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Lucas Labs Research & Development

Anne Jessel

master brummie
Just for information.

Dr Philip Reasbeck O.B.E who was Director of Lucas and Head of Physics and Research sadly passed away last month, aged 89. He served Lucas very well internationally and in the 50s 60s 70s was a very respected gentleman. He may not be recognised by most now but then I don't know about that.

He was a wonderful man and gained so many achievements and accolades including brushing shoulders with Royalty.

He is sadly missed by my sister - he was my honorary bro-in-law and he helped my husband and I giving much advice on a business footing.

We all miss him so much.
Anne
 
Hello Anne

Yes I remember Phil Reasbeck. I first met him when he was MD(?) of the Battery Factory in Formans Rd where my father worked.

During the 70's I worked at the Semiconductor Pilot Line at Marshal Lake Rd so had a lot of contact with the Research Centre. We all used to go down the Stratford Rd to the Crown pub for lunch most Fridays & he was regularly there. Always wore a bow tie I remember
 
Hello Anne

Yes I remember Phil Reasbeck. I first met him when he was MD(?) of the Battery Factory in Formans Rd where my father worked.

During the 70's I worked at the Semiconductor Pilot Line at Marshal Lake Rd so had a lot of contact with the Research Centre. We all used to go down the Stratford Rd to the Crown pub for lunch most Fridays & he was regularly there. Always wore a bow tie I remember

Thank you so much for this response all the way from Adelaide - wow! (another sister and family live there!) My sister will be thrilled when I show her.
He was such a fine gentleman. I wonder if anyone else remembers him.
Anne
 
My late brother in law, Ray Orford was a long standing employee of Lucas's research and development headquarters on the Stratford Road Shirley. He was a metallurgist and also union representative for many years. Alas, he only enjoyed three years of retirement when he died aged 68. Question :- Is the R&D Lucas's HQ still there.
 
It became part of TRW and is now part of another large US company Northrop Grumman.
 
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Thanks for that info. Bernie, they are still paying my brother in law's pension to his widow, so that's the main thing.
 
Not sure how the pensions panned out when Lucas sold out. Mine is paid from Aviva bit it is only £12-00 per annum as I was only in the scheme for a couple of years before leaving. They offered me a lump sum equivalent to my surviving 10 years form date of first payment. I declined as I plane to stick around longer than that and also it must cost them more to administer by my insisting on an annual payment.
 
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Re: Lucas research, Shirley as post #4 , the lucas pension fund was taken over by trw. it is still run by them. it is payed monthly, and all those who recive it are well looked after. kind reguards sidwho
 
Lucas Industries ...

1996 Lucas merged with the (American) Varity Corporation to form LucasVarity.
1999 LucasVarity bought by (American) TRW
2000 Lucas Aerospace part (then called TRW Aero Systems) was sold to Goodrich
2002 Northrop Grumand purchased competitor TRW

Wonder what Joseph Lucas might have made of all that ?
 
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Re: Lucas research, Shirley
i think old joe would be quite happy, at least his company is still going in one form or an other, not total shut down and gone forever like a lot of others, in and around brum
 
Hear what your saying Sid, probably he might be even happier if it were still British ?

The old Lucas-Shirley place used to be our head office. It was good there - we used to use the Surgery (medical dept) there in the days when the nurses always used the old uniforms - you felt like you were being really cared for. A bit of a different feeling than today. Not sure if that Medical Dept is still there or not. But you could trust the larger (Lucas type) companies to have real good ancillary departments.
 
To think that this great empire called Lucas's would never have existed if the young Joe Lucas from carver street hadn't started sellin oil for lamps around Birmingham.

He must be one Birmingham's 'Great Men'
Lucas Industries ...

1996 Lucas merged with the (American) Varity Corporation to form LucasVarity.
1999 LucasVarity bought by (American) TRW
2000 Lucas Aerospace part (then called TRW Aero Systems) was sold to Goodrich
2002 Northrop Grumand purchased competitor TRW

Wonder what Joseph Lucas might have made of all that ?
 
I live fairly near this old Lucas site in Shirely.

Some of the land has been sold off and various buildings have been built around the site including the Village Hotel, Sunrise Retirement Homes and a couple of car showrooms.

If you go on to Google Maps Satellite view you can see all the new buildings on the site.
 
They do seem to have built things up a bit around there.
And yes agree 100% - Joe Lucas - one of our greats. He died in 1902 after drinking contaminated water (apparently). He was a devout teatotaller (ref:Wiki)
 
I worked at the Research Centre in the works Engineers department from 1978 to1983,then it was in open fields off Dog Kennel Lane,there were only 3 buildings there,the Research Centre,the computer area and Aerospace H.Q. We had a full size football pitch in the open field which we would kick each other to bit's during the lunch hour.The head of the Research centre was Dr.Phillip Reasbeck a nice man when you got to no him affectionately known to us as The "Doc".Happy days
 
hi

Well what a haul of Lucas Employees. My pension from 1966 to 1070 ex GK St is from Aviva at £16 PA.
In those days you could take out most of the money bar 10/- a week.
My friend David Lacey worked there for years till he left aroung 1982. He was a plastics expert
All our department whats left of it met again for our Xmas do at the Bull in Town.
Happy Xmas and new Years. I think some where in Jackie Hills site.

Mike Jenks
 
when i was a young lad i worked for scaffolding great britain and we had the task of erecting scaffolding in the empty field that was to be lucas so as the planners could see the silhoutte. chinnychin
 
Hi Chinnychin - I don't suppose you would know if there are any photos of what you errected back in 1964/65 and whether scaffolding great britain are still going ?
 
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