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Ionic Plating Works

Just recently came across this site and messages related to Ionic Plating.

I started work at Ionic in 1972 as an electrician improver in the maintenance department, leaving in 1979.

I do remember some of the names mentioned and attach a group photo of myself along with Bill Taylor, Gordon Harris, Lewis jones, and John Elliot. Some other name in maintenance team that I remember where a John Tweedle, John Townsend, Lloyd Frater , Ed, Pete Milburn, Bernard Ratcliffe plus other staff who's names I am not able to recall.View attachment 170153View attachment 170154View attachment 170155
Welcome to the thread Palmjit. Amazing how many pics have turned up over the last year or so. Lou Jones instantly recognisable. I wonder how many more pics still lurking in our cupboards. DQ
 
There were two fires, one was in the original factory and was over the Barrel Section cleaning line, the first I knew about it was when Ron Hale from the Human Resources bought our P45, round to our house and to tell us we had been made unemployed due to the fire.



The second fire was in 21 shop where the large barrel plating machine was, it was an old Belfast Roof Trusses and once alight quickly took over the plant , I believe it was on a 16th of August the day after my Birthday it would from memory have been the early 70s.
A fascinating thread. My granddad was Ron Hale, he retired in the late 80's and sadly passed away a couple of years ago. My great uncle was Gren Pickin, mentioned earlier in this thread. If anyone else recalls Ron or Gren I'd like to hear more and I'm sorry Ron was the bearer of such bad news, Jim!
 
A fascinating thread. My granddad was Ron Hale, he retired in the late 80's and sadly passed away a couple of years ago. My great uncle was Gren Pickin, mentioned earlier in this thread. If anyone else recalls Ron or Gren I'd like to hear more and I'm sorry Ron was the bearer of such bad news, Jim!
I remember Ron Hale very well. Gren Picken was an outstandingly funny man ( he wasn't alone!) and worked in 21 shop on the old manual phosphate line with John Stamp(s). He was a great man for a curry, on twilight shift he insisted on mega quantities of curry sauce on his bought in meal. I met John several times after my time at Ionic in other metal finishing plants and looked on both of them as friends.

In Palmjit's picture I sort of recognise George Harris, not Gordon; he looks bit slimmer though. Perhaps my memory is failing again.:cool:

Jim, it was indeed Tom Watson in the stores; the elderly chap that I recall was named Joe; I say "elderly" but he would have been a deal younger than we are now. The stores foreman I best remember was Roy Marigold, tallish sandy haired fellow who drove a VW Beetle, nice guy. Roy came along after the stores were broken into and a quantity of nickel metal was pinched; there followed a period of ill feeling and innuendo I found very distasteful.

When I knew 7 shop it was a small order specialist barrel line, the operator was another Ernie?

You must have known and worked with Larry Smith; he was another one with a droll sense of humour, very likeable.
 
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I remember Ron Hale very well. Gren Picken was an outstandingly funny man ( he wasn't alone!) and worked in 21 shop on the old manual phosphate line with John Stamp(s). He was a great man for a curry, on twilight shift he insisted on mega quantities of curry sauce on his bought in meal. I met John several times after my time at Ionic in other metal finishing plants and looked on both of them as friends.

In Palmjit's picture I sort of recognise George Harris, not Gordon; he looks bit slimmer though. Perhaps my memory is failing again.:cool:

Jim, it was indeed Tom Watson in the stores; the elderly chap that I recall was named Joe; I say "elderly" but he would have been a deal younger than we are now. The stores foreman I best remember was Roy Marigold, tallish sandy haired fellow who drove a VW Beetle, nice guy. Roy came along after the stores were broken into and a quantity of nickel metal was pinched; there followed a period of ill feeling and innuendo I found very distasteful.

When I knew 7 shop it was a small order specialist barrel line, the operator was another Ernie?

You must have known and worked with Larry Smith; he was another one with a droll sense of humour, very likeable.
could well be the correct name is George Harris and not Gordon Harris.
 
A fascinating thread. My granddad was Ron Hale, he retired in the late 80's and sadly passed away a couple of years ago. My great uncle was Gren Pickin, mentioned earlier in this thread. If anyone else recalls Ron or Gren I'd like to hear more and I'm sorry Ron was the bearer of such bad news, Jim!
I do remember Ron Hale, it was Ron plus a colleague of his who interviewed me for a job at Ionic around 1973/74. My last contact with with Ron was when he did a work reference for me when I applied to become a chartered electrical engineer, this would have been near 1984. Positive memories of Ron Hale, a good HR person.
 
Does anyone have any photos of Ernie Cale? He was my 2nd times Great Grandfather and I'd love to have some photos of relatives if that's okay.
 
Welcome to the Forum BlueAsh, enjoy!
I worked with Ernie, great character. No pics unfortunately, only memories. It was after all late '60s! A few photos have been uncovered on this thread, but we weren't obsessed with taking snapshots then and of course we didn't have cell phone technology. I hope this unearths some more, I would love to see them to Good luck!
 
I worked with Ernie, great character. No pics unfortunately, only memories. It was after all late '60s! A few photos have been uncovered on this thread, but we weren't obsessed with taking snapshots then and of course we didn't have cell phone technology. I hope this unearths some more, I would love to see them to Good luck!
I don't think he IS the 2nd great grandfather I'm on about due to that time, my parents were born then and my grandparents were only only in their 30s and the Ernie Cale that I'm on about died in 1947, so I think he was a cousin or something as my great grandparents would have been working, but Elsie Cale (My great grandmother) married into a different family.
 
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