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Canning & Co & Electroplating

Astoness, yes I have seen these photos on the Forum before. It is amazing how such a small beginning became a world-wide respected company employing many Birmingham families over the years. Yet another example of how important Birmingham once was as a manufacturing and creative city. Has this fact ever truly been recognised by the rest of the U.K. - especially the London interests? Regards. willey
 
Further to my earlier comment, is that on the corner of Great Hampton Street and Kenyon Street? Also do you have date? What is interesting is the change not only in the building and its advertising, but also the street name plates.
Bob
 
bob you are getting carried away now...i am lyn not viv lol...happy to help though...a neighbour of mine back in the 70s worked at cannings...no idea what dept but his name was roger durbridge or durbidge...

lyn
 
Astoness said:
bob you are getting carried away now...i am lyn not viv lol...happy to help though...a neighbour of mine back in the 70s worked at cannings...no idea what dept but his name was roger durbridge or durbidge...

lyn
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Sorry at my age I have to try hard to remember my own name, no I am joking and I apologise, another hard day at work, but after all that time laid up am I glad to be back. I may retire one day, but feel so guilty that I now seem to be liable for all our problems, Brexit, NHS, increase in motor insurance (I am making a claim), Donald Trump, the only worry when I worked at Cannings was whether I would have to wait long for a bus and should I walk down Constitution HIll to catch the 5a or shall I spend 2p on a 70 or similar from across the road
 
Hi mike
It is amazing how cannings business spanned the centuries in brum for centuries
A splendid pageant of a business whose intrest run like a thread inthe tapestry of industreal
Midlands of England,
The small druggiest,s shop on a corner of Hockley , traded for century firstly under the name of Gunn
And later in the name of William Canning
In the 1880s the cycle industry surged like a tide over the cities of birmingham Nottingham and coventry
And the canning Business capitliesd on its chemicals,and equipment to this booming industry,
The company led the way with chrome plating in this county and simultaneeously havested a rich reward in the 1920,s
With growth of thefamily car, Ernest canning, grand nephew of william and the late lord mayor of birmingham
Led Canning into the real luxuriant growth years of world war 11 and the post war years
Ofernormouse demand for domestic consumers goods
Two centuries and nine reigns after the shop,s founding the canning group of companies offers
Industry and impressive diversity of chemicals
Metals,castings electronic components sealants lubricants and precisious metal recover
the Cannings group enjoys an enviable and highly respected reputaion through out the world
Where the canning name is synnonymous with equality and service
I Have got two photographs of there original shops
The first shop was 1860, and the face lift of the shop 1865
I have a photo pf Lady Cnning the widow of sir Ernest canning with the director at
The 1969 Annual general meeting and they was Benjamin Tromans , Doldald Paddon smith lewis mummery
keep it up mike all the hard work you are doing for us all on this forum best wishes Alan,, Astonian,,,,
 
hello alan..i think i have posted the 2 photos of the original shops on post 15

all the best

lyn
 
LYN
THEY ARE THE SAME BUILDING ONLY WITH A MAKE OVER FRONTAGE AT THE TWO DIFFERENT YEARS
AS IT SHOULD HAVE SAID IN PRESS ALANN
 
Bob Davis said:
Most of the names there ring a bell. Do you reemember old Alf Hickman who used to act as the order departments messenger, easily recognisable from the smell of wintergreen as it was called then. When I indicated I was going to leave Ron Beebee tried to persuade me to stay, but I could see which way the wind was blowing having already experienced change or rationalisation as they call it now, uni grads who had a degree but no marketing or sometimes even person to person skills and moved to the West Country where the pay was lower, but in staff terms they still had personnel staff instead of human resources. The only other name that springs to mind was Barry Camelio, originally in Estimating, but I think he went out on the road as a rep.
Bob
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Bob. Nice to see you are still active. Barry Camelio left estimating and became a Materials Rep covering the Midlands.
Do you have any contact with Materials people.
Did you leave before engineering was split off and Colin Winsper came in as MD.
Anyway take care and best regards
Norman Thurston
 
mikejee said:
A book from 1921, published by Canning on Electroplating and associated processes, including some photos inside the works (though these are not well reproduced) is now available to read or download at: https://ia801508.us.archive.org/33/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.272087/2015.272087.Handbook-On.pdf[/

Thanks for downloading the 7th edition of the Canning Handbook, I still have a copy of the 23rd Edition which has a list of publish dates which shows the 7th edition was originally printed in 1918.
I remember seeing the original of yours when I joined Cannings in 1950, in the Publicity department which was run by Arthur Knight.
Best Regards Norman Thurston
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Last edited:
Thanks for downloading the 7th edition of the Canning Handbook, I still have a copy of the 23rd Edition which has a list of publish dates which shows the 7th edition was originally printed in 1918.
I remember seeing the original of yours when I joined Cannings in 1950, in the Publicity department which was run by Arthur Knight.
Best Regards Norman Thurston
mikejee said:
A book from 1921, published by Canning on Electroplating and associated processes, including some photos inside the works (though these are not well reproduced) is now available to read or download at: https://ia801508.us.archive.org/33/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.272087/2015.272087.Handbook-On.pdf
Click to expand...
 
I've asked this before on another thread, but never had a positive response. Does anyone remember my brother, Roy Sheppard, an electrician at Cannings for many years?

Maurice
 
willey said:
Hi Bob! I do remember you as well as Arthur Knight and Harry Eacock. I worked in the D.O. along with names such as Ron Davies, Les Dickinson, Alan Jolly, Roland Shead, "Dutch" Holland, Norman Thurston and many more. Lots of memories about those times back in a very different, more genteel world. Regards. Keith Wilson aka willey.
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Hi Keith.
Glad to see you again. I made a big mistake saying on a reply that Arthur Knight was in charge of publicity do you remember who was in charge in the fifties I think Robert Allen took over from him.
The memory isnt what it used to be.
Rgds Norman
 
I guess being at Wilmot Breeden( 1958-70) we would have been a major customer of W Canning. Nickel anodes/shot, plating solutions, brighteners(coumarin?) etc.
 
Both my grandad and dad worked at Wilmott Breedon as metal polishers around that time
devonjim said:
I guess being at Wilmot Breeden( 1958-70) we would have been a major customer of W Canning. Nickel anodes/shot, plating solutions, brighteners(coumarin?) etc.
Click to expand...
 
TNT said:
Bob. Nice to see you are still active. Barry Camelio left estimating and became a Materials Rep covering the Midlands.
Do you have any contact with Materials people.
Did you leave before engineering was split off and Colin Winsper came in as MD.
Anyway take care and best regards
Norman Thurston
Click to expand...
Norman
Your name rings a bell, what did you do? I was with Arthur Knight, Arthur Evans (originally) and Harry Eacock in the Engineering Sales Office from 1957 to q962, that was the time when the new cost accountant that came to us as part of the Vauxhall deal I understood, cut out overtime (long story). I took over from Arthur Evans when he left to start his greeting card business and had a good few enjoyable years, but it was difficult to buy a house at that time and as my wife came from Devon, I took over my Dad's dream to move down there. I actually had to drop£7.00 a week to get a job when I got down there as well. The irony was that Ron Beebee offered me a job in his Department at more money just as I left. I was not there when the Engineering Dept split Off.
With reference to Wilmot Breedon, that was some contract and they took priority alongside Vauxhall for spares service etc. The great fun was when someone in the Jewellery Quarter as was, gave you an engine number and it was one of the very old ones in the machine books we kept and had been entered in copper plate hand writing. I remember when we were asked to supply Replacement carbon brushes for Dynamo No 3. Everybody had to go and have a look at it. And yes we could and did supply them, Morganite had them in stock.

Bob
Bob
 
Bob Davis said:
Norman
Your name rings a bell, what did you do? I was with Arthur Knight, Arthur Evans (originally) and Harry Eacock in the Engineering Sales Office from 1957 to q962, that was the time when the new cost accountant that came to us as part of the Vauxhall deal I understood, cut out overtime (long story). I took over from Arthur Evans when he left to start his greeting card business and had a good few enjoyable years, but it was difficult to buy a house at that time and as my wife came from Devon, I took over my Dad's dream to move down there. I actually had to drop£7.00 a week to get a job when I got down there as well. The irony was that Ron Beebee offered me a job in his Department at more money just as I left. I was not there when the Engineering Dept split Off.
With reference to Wilmot Breedon, that was some contract and they took priority alongside Vauxhall for spares service etc. The great fun was when someone in the Jewellery Quarter as was, gave you an engine number and it was one of the very old ones in the machine books we kept and had been entered in copper plate hand writing. I remember when we were asked to supply Replacement carbon brushes for Dynamo No 3. Everybody had to go and have a look at it. And yes we could and did supply them, Morganite had them in stock.

Bob
Bob
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Bob.

I remember you by name but cannot put a face to the name.

I started work at 15 years of age after leaving Handsworth Technical School Golds Hill Road with Canning’s on January 2 1950 in the drawing office the chief draughtsman was away sick Tom McKnight was standing in but shortly after took over, I did the usual in those days did 12 Months on the print machine, fetched the newspapers, listed what everyone wanted for dinner and collected the money, did errands for all and sundry cigarettes being the main item everyone smoked and they were on ration then and the most important job being to get the Drawing Ledgers from the safe and placing them on the shelf for drawings to be entered and prior to going home put them all back again it was slavery.

I remember entering by the side door of Engineering works stairs to second floor Mrs Wilcox’s window through the door corridor on left Frankie Rae General Managers office, next I&M manager N Helps, next Elec Engineers W Baker, can’t remember anymore was engineering sales office straight up at the end of this corrider.

I remember Arthur Evans and his cards all the girls used to sell them for him, Arthur Knight used to go for a walk at lunch time with Ray Rudge and dear old Harry Eacock I think he took voluntary redundancy, he went bald and bought himself a wig he was the spitting image of Capt Wearing of Dads Army.

Enough for now Rgds Norman
 
TNT said:
Bob.

I remember you by name but cannot put a face to the name.

I started work at 15 years of age after leaving Handsworth Technical School Golds Hill Road with Canning’s on January 2 1950 in the drawing office the chief draughtsman was away sick Tom McKnight was standing in but shortly after took over, I did the usual in those days did 12 Months on the print machine, fetched the newspapers, listed what everyone wanted for dinner and collected the money, did errands for all and sundry cigarettes being the main item everyone smoked and they were on ration then and the most important job being to get the Drawing Ledgers from the safe and placing them on the shelf for drawings to be entered and prior to going home put them all back again it was slavery.

I remember entering by the side door of Engineering works stairs to second floor Mrs Wilcox’s window through the door corridor on left Frankie Rae General Managers office, next I&M manager N Helps, next Elec Engineers W Baker, can’t remember anymore was engineering sales office straight up at the end of this corrider.

I remember Arthur Evans and his cards all the girls used to sell them for him, Arthur Knight used to go for a walk at lunch time with Ray Rudge and dear old Harry Eacock I think he took voluntary redundancy, he went bald and bought himself a wig he was the spitting image of Capt Wearing of Dads Army.

Enough for now Rgds Norman
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Norman
Think I have got you now, Helps and Baker are names I remember well. Usually old Alf who used Eucalyptus oil would come over to Engineering works with all the queries, but on some occasions I got to walk over there and wander around various people with the questions that had come up on the phone the previous day, or bring some fossilised piece of a plating plant or dryer or anodic tank for identification. Harry Eacock always wore grey suits and he was as far as I remember always bald, he had an assistant whose name I have completely forgotten who used to spend most of his day over in Engineering 'sorting out problems'. The one thing I remember so clearly is the old fashioned counting house with its high desk, stools and pen and ink (accounts dept) and Sir Ernest arriving and being treated like royalty by all the managers.
Bob
 
My hubby worked at the Argye works for 36 years he was a maintenance fitter his name was Sam Caldicott he was a member of there fishing club and also there table tennis team
 
sospiri said:
I've asked this before on another thread, but never had a positive response. Does anyone remember my brother, Roy Sheppard, an electrician at Cannings for many years?

Maurice
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I remember your brother Roy Sheppard I started in the Drawing Office at Cannings in 1950.
Roy wired the control panels etc for the automatic plating plants etc we manufactured I cannot remember the name of the person he worked for originally, but I think after Canning Engineering became a separate entity he worked for Ken Vickers who headed a development Dept . Sorry it is so vague but I moved from the DO and finished up as a Eng Sales rep but I remember Roy.
Regards Norman Thurston
 
Bob Davis said:
Norman
Think I have got you now, Helps and Baker are names I remember well. Usually old Alf who used Eucalyptus oil would come over to Engineering works with all the queries, but on some occasions I got to walk over there and wander around various people with the questions that had come up on the phone the previous day, or bring some fossilised piece of a plating plant or dryer or anodic tank for identification. Harry Eacock always wore grey suits and he was as far as I remember always bald, he had an assistant whose name I have completely forgotten who used to spend most of his day over in Engineering 'sorting out problems'. The one thing I remember so clearly is the old fashioned counting house with its high desk, stools and pen and ink (accounts dept) and Sir Ernest arriving and being treated like royalty by all the managers.
Bob
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You know this Alf Hickman you talk about was he the one that delivered the mail from A dept over in Head Office in those days.
All mail was delivered to A Dept for the Canning Group. A was for Administration I think.
Norman
 
Norman,

Thanks for that memory. Eventually he was a minor cog in some sort of management buyout many years later and that shrunk until there was just a sales guy and a secretary, and himself more or less working out of a glorified lock-up. He finally retired some years ago and is now living in Hampshire on his own. He's one of the few people I will now speak to on the phone as I am now very deaf, but I will email him tonight. Many thanks for responding.

Maurice
 
sospiri said:
Norman,

Thanks for that memory. Eventually he was a minor cog in some sort of management buyout many years later and that shrunk until there was just a sales guy and a secretary, and himself more or less working out of a glorified lock-up. He finally retired some years ago and is now living in Hampshire on his own. He's one of the few people I will now speak to on the phone as I am now very deaf, but I will email him tonight. Many thanks for responding.

Maurice
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Pleasure, would the sales guy be Chris ****
Norman
 
Norman,

He has mentioned the guy's name in years gone by, but I can't remember, but when Roy gets back to me I'll ask him. :-)

Maurice
 
Bob Davis said:
Norman
Think I have got you now, Helps and Baker are names I remember well. Usually old Alf who used Eucalyptus oil would come over to Engineering works with all the queries, but on some occasions I got to walk over there and wander around various people with the questions that had come up on the phone the previous day, or bring some fossilised piece of a plating plant or dryer or anodic tank for identification. Harry Eacock always wore grey suits and he was as far as I remember always bald, he had an assistant whose name I have completely forgotten who used to spend most of his day over in Engineering 'sorting out problems'. The one thing I remember so clearly is the old fashioned counting house with its high desk, stools and pen and ink (accounts dept) and Sir Ernest arriving and being treated like royalty by all the managers.
Bob
Click to expand...
Attached photos from Canning 20 club meeting in1977 a little after your time I know but see who you recognise i'm the one standing up at back of table.
Let me know sometime who you know I cannot remember quite a few
Norman
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TNT said:
Attached photos from Canning 20 club meeting in1977 a little after your time I know but see who you recognise i'm the one standing up at back of table.
Let me know sometime who you know I cannot remember quite a few
Norman
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Norman
I regret to say the only person I can vaguely put a name to is possibly Harry Eacock on table 9. The problem is every one has aged just a little. I think that Alf Hickman (thanks for reminding me of his last name) did bring the mail over, I know he had a number of odd jobs he did in addition to taking the order office queries over to Engineering Works. I used to spuddle my way across for a break a couple of times a week with a ...'don't bother about this one Alf, I'll slip across and deal with it' could have a quiet smoke as well. A quite young Arthur Knight in the other picture, I remember one night he fell asleep on the train back to Sutton Coldfield and landed up in Lichfield. The name Harry Reynolds rings a bell, was there a Bill Baker or Harry Baker somewhere in there, or is he from another time in my life?

Bob
 
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