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Canning & Co & Electroplating

thanks for those photos mark...very sad but none the less historical photos...todays view below....gothic pub to the left


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Tks Mark for these. What a memory jogger. I spent 20 years of my life in that building.

Pic 1 - View down Mott Street
The iron sliding gate gave access to the tank loading bay and cycle sheds. I used to park my 650 BSA there. The fire escape gave easy quick exit at lunch times for any drawing office staff to get in to the Minerva or to their car parked in the street just there. Far end of the building is the gate in to Goods Receiving. That same level was the stores and basement by the time you got to the other side of the building.
The single gate is to the back yard of the Minerva.

Pic 3 – Thru that door was when I started the entrance for any big cheese. Later it got you in to the Polishing Demo Dept. In the office there you would find at varying times Graham Ford, Denis Austin, Rodney C-D, Ron Beebee, Paddy FitzP, Rick Jones, Frank Round for a while, + others I can see but have forgotten the names of. They will come to me later probably.
 
one photo shows a nice side shot of the minerva pub on the mott st side...if i remember correctly this pub only had had outside toilets

lyn
 
George Colman said:
I still have a large layout drawing of a new plating plant that I drew! .................................... Rod Chapman Davies
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The plant layout drawing would likely be numbered LJ/........ 4 digits and could also have /..... suffix.
I recall Rodney C-D, always reminded me of David Niven, very dapper. Always polite. Rodney and I went to Japan together for about 10 days.
 
The Triumph Herald parked on the double yellow lines outside the Gothic should be getting a ticket by now, plus it's MOT is well overdue, 1st May 1986
 
coleighf said:
What a pleasure to read this! I loved my years at Cannings and I was also chosen by John Thomason in 1972 to be one of the two new Product Managers, alongside you I believe! My rôle was intended to be looking after the mechanical finishing side. However, there were other things happening in my life then that had already lead me to decide to move on, so I didn’t accept and felt very badly that I had let John Thomason down by doing so. I felt the same about Ben Tromans, because he had been very supportive of me. In different circumstances, I would have loved to do that job, it was an exciting idea. I left Cannings in November 1972 after nine years and eight months, which doesn’t seem so long now but having started there in 1963 at sixteen, it was a very big part of my life. After I’d left, although the next job was giving me more money, a bigger car and European travel, I wasn’t enjoying the firm I was working for and regretted leaving Cannings. I moved twice more, fairly quickly, and then settled in November 1976 with the business that I’m still engaged with and remain fascinated by today, even though I “semi-retired” in 2011! Hard to believe that’s more than forty-five years ago.

I still feel as though “Cannings” runs through my veins today and often think about, and miss, the great people I knew and wonder what happened to them since. Many of them, sadly, no longer with us, of course. Even now I am occasionally in touch with MacDermid, and somehow, it seems familiar.

A while ago, my son spent a year on a post-graduate course at Birmingham Law University, which is in the remaining half of the Canning building in Great Hampton St, still looking the same on the outside. I visited there and although it’s totally modernised inside, I was thrilled to be back and the nostalgia was indescribable. I could sense the ghosts and shadows, but happy faces.

So, I know who you are! We had come through the business on different routes and never worked together, although we surely would have done if I hadn’t made the decision that I did.

Did you see that George Colman wrote on here a while ago? He hasn’t appeared lately.

It would be great to compare experiences and find out more.
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It feels like yesterday, I last spoke to you about Galvanising when you were the expert and I need help with one of my consultancy customers as usual you were very kind and sorted me out. I too mixed with McDermid when as a consultant I launched some new products for their sales director and also did some exhibitions, publicity and market research. I met for lunch with David Probert,Mr Green and the McDermid sales director in St Pauls square for a meeting one day to discuss possible links in the automotive industry. A while later McDermid bought Cannings! (nothing to do with me I assure you). All the great names have come flooding back - George Coleman, Brian Johnson, Ben Tromans (who interviewed me for the job in 1965) Fred Essex, Don Paddon Smith. What great place to work it was it is the only place I consider important when talking about my working life. I was introduced to Canning by my Uncle Bill who gave me a copy of the Canning handbook (14th Edition)when I was very young and he was Metal Finishing manager at Wilmot Breedon. Little did I know I would have some input into later editions as I am sure did you.
 
It’s absolutely wonderful to read all of this, great to hear again from Gemini65 and George! Also to know that we’re still around, so many sadly aren’t but to me, they’re all fond memories, and missed. There’s no question that those years at Cannings made me and although it will be fifty years since I Ieft next November, (pinch myself, hard to believe that’s true), it still remains with me as a most important part of my life, with so many good, decent people who I regarded so highly. It’s so sad to look at the photos of the Engineering works being demolished, although it wasn’t my place of daily work, wonderful things were designed and made there, many undoubtedly still in service somewhere.
Does anyone remember David Kitching, who worked in the Research Dept for a few years (for Tony Such?). He was at school with me, he emigrated to Denmark in 1973, but we’re still in touch. He remembers the days when Research played football with Tech Centre and tells me that Gemini65 was a somewhat more serious player than he was! I hope we can keep the yarns going.
 
What happened to Cannings? Are they still going in one form or another, if not what happened to them? I left in 1962
Bob
 
Bob Davis said:
What happened to Cannings? Are they still going in one form or another, if not what happened to them? I left in 1962
Bob
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Bob, Cannings was acquired in 1998 by MacDermid a U.S. based specialty chemical company. They sometimes trade as MacDermid Canning in some markets.
I have worked with MacDermid and was surprised by the acquisition (who knows).
 
Genmac1 said:
Hi Everybody (just found this site)

Wilf Lowe, my father- in- law, worked at Cannings most of his working life (1933-1976) mainly in the Chemistry Dept and he knew Sir Ernest Canning. Later he specialised in Pollution Control Processes in conjunction with many of the well known companies in the West and East Midlands. He helped to reduce pollution in rivers locally such as the River Tame. He wrote a section in the Cannings Handbook on Pollution Control, still an important topic. I also have a friend who used to work in Cannings, Eric Potter including sessions at their Glasgow site.

(My wife vaguely remembers her father mentioning some of the names highlighted eg Jack Dove)
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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
 
Genmac1 said:
........................................ Her father Wilf Lowe used to work in the labs for many years
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In the Engineering D.O. we would have go see Wilf in the Tech centre to get advice on effluent treatment, handling and disposal. He would always be referred to as Have Gulley, Will Flow.
 
Thank you PoJo. Something that my wife did not know about her father whilst he worked in Cannings Lab all those years. This morning she laughed and it brought a smile on her face
 
rosielab said:
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
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Rosie, I've only just picked up on this thread, but just a note to say that I remember Sammie very well; always full of laughs and good humour.
 
freddy said:
Rosie, I've only just picked up on this thread, but just a note to say that I remember Sammie very well; always full of laughs and good humour.
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I worked in the Works Office in Gt. Hampton St. from 1964 to 1970 and had a lot to do with Argyle Works. Fond memories of Bob Perry, Tom Burgess and his pal Bridie. Very happy times. Also with Warwick Rd, run by Ron Eccleston. Happy days.
 
The man on the right is Mr. J P (Pat) Dewar, the Divisional Director of the Polishing Materials Division. I worked for him in Works Office from early 1964 until January 1971, when I moved onto technical sales. I spent a lot of time in the “Compo” works down Constitution Hill, particularly at stocktaking time, before Christmas.
 
TNT said:
Hi all I am in the same boat just joined the group and cannot find thread W Canning & Co.
Does anyone know what happened to it.
Many Thanks Norman.
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Some of the products are made in germany today, a bit like HP made in holland, other trades are in india and portugal.
 
Pedro42 said:
Now based on the site of the old BSA factory in Armoury Road/Golden Hillock Road, Small Heath

Specialty Chemical Company | Element Solutions Inc Businesses

MacDermid Performance Solutions specialty chemicals companies manufacture chemicals and materials used in processes that enhance products people use every day.
www.macdermid.com www.macdermid.com
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Thanks Pedro. I wondered whether and where MacDermid had a site in Birmingham. What goes around, comes around - I used to work for BSA in 1970's
 
Genmac1 said:
Thanks Pedro. I wondered whether and where MacDermid had a site in Birmingham. What goes around, comes around - I used to work for BSA in 1970's
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Genmac1 - Do you remember laboratory manager Jim Love? I met him a couple of times on visits to BSA in the 70's
 
Hi everyone, I have stumbled across this forum quite by accident, but have many fond memories of lots of the manes mentioned. I was working there between 1974 and 1980 ish and worked for Ron Beebee in the Polishing Sales office with Paddy Fitzpatrick. I well remember Maurice Allen who along with Phil Weston helped me with my many spares questions! There was Dennis Austin, Graham Ford, Big Pete Bellamy and many more who I remember. I’d love to hear from anyone who remembers the young lad Ken Randall?
 
Maurice Allen said:
Hi, new on here! My dad is Maurice Allen (Harry ) who worked in the drawing office
1945-1983.
Would love to talk to anyone who remembers him
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Hi, yes yes & yes I remember Maurice very well, my name is Ken Randall, I joined as a young lad & Maurice along with his right hand man Phil Weston gave me so much help in my early years at the company, circa 1974 to 1980
 
Kenny R said:
Hi, yes yes & yes I remember Maurice very well, my name is Ken Randall, I joined as a young lad & Maurice along with his right hand man Phil Weston gave me so much help in my early years at the company, circa 1974 to 1980
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Kenny, welcome to The Forum, enjoy!
 
Genmac1 said:
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
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Tony Such rings a bell, my father was Ivan (Vic) Vickerstaff who started as a draughtsman around 1937. Mr Such went on a business trip to USA in 1969
 
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