug stamped GEC Parkhall this was given to my mother in the 50's by our neighbour Geofrey Weaver who worked at GEC, he was always imaculate in his pin striped suit.
Does anyone remember these jugs and why they were given?
 
There was a tunnel leading from the main building under the road to the switchgear works in the old days. Off to the right of the main building a ways was Witton Kramer where the big electro magnets were made. Did a stint in the machine shop at the back of there with Percy Lawly and Fred, as an apprentice. It's all gone now.
 
Rupert,
do you remember Nigel Steeley Who was in charge of Witton Kramer in the 60s.
Every time the Tame flooded that tunnel had 6ft of water in it, we had to get to the wages dept by the road, I worked in Relay shop for 18 months after a spell in E.DO, Which was on the top floor of the addmin block in the pics.
I also worked in Rotating plant sales for a time,then went on to Large Turbo Gen Sales/Contract dealing with the Genorators that were being made in the LARGE TURBO SHOP, built in the early 50s, now just a memory like most of the Witton estate.
Very happy times.,
One thing I can say is that WE WERE SOME OF THE LAST TO LEAVE Witton estate working for C A PARSONS/NEI.
 
Many thanks Dollyferret for the GEC Magnet Club pic's, it would be about 1947 as a student at Deykin Avenue that we practiced running the Relay-race around that ground, we were getting ready for the Schools Athletics at the Alexandra Stadium Perry Barr, wish I could run like that now, still - I'm lucky to get about so not complaining.
Happy days, Eric Clayton
 
Gec Magnet Club

These are two Pics of GEC Golf Club at the Magnet grounds you can see Xprlair in the back ground onone of them. The other is of the Snooker Room in the Magnet Club during a Switchgear inter-departmental game.
 
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Gec Switch Wembley 1957

This photo s of the GEC Switch coaches out side the Yew Tree Brookvale road ready to go to Wembley for the VILLA - MAN UTD Cup Final 1957.
I bet you know how WON!
ASTON
 
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