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Lucas Engineering School Great Hampton Street

Yeah,
I remember those names well, Tom, Keith Warren and I played in the LES football team together. I was sixteen when I started Matthew Boulton and sat next to Dave, footballer from Linread, we hit it off well from the beginning.
Every Wednesday lunchtime we went across Hurst Street to the West End Ballroom for a couple of beers and a "jive" can't say i remembered too much in the afternoon.Thanks for the memory Dave.
Alan Lawton
 
I've a photograph somewhere, if I can find it, taken at Marston Green c.1973. It's a photograph of the staff in the Electronics Lab at that time, one of whom was Nigel Mansell.
I worked with both Nigel and his Dad Eric. Mind you......Nigel was only a go-cart racer back then.

ceebee
 
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Re: Lucas Engineering School at GHSt
Firstly let me say thanks to the originators of this forum. I am an Aussie that went to the UK in 1959 and spent over four and a half years in Birmingham. I stayed at the YMCA in Erdington which had just been opened that year and I went to the Lucas Engineering School in Great Hampton Street. When I started in May 1959, it was a 44 hour week and Fridays were great because we finished early at 5 o'clock instead of 6. I spent about 18 months at the LES before going to Great King Street. Lucas was a great experience for me as I was lucky enough to get to work in many different departments in a number of the plants in Birmingham. I spent time at Chester Street, Foremans Road and Shaftmoor Lane. They sent me on an outward Bound course to Eskdale in the Lakes District. That was in January 1960 and it was the first time I ever saw snow.
We had a good Engineering School cricket side and enjoyed playing the intercompany games at Moor Lane. Great memories and I still look every weekend to see how the Blues fared ...............being a fifty year Birmingham FC supporter is a tough gig.

enjoying this forum..
Ian Rudd
 
Hi
I have a vast time capsule from Lucas Engineering Shool 1953 suitable for a museum! Including Gt King Street stuff. Please ring me for all the details and to decide what to do with it all!
Peter J Henderson
 
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Hello and welcome Peter have you contacted Jackie Hill we have a link to her website here. She has a lot of Lucas memorabilia which she takes to events and displays.

www.lucasmemories.co.uk

Peter I have removed your phone number as it's not a good idea to post it on a public website. If you want to send it to someone do it in an instant message as this is more private. Likewise if someone wants to contact you. You will get a notification top right:).
 
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My brother did his toolmaking apprenticeship at Lucas (Gt King Street I think) around the early 80's (he's now in Australia where toolmaking is still a profession), and I believe my Grandad worked there for around 40 years (between Gt Hampton Sst and Gt Kings St) I remember a service award he had and photograph. I seem to recall he was some sort of quality inspector (although shop steward appears on my dad's birth certificate).

I have some great memories of the Lucas' sports day in Perry Barr and numerous trips on the 'little train', it was the highlight of the summer.

I'll jump on the link (thanks for posting) to see if I can spot anyone
 
Hi to any ex Lucas Apprentice out there, myself ( John Anscombe) and an old friend Mick Brown are desperate to find out details of the Lucas Ex apprentice Annual Reunion. We were at the school from 1963 to 1968 can anyone help with whom to contact, and what months they have them. thanks John
 
I started my apprenticeship at GHS in 73 and have fond memories of Pete Ruby, Ted Treviethic and Mr Davies. I have less fond memories of doing 5BX on the roof. I think they took on about 60 apprentices in 73 and we were all white and all male, Lucas was not a progressive company.
 
I have a miniature approximate replica of a Tom Bowling lamp that is engraved 'To our Old Skipper from Lucas Engineering School' December 1962. I presume it's a retirement gift and judging by the superb quality he must have been a well loved senior figure at the school. Does anyone know who he might have been? I've looked at the Lucas Memories site but can't find any clues there. Any assistance would be much appreciated. Rob
 
Hi Folks, I wanted desperately to join LES September 1965 after leaving Harry Lucas School (only apprentices I know of that wore a uniform) but wasn't accepted (selection process lasted all day - numerous sessions - very gruelling, but got a free lunch), got offered a trainee position at Lucas Gas Turbine but didn't accept, probably should have done.

Regards,
Peg.
 
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Reactions: JES
Andyboy, Any ex apprentices of the 50,s & 60,s must remember Ted. Ran the office for Sam Davies & took the daily exercises on the roof & at Handsworth Tech. Lots of photos on Lucas Memories.
 
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Andyboy,
I started in 1976 at College Road and Ted Brewer was the 5BX mentor, two shifts of lads in the loading bays to knock into shape. We also did sessions at Newtown Leisure Centre.
Luxury compared to the roof sessions at Hampton Street :)
 
Bob,
I believe 5bx was a military (Canadian Air force, I think not 100% though) fitness using 5 basic exercises, star jumps, squats etc. Ted Brewer was ex military PE instructor.
 
Andyboy said:
Any ex apprentices remember Ted Brewer and morning exercises.
Click to expand...
Yeah bloomin 5BX every morning in the loading bay (yes they were Canadian airforce exercises). Then Weds afternoons at Newtown. Who the hell thinks volleyball using a medicine ball is a good idea? Yep, Ted Brewer did! If you argued he would go even redder in the face and stick a pair of boxing gloves on you to "sort it out". I saw him once on a DDay landings programme being interviewed so assumed he was an ex-para. Good old bloke though and hard as nails. There was also a big box by the loading bay at the LETC with a load of old sword fencing gear in it - glad i missed those years - if Ted had got hold of them we'd probably have had to play volleyball with the swords
 
At the Engineering Training Centre in 1984 (Keith Wills at the front). Impressed to see two females trainees, not that common in the 1980s. Image from Birmingham Post & Mail archives.

Question: did the Centre become part of the University ? Viv.

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Andyboy said:
Any ex apprentices remember Ted Brewer and morning exercises.
Click to expand...
Yes I remember Ted Brewer very well. I was an apprentice there from 1961-1966. Reg Padmore was the Head then took over from Sammy Davis around 62 I think.
Last time I saw both of the was at the Lucas Engineering Apprentice reunion at the Eaton Hotel on Hagley Road held every other year. That must have been 10 years ago at least. Haven’t been to any for a while. I know there was one about 4 years ago. Would love to go to the next. Do you have any contact details for the organiser?
 
Crashtestdougie said:
Yeah bloomin 5BX every morning in the loading bay (yes they were Canadian airforce exercises). Then Weds afternoons at Newtown. Who the hell thinks volleyball using a medicine ball is a good idea? Yep, Ted Brewer did! If you argued he would go even redder in the face and stick a pair of boxing gloves on you to "sort it out". I saw him once on a DDay landings programme being interviewed so assumed he was an ex-para. Good old bloke though and hard as nails. There was also a big box by the loading bay at the LETC with a load of old sword fencing gear in it - glad i missed those years - if Ted had got hold of them we'd probably have had to play volleyball with the swords
Click to expand...
Engineering School in the 60s was at GHS. Morning exercise was on the roof come rain or shine. Dash up 6 flights of stairs at mid morning break for exercise. Slackers were picked out to do penalties. Then down one floor to the canteen for sandwich and tea.
 
I started at LES in the summer of 1958. I remember my first green coat. being given a cube of steel that had grinder groves in and told to file it flat to 1 mil I think. I enjoyed the fencing, table tennis and the gym on the roof top, and my 3 course lunch
 
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