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Canning & Co & Electroplating

Tony Such was the head of research and development at Cannings. He was a highly respected person in the electroplating industry and as I remember, was also significant in the Institute of Metal Finishing (IMF). A friend of mine who now lives in Denmark, David Kitching, worked for Tony in the research lab. That was different to the Technical Centre, which did customer related testing and development work. He was a very decent man, kind and as nice as you could meet. I know that he passed on quite a few years ago. I think that Brian Johnson took over from him? Brian also is sadly no longer with us. Between 1964 and 1971 I worked in the Works Office, Polishing Materials Division under Pat Dewar and Ron Sigston. For a few years we shared an open office with Ron Beebee’s team and I remember the names mentioned above. Great days and great people, all remembered with great fondness.
 
coleighf said:
Tony Such was the head of research and development at Cannings. He was a highly respected person in the electroplating industry and as I remember, was also significant in the Institute of Metal Finishing (IMF). A friend of mine who now lives in Denmark, David Kitching, worked for Tony in the research lab. That was different to the Technical Centre, which did customer related testing and development work. He was a very decent man, kind and as nice as you could meet. I know that he passed on quite a few years ago. I think that Brian Johnson took over from him? Brian also is sadly no longer with us. Between 1964 and 1971 I worked in the Works Office, Polishing Materials Division under Pat Dewar and Ron Sigston. For a few years we shared an open office with Ron Beebee’s team and I remember the names mentioned above. Great days and great people, all remembered with great fondness.
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Yes I started my working life in Ron Beebee’s office, working with Paddy Fitzpatrick for a number of years, happy days!
 
I remember Paddy. Great character. Also Graham Ford who, if I remember rightly, originally came from the London office. Lots of others.
 
Yeas Graham Ford was located in the long office just off the Polishing Demo Shop testing my memory, there was also Rod Chapman-Davis, Rick Holford-Jones, Frank Round & Dave Smith!
 
The Polishing Shop was run by Dennis Austin, with Pete Bellamy, Pete Edkins, Pete Harper & Bill Craddock. Old Jack Culley was the labourer!
 
Kenny R said:
................................................... working with Paddy Fitzpatrick
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Paddy would frequently come out with a number of mind boggling phrases as you were talking to him. Phrases such as auchta muckty, hum de la haa, the higher they fly the fewer.
 
Hi. My father worked for Cannings pre 1965 either in sales or personnel. His name was Reg Cambray. This is a real long shot but if anyone remembers or has any information I would be very grateful.
 
coleighf said:
........................................ Also Graham Ford who, if I remember rightly, originally came from the London office. Lots of others.
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Just browsing this thread again to again see this. Graham Ford poor chap suffered an uncureable brain tumour in 1986.
 
PoJo said:
Just browsing this thread again to again see this. Graham Ford poor chap suffered an uncureable brain tumour in 1986.
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Yes, although I left Cannings on 27 November 1972, I stayed in touch for a while. Although I didn't know the cause at the time, I knew that Graham suffered an untimely death. Hard to believe that it is all so long ago. Great times and the best of people.
 
George Colman said:
I have been reminiscing by reading all your posts, I joined Cannings as an apprentice in December 1960 and left in 1973 I believe, I worked my way through all the departments of the Eng Works, I then worked in the Laboratory before moving to Head office, then sales of Harperizers for Ron Beebee, Rod Chapman-Davies and Rick Holford-Jones. You all mention many names of colleagues of mine! Roy worked for Harry Hall in the Elect Test Shop, I learned so much from Roy, Alan Smith and others. I am in touch with John Cheatle. I also can contact John Clements and Richard Murgatroyd if pushed!
I left and joined Oxy Metal Finishing based in Moor Lane Witton before getting a good international sales position with an American Company in Atlanta USA. I still have a Canning Handbook on Plating but it’s not been opened for a good few years! Great to see Norman Thurston active on the site!
Best wishes all!
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I had to reply to this as I had my first job at 15 in 1960 as assistant photographer ! I didn't stay long. I was very shy. The photographer asked me to go back. A lovely man he was. But I was set on singing career. I went to then work at Jerome Union street. But started my singing career then around the clubs. Shirley Kent https://www.youtube.com/@shirleykent8793. Happy Days..
 
humbleseeker said:
I had to reply to this as I had my first job at 15 in 1960 as assistant photographer ! I didn't stay long. I was very shy. The photographer asked me to go back. A lovely man he was. But I was set on singing career. I went to then work at Jerome Union street. But started my singing career then around the clubs. Shirley Kent https://www.youtube.com/@shirleykent8793. Happy Days..
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My dad Jeff Dry was publicity manager at Cannings Great Hampton Street around 1960 and knew Sir Ernest, my dad then was 35yo and I was a 6yo nipper. Dad left Cannings in 1962 to move to a job in Wolverhampton but told me tales of his interesting life there
 
Solihull54 said:
My dad Jeff Dry was publicity manager at Cannings Great Hampton Street around 1960 and knew Sir Ernest, my dad then was 35yo and I was a 6yo nipper. Dad left Cannings in 1962 to move to a job in Wolverhampton but told me tales of his interesting life there
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I wonder if it was your Dad I worked for ? he was a photographer for Canning's magazine. So would have obviously been involved in publicity. I had the chance of a great future there and learning about photographer that has been a lifetime hobby. Music and singing my future. This is a photograph copied from my album the man took of me. The studio/workroom in the basement. I bet it was him. Send a picture of him then please. x
 

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humbleseeker said:
I wonder if it was your Dad I worked for ? he was a photographer for Canning's magazine. So would have obviously been involved in publicity. I had the chance of a great future there and learning about photographer that has been a lifetime hobby. Music and singing my future. This is a photograph copied from my album the man took of me. The studio/workroom in the basement. I bet it was him. Send a picture of him then please. x
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Thats a super photo, what camera are you using there?
 
humbleseeker said:
I wonder if it was your Dad I worked for ? he was a photographer for Canning's magazine. So would have obviously been involved in publicity. I had the chance of a great future there and learning about photographer that has been a lifetime hobby. Music and singing my future. This is a photograph copied from my album the man took of me. The studio/workroom in the basement.
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Morturn said:
Thats a super photo, what camera are you using there?
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No idea, I was fresh out of school so nervous. But the man I worked with very kind and helpful. Always teaching me. When he was busy out somewhere I had to go and work in the canteen. I was overwhelmed with what I felt were the very clever people there in overalls, white as I recall.
shyness and confidence nil. If I had waited it would have come. But I acted too swiftly...as you do at 15 !
 
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 Roy Shep, top bloke, new him at Cannings originally 79-83 then at one of the various offshoot companies ESP Ltd in 86-90. Lived near the Baldwin Pub in Hall Green. Largely self taught sparky could turn his hand to most anything within the workshop at ESP remember him building a spot welder largely from scratch, and also fabricated a great TV stand for me.
 
TNT said:
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
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And then you ended up with me at Pollution Control/Plating Engineering Norm in 84/86 lol Martyn Cartwright.
 
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.
 
Insidecentre said:
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.
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Do you still wear that earing that Frank told you not to ?

:)
 
Insidecentre said:
Who are you btw? Can’t be many of us left?
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Hi all,
Just found this forum and cannot believe how many of the old names are being remembered.
I started as a Chemical Trainee in the late 60s and ended up taking over from Wilf Lowe on his retirement.
Like many of my age we went through various forms of restructuring etc. I ended up going to a subsiduary , Pollution Control based in Telford.
Finally ended up with the Canadian company Eco-Tec and stayed for 28 years where i was able to fully exploit all the knowledge gained during
my time at Canning
Will Anderson
 
Bill how you doing? Left Ketville in 2004 then did 19 years in the Blood Service and retired last June. You still in touch with any of the PC crowd?
Martyn
 
Insidecentre said:
Bill how you doing? Left Ketville in 2004 then did 19 years in the Blood Service and retired last June. You still in touch with any of the PC crowd?
Martyn
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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
 
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