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Hardy Spicers Ltd

Welcome James I bet you have some tales to tell of your time there.
 
I started working at Hardy Spicers in 1962 and worked there till 2007. Would be good to hear from anyone who as worked there. I spent most of my working days there on the assembly section.
Jim
 
My dad worked there from 70s to 80s, think he worked on combine harvester parts but I could be wrong !
 
You are right about parts what was your dads name
james

His name was Mat, he had a foreign accent as he was an original refugee from Latvia. I think he worked on New Holland drive shafts ? I don't think there where that many foreigners at that time.
 
I started at Hardy Spicer in 1970 as a progress chaser (they called us 'logistics engineers') I remember some great characters such as Ben Fulwell who I think was an assemby foreman. He was a massive guy, ex- guardsman or similar. He used to march around bellowing out his instructions but actually he was a decent sort of a bloke in my experience. Other people that spring to mind from that time are Darkie Thompson, Ronnie Hart, Jay Sperry, Dave Blakemore, Fred Jones, Larry Finnemore, Arthur Wilson and, of course, the power brokers:Stan Robinson (Works Manager) and Graham Gould (Chief Shop Steward) Graham succeeded Bill Morris (now Lord Morris) as you probably recall. There were over 3,000 people employed at the Chester Road factory at the time. Johnny
 
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 ;;;;;;
 
I worked at Hardy Spicers from 1974 until 2004, I too have nothing but great memories of the time i spent there. I served my apprenticeship and then worked on various sections until i finally ended up as a prototype machinist.
 
As an engineer working for a GKN supplier to Hardy Spicer and in a long meeting in the board room in the big office building, I was asked if I fancied a pint. Well I said yes and received a can of Banks Bitter, I always liked visiting HSP.
 
I've just come across this thread and wonder if any of you folks have any more info about life at Hardy Spicers, particularly the heat treatment section. My dad worked there for most of his life. He worked nights, in the furnace shop, as he called it. That's about all I know, being a kid I didn't ask much about his job; I do remember they used to give him salt tablets because the blokes sweat so much from the heat of the furnaces, and we used to joke about how much salt he put on his dinner, even though mom salted the veg in the cooking. They used to have Christmas parties for the kids & my brother & me went to a few. One year I had a book about the universe, I found it fascinating, & I still have it to this day !
 
Hardy Spicers , I did not work for them, I was a service and Demonstration engineer for B.S.A Tools and we put in a hell of a lot of machinery to manufacture the original Birfield constant velocity joint, The first machines were the ones that machined the the ball grooves in the housing and also the ones that ground the tracks after hardening, very interesting work. We also supplied the machines that machined the ball cages, what a nightmare they were at times. On day I had to go to the security and get a pass for some parts which I was taking back to be modified, I said to the police, the machine is not yours yet so why the pass. He then related a story about car batteries being stolen from the M.T which they deduced it only happened on a wet day. A cyclist wa.s taking them out underneath his cycle cape on wet days.
Dave Edwards
 
hi Johnny,

Its a small world. Bob Keef is my brother in law and i used to work with you at Hardy Spicer!( when i was an apprentice) I am in South Africa now myself for 23 years.
I saw Bob in january when i went to Cape Town, do you here from him? I used to go and visit Nel & Arthur on my bike on the Bromford. ( memories)

cheers

Andy
 
I started at Hardy Spicer in 1970 as a progress chaser (they called us 'logistics engineers') I remember some great characters such as Ben Fulwell who I think was an assemby foreman. He was a massive guy, ex- guardsman or similar. He used to march around bellowing out his instructions but actually he was a decent sort of a bloke in my experience. Other people that spring to mind from that time are Darkie Thompson, Ronnie Hart, Jay Sperry, Dave Blakemore, Fred Jones, Larry Finnemore, Arthur Wilson and, of course, the power brokers:Stan Robinson (Works Manager) and Graham Gould (Chief Shop Steward) Graham succeeded Bill Morris (now Lord Morris) as you probably recall. There were over 3,000 people employed at the Chester Road factory at the time. Johnny

Names I also remember! I started in 1978 ( Commercial Apprentice) and left in 1990 to emigrate to Soiuth Africa. I was involved with prototypes for the last few years working for Phil Dawe. Paul Smith is still there as far as I know but I am sure a lot of the lads have moved on ( or even retired now).
 
I worked at Hardy Spicers from 1974 until 2004, I too have nothing but great memories of the time i spent there. I served my apprenticeship and then worked on various sections until i finally ended up as a prototype machinist.

Then you must remember me mate! Andy as I was involved with prototypes for about 2 years before moving to South Africa! still here now!
 
hi Johnny,

Its a small world. Bob Keef is my brother in law and i used to work with you at Hardy Spicer!( when i was an apprentice) I am in South Africa now myself for 23 years.
I saw Bob in january when i went to Cape Town, do you here from him? I used to go and visit Nel & Arthur on my bike on the Bromford. ( memories)

cheers

Andy

Hi Andy

It is indeed a small world. I last saw Bob more than 20 years ago but I still visit my lovely Aunt Nell at her nursing home. She is now in her 95th year, virtually blind and no longer able to walk but she still has a twinkle in her eye and we have a few laughs. Arthur died in the early 90's as you probably know. I used to visit them at Bromford on my way home from school some evenings (Aunt Nell made amazing cakes!)
So you were an apprentice at Hardy Spicer .. tell me more

Cheers
Johnny
 
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