P.J. Evans Essex Street

[stephen dutton]

My dad John Bromley passed away 2004 and bob Yeomans passed few years ago

Sorry to hear that. he was a lovely guy and got me out of a couple of `scrapes` while i was there.

 

[stephen dutton]

Great to see you on the forum. Mick Collins did National Service in the RAF, mostly stationed in Germany. He was also in the Merchant Navy, a mess steward I think. Was I correct in thinking you were mates with Albert Stretton?

i don`t recall his name. i started in the workshop stores and then moved up to the main warehouse. I worked initially on the triumph desk with a guy called neville.could have been melvyn, (can`t remeber his second name) then i got moved to granville street where i ended up on RR spares which was really interesting.

 

[stephen dutton]

It's always a pleasure when someone from 'my time' at PJ's posts. I was apprentice mechanic from 1970 - 1974 first at Granville Street (Manager Mr Hastings gave me the job) then we all moved to Essex Street. Stan was foreman of the Rolls mechanics and Johnny Coles forman of the Triumph etc. I do wish some of the guys I worked with from those days would post. My good friend in the stores was Steve Dutton - very long curly hair. Great to remember.

 

[stephen dutton]

Mr Hastings..the angry Scotsman...what can I say, he would ask you a question and as soon as you started to answer he would say: ` I don`t wan tee know` Another of his favourites was shouting the length of the workshop ` Get yer arse doon here noo ma lackey`. Another Scottish thing i remember at a Christmas party was: `what would you like to drink? a half of what?`

 

[vicfarlowe]

Sorry to hear that. he was a lovely guy and got me out of a couple of `scrapes` while i was there.

I remember Bob Yeomans. He was a Special Constable and lived in Chelmsley Wood, plus was an ardent Blues fan. I remember when he applied for the Blues manager's job! He was pals with Chris Spilsbury and Chris and I used to see Bob in the Scarlet Pimpernel pub in Harborne. I think his dad lived on Welsh House Farm Estate. He came out with a classic line at Granville Street when Mr Studeholme paid a visit. Bob was not there for about an hour. When he came back Mr Studeholme asked him where he had been. Bob replied 'I've been for a haircut.' Mr Studeholme then said,'you should not go for a haircut in firm's time!' Quick as a flash Bob replied, 'but my hair grows in firm's time.'

 

[vicfarlowe]

great guy mick collins, not only the best parts man but also the smartest dressed. always thought he`d probably been in the military.

Mike Collins drove a Cortina Mk2, dark blue, always immaculate even in the winter. I can see him now turning into the car park that is now apartments. 50 years ago!

 

[vicfarlowe]

hi this is steve dutton and i`m still around! p.j. evans was my first job after leaving school. i was at essex street for a couple of years and then moved to granville street working in the RR parts department with peter kendal. I remember Mick Collins, Bob yeomans, john bromley Reg kitson, Cecil Studholme (terrible temper) saw him throw a telephone through his glass partioned office in essex street.

I was on the Jaguar phone in the main office upstairs where all the stock control bins were. Mr Studholme's office was in the corner. (Secretary Anita?) so I witnessed many outbursts, usually when he was on the phone to Jaguar or Triumph. I remember the auditors arriving and he had a row with them and threw the heavy computer printout stock records right across the room just missing me. Having said that I'd still work with him as he and John Bromley, Melvyn Shufflebottom were excellent managers who would always give you a yes or no decision. No meetings ,no memos no messing about.. They had all worked their way up so had excellent experience and knowledge of the products and the firm.

 

[stephen dutton]

I remember Bob Yeomans. He was a Special Constable and lived in Chelmsley Wood, plus was an ardent Blues fan. I remember when he applied for the Blues manager's job! He was pals with Chris Spilsbury and Chris and I used to see Bob in the Scarlet Pimpernel pub in Harborne. I think his dad lived on Welsh House Farm Estate. He came out with a classic line at Granville Street when Mr Studeholme paid a visit. Bob was not there for about an hour. When he came back Mr Studeholme asked him where he had been. Bob replied 'I've been for a haircut.' Mr Studeholme then said,'you should not go for a haircut in firm's time!' Quick as a flash Bob replied, 'but my hair grows in firm's time.'

I was on the Jaguar phone in the main office upstairs where all the stock control bins were. Mr Studholme's office was in the corner. (Secretary Anita?) so I witnessed many outbursts, usually when he was on the phone to Jaguar or Triumph. I remember the auditors arriving and he had a row with them and threw the heavy computer printout stock records right across the room just missing me. Having said that I'd still work with him as he and John Bromley, Melvyn Shufflebottom were excellent managers who would always give you a yes or no decision. No meetings ,no memos no messing about.. They had all worked their way up so had excellent experience and knowledge of the products and the firm.

I remember melynn he had a desk downstairs i think behind the counter. i covered for him on the phones once when he was on holiday. it was hard work but i managed and was quite proud of myself for a young lad.

 

[stephen dutton]

I also remeber the foreman from essex st work shop, John Coley i think his name was. One day a customer brought his new car back saying the seat belts didn`t work (early types were inertia reel, later ones were reflex) John explained the issue and ended up calling the guy a prat to his face! This was customer service in the early 70`s of course

 

[stephen dutton]

I certainly do remember Mr Studeholm. Yes Steve Dutton and I became very good friends over the years. Steve (his twin brother Jaime) me and other friends used to go to the Gate pub on a Saturday then on the Knickers night club on Soho Hill - wonderful. Steve and I went to the South of France together for two weeks - we had planned to go in my Mini Cooper but the sub frame broke and we had to use my sisters old frog eyed sprite -which we had to sleep in sometimes because no money, lol. Amazingly I had gone 'sick' from work for those two weeks and when on a road between St Tropez and Cavelier? along came a roller PJE 3 - we think it was Reginald Gore on holiday - he was also a director of PJ Evans. I think he also has something to do with the design of the TR 4a. You will recall Steve sold him band equipment and bought a motor bike a Norton Commando! Great times.

You`ve got a good memory. I thought it was a triumph stag driven by the big boss Mr Parker. I remember our little `bump` when we went up somebodies drive by mistake on the way back from St Tropez. Bent the steering rack and holed the radiator.........how we ever made it back to the uk ill never know!

 

[Peter1]

yes im fine thanx, jamie too although he lost his wife to cancer last year. i live in solihull these days, have two grown up kids Jamie and Katie, and five grand children. i remember our trip to the south of france very well. when i think back i cant believe we found our way down there without sat nav! Ive had a couple of bikes since the Norton but more or less given up now. Jamie has two. I remember you had a Z1 kawasaki and i had to collect it with you from cradley heath motor cycles as you hadn`t passed your test! crazy days!

Hello Steve, how wonderful to see your response, although sorry to hear the news about Jamie's wife. PJ Evans seemed to attract.... interesting folk, lol. Mick the Pole - eccentric but kind to me, Malcolm Bassett and his plastic pig 3-wheeler, Studholm of course, Hastings, Stan Rolls foreman..so many. After the Z1 I had the Z900 then Z1000, The Z1 was the best! I had to pay cash for the Z1 for reasons you mentioned, lol. I live in Shropshire now, still working. I'm pretty sure I have two pictures from our time in SofF - your kids might like to see. I would be happy to post or send to you - there may be that facility on this site to send to you directly. I am sure someone will let us know. It would be good to catch up. Take care.

 

[stephen dutton]

You`ve got a good memory. I thought it was a triumph stag driven by the big boss Mr Parker. I remember our little `bump` when we went up somebodies drive by mistake on the way back from St Tropez. Bent the steering rack and holed the radiator.........how we ever made it back to the uk ill never know!

The guitarist i played with in the band was mike slamer. He went on to better things, he was lead guitar in the birmingham band City Boy ( they had a top ten with the song `5705`. He lives in the states now we still keep in touch. I went over there some years ago to be his best man. After P.J Evans i went to work for the RR spares department of Newbury Motors in Halesowen. From there I went to their branch in Shirley, which was formerly Saville Motors. From there I went to Patrick Motors in Perry Barr. I took redundancy and went to work for a German company run by a cousin of mine in Soilihull. Stayed there for the best part of 25 years finally ended up as UK Director. That finally went bump when the German Parent company was bought by the chinese. Big change then, I was sixty then and went to work for ASDA till my state pension came. I`m now happily retired!

 

[Peter1]

I remember Mike from your band and heard he had joined CB and moved to States - you were best man, fantastic Steve. There are 'parts men' linked into this chat that will be impressed by such a wide experience, I am delighted you became director...and now happily retired. We limped back from SofF topping up the radiator, stopping in Paris to find a rad block. Eventually pushing the car onto a hovercraft and off the other end. My sister sent a trailer down to pick it up and organised for a Hertz hire car for us to get home (she worked for Hertz-renta-car). I have just found 4 pics of our trip. If u would like copy I can whatsapp. Is there a private email option on this site guys?

 

[mikejee]

There is a privtae conversation j link(envelope symbol o top right of page, but you cannot send attachments, only links

 

[vicfarlowe]

Any of you remember Steve Kazee? He was at Essex Street when I was there and his younger brother Con Kazee was a mechanic at Granville Street.