Hardy Spicers Ltd

[Richard Dye]

Hello Richard, John Washbourne is my grandad (my father’s father). Sadly my dad was only 7 when his father died. Do you have any memories you could share?

Flossie, my memories are of John (JoHenry) Wheeler who was a close friend and apprentice at Hardy Spicer. Like many of us he started out with a motorcycle in Johnnys case a Lambretta moving to a Ford Consul. He was in an accident just outside of Henly in Arden(?). Johnny escaped with a few scrapes a couple of others did not.

 

[Flossie Washbourne]

Flossie, my memories are of John (JoHenry) Wheeler who was a close friend and apprentice at Hardy Spicer. Like many of us he started out with a motorcycle in Johnnys case a Lambretta moving to a Ford Consul. He was in an accident just outside of Henly in Arden(?). Johnny escaped with a few scrapes a couple of others did not.

Oh, apologies I think I got confused! Hopefully someone sees this and may be able to share some stories with me! Thank you anyway

 

[Flossie Washbourne]

Richard. I am too confused! I had not long been at Hardy Spicer when this fatal accident happened. The names are unreliable, certainly not Peter Wheeler could have been John Washbourne.

Hello Jim, John Washbourne is my grandad (my father’s father). Sadly my dad was only 7 when his father died. Do you have any memories you could share?

 

[Richard Dye]

Oh, apologies I think I got confused! Hopefully someone sees this and may be able to share some stories with me! Thank you anyway

No apologies necessary! Best of luck with your search!

 

[JungleJon]

Used to know a few people at Birfield around that time, I think one was called John Sandbrook,(in production control?) plus a couple from quality control whose names won't come to me. The more senior one had bushy hair. One of the two was in Osaka on works business at the time of a massive earthquake. Shaken but not hurt.

I loved my time in Production Control at Birfield. The people I remember well are John Sandbrook, Irene Robotham, Louis MOuntstephens, Larry Joyce, Phil Jordan (Quality) and Jack Sherrif

 

[devonjim]

I loved my time in Production Control at Birfield. The people I remember well are John Sandbrook, Irene Robotham, Louis MOuntstephens, Larry Joyce, Phil Jordan (Quality) and Jack Sherrif

Didn't realise that Larry Joyce transferred to Birfield, worked with him at Chester Rd. 1970-1975. Wasn't there also a husband/wife in Production Control surname Beddows? Maybe Stuart? Welcome to BHF!

 

[Judy Okell]

The site at the top of Birch Road was shared by two plants in the Birfield Group, Forging & Presswork and Salisbury Transmissions. I started work as an engineering apprentice at F&P and stayed there 14 years before the Cold Forging department moved to Hamstead. The three storey office block (still there) was shared between F&P and ST, we even shared a Drawing Office print machine, and the old style Managing Director 'ruled' both plants. The site had a central road with the forging plant on the canal side, and the ST machining plant on the other side. Delivery of our forgings was initially down the road to the Birch Rd Hardy Spicer plant. When HS moved to Chester Rd someone at F&P had the bright idea of using canal boats to deliver our forgings to HS, looking at maps it can be seen that the canal runs past both sites. Unfortunately the forge used to throw scrap forgings over the fence into the canal until a pleasure boat was nearly sunk by an enormous pile of forgings which were found when the canal stretch was drained.
Some products produced by the press shop of F&P were steel toecaps which were known as 'ToeTectors' in safety footware.
The Cold Forging part of F&P was run on a licence from a German company Neumeyers in Nuremburg.
GKN took over the Birfield Group in 1965/66 and eventually the original Birfield Industries automotive products became the major part of GKN's business so it turned out to be a very profitable take-over.
oldmohawk

Hello
My dad Roy Okell worked at Forging and Pressworks at Birch road from 1943-1962 as metallurgist working with Ernie Baylis. Met and married Margaret Jordan who worked for Old Man Jones the forge manager.
Roy and Margaret are into their 90’s and reminisce about this time in their lives.

 

[oldtyreman79]

Hi james
my late brother inlaw big alf summers whom worked in the stores there for many years until he died about three years ago ; i beleive his brother also worked there as well at hardys i learnt to drive one of those platform trucks there i had to be tested by the health and safty team ;
which i did pas and shortly afterwards i left and went to work along side our bazzm member of the forum as the over head crane driver
in the forge ; but i stared there as a slinger until stan fisher asked me if i want the number I over head crane driver postion
as they sacked the other guy through loss of time keeping he was always on the sick for months in and months out i was there for years
and i used to have to load all the lorrys and pick up the red hotpipes and metal from confined postionswhilst the men ; was close to there furnace ; great company and great men worked there one great happy familys ; and when we had open days at tubes i was a guide ; doin the guided tours arond the company
from all the furnaces and back rooms of the companpy ; i really miss working there i truly do ;
james have a great day and enjoy your self and keep smiling ; remember you only live once ;
best wishes Astonian ;;;;;;

 

[devonjim]

Fred Jones lives next door to me.

Browsing this very old comment, Fred was my boss at HSP in 1970's.

 

[mw0njm.]

it sure was a handy place for taking a drive shaft/propshaft to be repaired, when i used to convert cars/vans i dropped the shaft off at night and in the morning collect it. all painted new joints balanced just like new

 

[Eric Gibson]

One of our mechanics had a mate who worked there, he took a prop shaft in for repair and they played a joke on him, half filled it with paint, damn near shook the car to pieces when he fitted it.

 

[devonjim]

I'm told that Melrose sold off the last of the HSP Erdington site on 8th December 2023.

 

[7LRT]

So sad to see the demise this site. Whilst being employed by Forgings and Presswork I spent the first year of my apprenticeship at the apprentice training school at Hardy Spicer in 1960. Whilst a long time ago I remember every detail of that most enjoyable and educational period which set me up for my future working life. Such wonderful memories.

 

[Richard Dye]

So sad to see the demise this site. Whilst being employed by Forgings and Presswork I spent the first year of my apprenticeship at the apprentice training school at Hardy Spicer in 1960. Whilst a long time ago I remember every detail of that most enjoyable and educational period which set me up for my future working life. Such wonderful memories.

Slightly off topic: I served my apprenticeship at Brooke Tool Automation, went to school on day release and at night. Set me up for life. My university education particularly in the US was important but that “hands on” apprenticeship training got me to places I never dreamed of!

 

[7LRT]

Slightly off topic: I served my apprenticeship at Brooke Tool Automation, went to school on day release and at night. Set me up for life. My university education particularly in the US was important but that “hands on” apprenticeship training got me to places I never dreamed of!

Perhaps at the time we didn’t realise the future benefits we would continue to enjoy throughout our lives. My sincere thanks to all those involved in providing the opportunity together with the skilled instructors.

 

[Richard Dye]

Perhaps at the time we didn’t realise the future benefits we would continue to enjoy throughout our lives. My sincere thanks to all those involved in providing the opportunity together with the skilled instructors.

Amen to that!