GEC WITTON WORKS

[Woodcarver]

Hi Everyone,

A family discussion led me to this forum. The question was where young couples meet these days. For many people the answer used to be “at work” in large companies that are no longer there.

In 1958 I started a drawing office apprenticeship, which included two years invaluable shop floor training, in 3DO. Six years later, still in 3DO, I met a young lady working in PCD and we have now been married for fifty eight years.

Another product of GEC was engineers. For more than thirty years I was an electrical surveyor with an insurance company, working the Midlands and beyond. I seemed to meet engineers from GEC everywhere and a regular comment was that a GEC apprenticeship was almost a passport to another job.

Hoping that I am not too late to respond to an earlier post by anorak147 regarding George Jenkins. He was the chief draughtsman in 3DO. Like many of his time a strict but respected man. Attached is a photo of George making a presentation to apprentice Eddie Hard for his marriage in 1959. The other photo, from 1963 in 3DO, shows draughtsmen Jack Westbury, Alan Sola and Frank Vincent, plus two apprentices.

 

[Donbogen]

Hi Everyone,

A family discussion led me to this forum. The question was where young couples meet these days. For many people the answer used to be “at work” in large companies that are no longer there.

In 1958 I started a drawing office apprenticeship, which included two years invaluable shop floor training, in 3DO. Six years later, still in 3DO, I met a young lady working in PCD and we have now been married for fifty eight years.

Another product of GEC was engineers. For more than thirty years I was an electrical surveyor with an insurance company, working the Midlands and beyond. I seemed to meet engineers from GEC everywhere and a regular comment was that a GEC apprenticeship was almost a passport to another job.

Hoping that I am not too late to respond to an earlier post by anorak147 regarding George Jenkins. He was the chief draughtsman in 3DO. Like many of his time a strict but respected man. Attached is a photo of George making a presentation to apprentice Eddie Hard for his marriage in 1959. The other photo, from 1963 in 3DO, shows draughtsmen Jack Westbury, Alan Sola and Frank Vincent, plus two apprentices.

Very interesting Thanks for sharing

 

[Jim P]

Do you know if any of the above worked in the Xpelair factory?
I worked there 1966-1970

I was there in 1967 when Xpelair was transferred from Colchester to Witton. I was Accountant for FHP motors and we made the Xpelair motors and Witton Moulded Plastics made the plastics. John Sturrock was FD of WMP and Arthur Scotson was MD. FHP bosses were Ken Brommel and later Harry Cairncross.

 

[Kevin Hiatt]

Much of my family worked for GEC Witton, Personnel Manager was Harry Cormill, his Brother Herbert Cormill was the Deputy Chief Inspector High Tension Switch Gear, my cousin Colin Byng Worked in the Hight .Tension Switch Gear Department, myself I started in the Patternshop but only for 6 months before it closed down. Now retired after working for many years as a Design Engineer for an Engineering Consultancy, can't believe near 75 now.

 

[John L]

Just found from the 1921 Census that my great grandfather Thomas Griffiths worked as an electrical fitter at GEC Switch Gear Witton in 1921. That makes me one of three generations of my family that have worked in Witton at some point. Small wonder that I'm a Villa fan. Here is a GEC advert from 1929, the administration centre at Witton, along with 2 photographs from 1922 and one from 1920: