Canning & Co & Electroplating

[Bill Anderson]

Again my wife remembers the name Tony Such in Research at Cannings. Her father Wilf Lowe used to work in the labs for many years and often talked about Tony

I worked with Wilf Lowe for a few years prior to his retirement. I was fortunate to take over Wilfs position.
I managed to get down to Weston -Super -Mare to see him and we spent a few hours with him after he lost his wife.
Not sure if we met at Wilfs funeral?
I remember Eric Potter, if you are still in contact give him my regards.
Will Anderson

 

[TNT]

Hi Martyn,
Nice to hear from you, unfortunately I lost contact with most of the old PC gang many years ago.
I still get a Christmas card from Alister McP but have not seen him in the last15 years.
I retired almost 10 years ago, but am keeping well.
What news do you have. Iknow that Frank and Chris Bird are no longer with us, but not sure about Norman T.
Regards Bill

Hi Bill
Glad to hear that you are keeping well.
I can remember being at Pollution Control after Cannings went down but I cannot remember leaving, I joined Electroloid who set up an office in Birmingham Bill Darby and Brian Harvey were there, But I left when Potter's man, cannot remember his name told me Chris Bird was coming back.
I then joined electropaint in Lichfield but could not get on with the Sales Manager.
Luck being on my side I met David Carr who had decided to start an engineering dept and this lasted a few years until I retired In all a good
time was had by all.
In 2007 Beryl and I decided to move to Ireland we live with our number 2 son Simon and his wife Grainne.
I trust you stay well and nice to know you are still around.
Regards Norman

 

[TNT]

Hi Bill
Glad to hear that you are keeping well.
I can remember being at Pollution Control after Cannings went down but I cannot remember leaving, I joined Electroloid who set up an office in Birmingham Bill Darby and Brian Harvey were there, But I left when Potter's man, cannot remember his name told me Chris Bird was coming back.
I then joined electropaint in Lichfield but could not get on with the Sales Manager.
Luck being on my side I met David Carr who had decided to start an engineering dept and this lasted a few years until I retired In all a good
time was had by all.
In 2007 Beryl and I decided to move to Ireland we live with our number 2 son Simon and his wife Grainne.
I trust you stay well and nice to know you are still around.
Regards Norman

 

[Bill Anderson]

Hi Norman,
Thanks for your reply, I was pleased to hear from you. Someone told me that you had moved from Burntwood and settled in Ireland, but I cannot remember who.
After moving from Telford Pollution Control under went a number of changes to the ownership none of which lasted for any length of time.
I moved to Eco-Tec, a Canadian organisation who designed and manufactured purification and recovery systems.
We were a very sucessful outfit and I was with them for 28 years heading up their European operation.
Unfortunately this involved a great deal of overseas travel and as a result I lost contact with all the old teams at Canning and Pollution Control.
George Pol? came to work for me for a short time, but it did not suit him and he went to PMD ? at Coventry to work alongside Brian Harvey.
I still receive a Christmas card from Alistair McPherson but have not spoken to him as we are normally in Australia for Christmas visiting our Grandchildren.
What part of Ireland have you moved to. I have relatives in Co Donegal but have not been across for a few years.
Keep in touch,
Very best regards
Bill Anderson

 

[Genmac1]

I worked with Wilf Lowe for a few years prior to his retirement. I was fortunate to take over Wilfs position.
I managed to get down to Weston -Super -Mare to see him and we spent a few hours with him after he lost his wife.
Not sure if we met at Wilfs funeral?
I remember Eric Potter, if you are still in contact give him my regards.
Will Anderson

Good morning Will. On behalf of my wife Heather (Wilf's daughter) we would like to thank you for getting in touch with us via this forum post. Wilf often mentioned you . Yes we did meet at Wilf's funeral and we appreciate that you managed to visit him in Weston -Super- Mare . Yes we will pass on your regards to Eric Potter ( one of our oldest friends and an usher at our wedding) who now lives in South Wales near Chepstow

 

[Kenny R]

Morning all, I worked at W.Canning Engineering aged 16 from 1979-1983 when we went bust, being only twenty was one of the last to be made redundant not long after we had moved into the new purpose built premises in Pitsford Street (a building which itself has been demolished in the last few years). I worked in Export Sales under Chris Bird & Frank Round, both no longer with us, with George Pilawski, Graham Jenks, Hector Morris & Gary Adcock. Had four great years and still think the best years of my working career, after Cannings I worked at former subsidiary Pollution Control in Telford in their fledgling plating company Plating Engineering. After that went to ESP Ltd in Newtown Row, staffed by former Cannings stalwarts Ken Reid, Gordon Wilde, Ken Hackett, Harry Eacock, Hazel Bevan, Phil Gardner, John Hewitt and in the workshop lead burners Norman Priddle & Larry Mulaney and legendary sparky Roy Sheppard. In 1990 joined one of Canning's larger suppliers Ketville Ltd specialising in plating plant extraction systems spent 14 years there coming across many Canning installed plating lines. Came out of "the trade" in 2004 and have just retired from the Blood Service after nearly twenty years. Have great memories of loads of characters from my time at Cannings largely in the sales force Reg Bleakman, Norman Thurston, Brian Harvey, Alan Vernon, Ken Rook, Garvey Humphrey, Ken Petitt, Graham Ford, Ricky Holford-Jones, Arturo Volpe, the latter three from Polishing, and who could forget the irascible Jack Cooke from I&M.

Hi, can’t place who you are, but I’ve a feeling I must know you as I was around at the same time and recognise all of the names you mention. I worked under Ron Beebee in Polishing Machine Sales, I worked with a cheeky young lad called Terry Perry. Like as been said there can’t be too many of the old gang left now sadly! Ken (Randall)

 

[Kenny R]

Hi Norman,
Thanks for your reply, I was pleased to hear from you. Someone told me that you had moved from Burntwood and settled in Ireland, but I cannot remember who.
After moving from Telford Pollution Control under went a number of changes to the ownership none of which lasted for any length of time.
I moved to Eco-Tec, a Canadian organisation who designed and manufactured purification and recovery systems.
We were a very sucessful outfit and I was with them for 28 years heading up their European operation.
Unfortunately this involved a great deal of overseas travel and as a result I lost contact with all the old teams at Canning and Pollution Control.
George Pol? came to work for me for a short time, but it did not suit him and he went to PMD ? at Coventry to work alongside Brian Harvey.
I still receive a Christmas card from Alistair McPherson but have not spoken to him as we are normally in Australia for Christmas visiting our Grandchildren.
What part of Ireland have you moved to. I have relatives in Co Donegal but have not been across for a few years.
Keep in touch,
Very best regards
Bill Anderson

Hi Bill, I certainly remember your name from my time of nipping up to the Barrelling Shop from Ron Beebee’s Dept to talk Villa with Mick. Cheers Ken (Randall)

 

[Kenny R]

Just trying to think of some of the younger people back in the day……I remember Maggie Thomas (Ron Beebees secretary), then there was Lyn Robinson (typist), Carol Hanley who did the post (think she was dating a guy in the DO) and Linda Blackhurst who worked for Harry Eacock I think?

 

[PoJo]

............................. Carol Hanley who did the post (think she was dating a guy in the DO) ......................

Charlie Peace, real name Trevor.

 

[Spindle End]

I knew of and worked with a few of the names mentioned after W. Cannings had closed. A few ex Canning staff started their own businesses, I came across Dennis Austin first at P.M.S.M and later at Riley Industries, along with a chap called Maurice Allen. I worked with Terry Perry when he bought P.M.S.M. Another company set up by ex Canning chaps was called Tekfin, with Peter Edkins and Tony Lewis and a third chap I think was called Phil Lamb and there was Peter Willey who also started his own business after Canning. I also remember Patrick (Paddy) Fitzpatrick, he smoked lovely cherry tobacco in his pipe and had a great Sergeant Major tache and drove a Volvo 440, he was retired but worked part time at Tekfin, it's weird the details you remember.
There was a chap called Alan Holliday who started a company called Hollison Supply, not sure if he was ex Canning or not.

 

[Kenny R]

I knew of and worked with a few of the names mentioned after W. Cannings had closed. A few ex Canning staff started their own businesses, I came across Dennis Austin first at P.M.S.M and later at Riley Industries, along with a chap called Maurice Allen. I worked with Terry Perry when he bought P.M.S.M. Another company set up by ex Canning chaps was called Tekfin, with Peter Edkins and Tony Lewis and a third chap I think was called Phil Lamb and there was Peter Willey who also started his own business after Canning. I also remember Patrick (Paddy) Fitzpatrick, he smoked lovely cherry tobacco in his pipe and had a great Sergeant Major tache and drove a Volvo 440, he was retired but worked part time at Tekfin, it's weird the details you remember.
There was a chap called Alan Holliday who started a company called Hollison Supply, not sure if he was ex Canning or not.

Hi,
I remember all of the names you have mentioned here, having sat across the desk from Paddy and enjoying his pipe smoke for quite a while. Terry Perry started working alongside me in Ron Beebee’s office, your memories are very close to mine. Did you also work at Canning’s Spindle End?

 

[Spindle End]

Hello Kenny,
I didn't work at Cannings, no. I worked as an engineer at Tekfin which was all ex Canning men; Pete Edkins, (who I believe worked in marketing or sales at Cannings, Tony Lewis, (who was an engineer who last worked in Installation and Maintanance), Phil Lamb (was a draughtsman) and Paddy Fitzpatrick. Tony Lewis's father also worked for Canning and when he passed away Tony brought in his fathers tool chest, a big wooden affair on wheels and told me to pick some tools out for myself (quite an honour I thought) and I still have them today. My own father worked at Cannings on the chemical side for short time during the 60's. Tekfin specialised in rebuilding Canning Polishing Machines of all kinds to re-sell as well as reconditioning services for end users, they also designed and built new machines including a copy of the fabled model 1612. This was in 1980's to mid 1990's and there was still quite a network of Canning or ex Canning men still around all still working in one way or another in the metal finishing industry. There was a guy called Ian Plester who was a machinist at Cannings who went on to start his own business called IMP Precision Engineering. IMP provided machining services to Tekfin. There were 2 older chaps both called Les but I don't remeber surnames, one was a bit of a boxer and he was more to do with materials if I remember. Pete Willey who had is own business and was known in the trade as Pete the backstand on account he sold a lot of linishing belt backstands, was friends with Tony Lewis and used to contract to Tekfin during busy times. Dennis Austin had a business partner when they started PMSM, sadly the partner died. Dennis sold PMSM to Terry Perry, by this time I had my own business and I helped Terry expand PMSM (which was mainly materials and anodes supplier) in to machinery sales and repairs. I also bumped in to Dennis Austin (again) and Maurice Allen at Riley Industries in Perry Barr. They all had a wealth of knowledge. I've had to prescis this post down as the memories are flooding back and rambling is taking over.