Bob Davis
Bob Davis
I think Churchill were a machine tool company, but I thought based in Coventry, does anyone remember them.
Bob
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Churchill & Co Coventry Road
- Thread starter Bob Davis
- Start date
Bob
Time Traveller 66
master brummie
Churchills was on the Coventry Road where Dolland Aitchson is now. Pardon spelling. I remember back as far as 1960s 1970s . It backed on to Waterloo Road.
Covroad
master brummie
I remember Churchill’s a large imposing building it was on the Coventry Road adjacent Forest Road and opposite the tennis courts in Oakland’s rec, there used to be a big green cast iron gents toilets in a recessed area with a drinking fountain, and a council nursery on the corner of Holder Rd and the rec.
Sten Thomas
proper brummie kid
I'm Stan Thomas, now aged 86, and I was a mechanic at Churchill machine Tools maintaining the lorries and the manager's and rep's cars from 1959 until 1962. Len Pearce was the foreman mechanic, and George Walker was the "odd job man" as it were.
The Chairman's name was Ralph Gabriel (but we refered to him as Walter Gabriel of course). Stan Martin ran the machine shop-cum-tool room, and Doug Parker and Charlie Cull had prominent positions in the office. Doug Parker used to "hover" around the doorway about five-o-clock some nights so he would be seen by the Chairman as he left for the evening, and once he even timed it to walk across the yard in the rain "reading papers" to demonstrate his dedication to the job
Like almost all factories of the era, there was a stage in the canteen where the employees would produce a play or entertainment at Christmas time. On one occasion they (very foolishly as it turned out) asked me to "do a turn" - without realising I would prepare a script lampooning all the notable characters of the company - which brought the house down!
Once there was a panic on to get the Chaiman's car to his London Office "as quick as possible" and I was elected to drive it. Needless to say I could not believe my luck - and drove it at a constant 115 mph or so the full length of the M1 - given there was no 70 mph limit in those days! But then I was only 24 at the time remember! Afterwards we had to take it to the Dunlop Service Department in Livery Street who diagnosed that because tyre technology was lagging the developmemt of the motorway system, the crossply tyre chords had stetched and a new set was fitted F.O.C.
Every so often we would also drive a convoy of redundant company cars to Measham auctions - and on one occasion we took the Chairman's Bentley "R" Type - whereupon it did not reach reserve price, and upon which I offered to buy it at the requisite price, only to be told it would be "inappropriate" for a worker to have the old Chairman's car, and if I bought it I would be sacked. That was in 1962 - and two years before the introduction of major changes to the Employment Protection Act would have given me grounds for constuctive dismissal. As I recall, the reserve price for the "R" Type was £350 - although you would have to pay £25/£35.000 for one nowadays.
Shortly after though, I fell out again with Len Pearce and left at Christmas time 1962, but not before I had won an aeroplane flight in Don Swan's Tiger Moth in the Christmas draw.
I latterly then went on to become chief engineer for a national brewery, before they disolved the company into seperate trrading entities and I was made redundant, upon which I became a self-emplyed consultant to the legal profession - providing evidence in the criminal and civil courts as an expert witness for some 35 years until I retired at 75.
Upon reflection, it is apparent how times have changed, as it seems the old-time commeradrie and communative spirit at work has descended into a more insular atmosphere of just emailing someone who you can actually see the other side of the office!
I canot believe it was 60 years ago - but there again, the memories make it seem like yesterday. Happy Days!
The Chairman's name was Ralph Gabriel (but we refered to him as Walter Gabriel of course). Stan Martin ran the machine shop-cum-tool room, and Doug Parker and Charlie Cull had prominent positions in the office. Doug Parker used to "hover" around the doorway about five-o-clock some nights so he would be seen by the Chairman as he left for the evening, and once he even timed it to walk across the yard in the rain "reading papers" to demonstrate his dedication to the job
Like almost all factories of the era, there was a stage in the canteen where the employees would produce a play or entertainment at Christmas time. On one occasion they (very foolishly as it turned out) asked me to "do a turn" - without realising I would prepare a script lampooning all the notable characters of the company - which brought the house down!
Once there was a panic on to get the Chaiman's car to his London Office "as quick as possible" and I was elected to drive it. Needless to say I could not believe my luck - and drove it at a constant 115 mph or so the full length of the M1 - given there was no 70 mph limit in those days! But then I was only 24 at the time remember! Afterwards we had to take it to the Dunlop Service Department in Livery Street who diagnosed that because tyre technology was lagging the developmemt of the motorway system, the crossply tyre chords had stetched and a new set was fitted F.O.C.
Every so often we would also drive a convoy of redundant company cars to Measham auctions - and on one occasion we took the Chairman's Bentley "R" Type - whereupon it did not reach reserve price, and upon which I offered to buy it at the requisite price, only to be told it would be "inappropriate" for a worker to have the old Chairman's car, and if I bought it I would be sacked. That was in 1962 - and two years before the introduction of major changes to the Employment Protection Act would have given me grounds for constuctive dismissal. As I recall, the reserve price for the "R" Type was £350 - although you would have to pay £25/£35.000 for one nowadays.
Shortly after though, I fell out again with Len Pearce and left at Christmas time 1962, but not before I had won an aeroplane flight in Don Swan's Tiger Moth in the Christmas draw.
I latterly then went on to become chief engineer for a national brewery, before they disolved the company into seperate trrading entities and I was made redundant, upon which I became a self-emplyed consultant to the legal profession - providing evidence in the criminal and civil courts as an expert witness for some 35 years until I retired at 75.
Upon reflection, it is apparent how times have changed, as it seems the old-time commeradrie and communative spirit at work has descended into a more insular atmosphere of just emailing someone who you can actually see the other side of the office!
I canot believe it was 60 years ago - but there again, the memories make it seem like yesterday. Happy Days!
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