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COLLIS Radio & TV
- Thread starter Austin K2
- Start date
I worked at the Northfield, Newtown & Kings Heath branches in the early 70s, great bunch of lads & girls, You could instal a brand new TV for £2.00
deposit and the payments were collected from a prepayment meter on the back of the TV. Sold all manner of white goods too.
john knight
signman
I used to do all the shop signs and vehicle signs.
That was a great design John, when using for private use over weekends and holidays we used to unbolt the roof sign from inside the van (Blue Hillman imps)
and remove them, also the side panel signs we just used to unpeel carefully :fat: and hey presto, a plain blue van.
Shortie
master brummie
Are you saying Joan Collis is in Australia? She would not remember me, but she would remember Vicki Downing who was a good friend of mine and in my class at Elmfield. Vicki sadly died in 1967/8. I was only at Elmfield for two years and a bit, so I doubt anyone would remember me to be honest. I remember Joan as being pretty, very dark brown hair, and always smiling .
I worked at the Litchfield branch of Collis Radio as a TV field engineer in the late sixties to early seventies for five years or so. The shop manager when I first started was Malcolm Woodward-Bennet followed by Pete Avery then Graham Felton. The service team was headed up by the manager Harry Booker, engineers were Graham Wood, Tony Marsden, Mervyn ..... myself and Bench Engineer Ron. There was also an engineer Mike ....who emigrated to Canada and sold me his AVO 8 for a fiver which I still have. If you drew the short straw and got the Burton on Trent run it was around a hundred miles a day and twenty calls. Still I enjoyed every minute of it. Collis was a great employer, pay and conditions were among the best in the trade which gave a lot of deserved loyalty to the company. Happy days and fond memories!
Remember Woodward - Bennet well and am still in touch with Graham Felton, Barry Marshall and you might remember Carol Chater. John Viner was in charge of vehicles so you might have come across him.
I certainly remember Carol Chater, a very attractive lady. She was in administration at HQ as I remember. I used to knock around with an engineer from one of the Wolverhampton branches, Colin Pearson. We were in some nightclub close to Brownhills I seem to remember, that was where I met the lovely Carol for the first time. Not sure I remember Barry Marshall but the name John Viner rings a distant bell. There was one of the first employees of Collis radio that has just come to mind. He had been an engineer and at some stage had lost an eye. Collis employed him around the retail shops fitting and fixing the lighting. He always wore an eye patch and was known affectionately as 'Captain Black' to the lads, although probably not to his knowledge. I left Collis and moved to Bournemouth where I had bought a business. Tony Marsden followed some time later. We used to be good mates but through time and circumstance have lost touch.
Gary Brocklehurst
New Member
Would anyone remember my father, Frank Brocklehurst, who worked as a field engineer during the late 60's/early 70's? Any information would be greatly appreciated. My father sadly passed away in 1976 at the age of 40
Kindest Regards To All
Gary Brocklehurst
Kindest Regards To All
Gary Brocklehurst
I began working for Collis Radio in 1964 as a fourteen year old school kid. I had a part time job at Wednesfield Service Depot and was paid 'ten bob' for working Saturday mornings.
Arthur Morey was the service manager at Wednesfield and Jeff Proffit was in charge of the stores depot next door. Charlie Gittins was 'shop steward' and another engineer I remember was John 'Monka' Jones.
I left school at Easter 1965 and was offered a radio and tv engineering appticeship at Collis's. I was required to spend the first three months at Head Office in Cleveland Street, to learn a bit about the commercial side of the business: those were some of the happiest days of my working life.
On my first day I was introduced to Carol Chater and Maureen: Maureen Statham I think, and given a desk to work at in Carol's office. One of the jobs I was given was writing up hundreds of Hire Purchase contracts using using a 'ready reckoned' to work out the repayments: no desktop computers or calculators in those days.
The office was bounded by a glass wall and my desk looked straight into the general office. On more than one occasion I was told by Carol 'stop looking at those pretty girls and get on with your work!' Lol.
Carol owned a 'tuned up' mini, a red one I think. A damned fast little car I seem to remember!
After a few weeks I was moved to another office for a few days, staffed by Mr.Paul, a dark haired lady with specs called Christine and a very attractive, petite young woman whose name escapes me. I was given a 26inch TV carton filled with Mullard Warranty cards; about 10,000 cards I think. Each card had a tube serial number and was I asked to sort them into alphanumeric order.
Hmmm, somebody's idea of a joke I think!
Anyway after a few weeks I was moved on to Wednesfield: they'd had enough of me at HO I think.
A few other names I remember at Wednesfield included old George Morey, the cleaner and odd job man, and an engineer called Cliff Windmill who was a part time musician. Cliff played double bass with a local band.
There was a sort of production line between the workshop and stores where a polish bloke called Oswald spent all day fitting slot meters on TV sets. He got paid 'piece rate' , 9 pence a job I think.
After a few years I was transferred to the new depot at Walsall where I stayed until I left in 1971.
The service manager manager at Walsall was George Everet and the sales manager was Ray Statham. A few other names I remember include engineers Philip Jones, Neil Beddows and Frank Woodward. H.O. Service Manager was, I think, Pat' Brown. John McMahon was senior shop steward, as well as being a fellow patron at the Ash Tree Inn in Wolverhampton. Another
H.O manager I remember was Frank Rice.
A few folk have mentioned Graham Felton. Yes I remember Graham well. Graham and a few of us started a 'ham radio' club in a room above Snow Hill shop in the late 60's. We met once a week and usually adjourned to the pub after an hour or so. Graham always had tall story or two to tell after a pint
In 1971 I left Collis Radio, actually, we'd been taken over by Loyds by then, and went work for James Beattie's. A year later I moved to Yorkshire. I worked for Telefusion and then Trident in York, as service manager. In 1975 I met Vicky who later became my wife, and in 1976 we settled in Australia.
My name is John Whitfield, AKA, Ted. At Collis's I had the nickname 'Flash' and I'm now retired in Port Macquarie, NSW.
Arthur Morey was the service manager at Wednesfield and Jeff Proffit was in charge of the stores depot next door. Charlie Gittins was 'shop steward' and another engineer I remember was John 'Monka' Jones.
I left school at Easter 1965 and was offered a radio and tv engineering appticeship at Collis's. I was required to spend the first three months at Head Office in Cleveland Street, to learn a bit about the commercial side of the business: those were some of the happiest days of my working life.
On my first day I was introduced to Carol Chater and Maureen: Maureen Statham I think, and given a desk to work at in Carol's office. One of the jobs I was given was writing up hundreds of Hire Purchase contracts using using a 'ready reckoned' to work out the repayments: no desktop computers or calculators in those days.
The office was bounded by a glass wall and my desk looked straight into the general office. On more than one occasion I was told by Carol 'stop looking at those pretty girls and get on with your work!' Lol.
Carol owned a 'tuned up' mini, a red one I think. A damned fast little car I seem to remember!
After a few weeks I was moved to another office for a few days, staffed by Mr.Paul, a dark haired lady with specs called Christine and a very attractive, petite young woman whose name escapes me. I was given a 26inch TV carton filled with Mullard Warranty cards; about 10,000 cards I think. Each card had a tube serial number and was I asked to sort them into alphanumeric order.
Hmmm, somebody's idea of a joke I think!
Anyway after a few weeks I was moved on to Wednesfield: they'd had enough of me at HO I think.
A few other names I remember at Wednesfield included old George Morey, the cleaner and odd job man, and an engineer called Cliff Windmill who was a part time musician. Cliff played double bass with a local band.
There was a sort of production line between the workshop and stores where a polish bloke called Oswald spent all day fitting slot meters on TV sets. He got paid 'piece rate' , 9 pence a job I think.
After a few years I was transferred to the new depot at Walsall where I stayed until I left in 1971.
The service manager manager at Walsall was George Everet and the sales manager was Ray Statham. A few other names I remember include engineers Philip Jones, Neil Beddows and Frank Woodward. H.O. Service Manager was, I think, Pat' Brown. John McMahon was senior shop steward, as well as being a fellow patron at the Ash Tree Inn in Wolverhampton. Another
H.O manager I remember was Frank Rice.
A few folk have mentioned Graham Felton. Yes I remember Graham well. Graham and a few of us started a 'ham radio' club in a room above Snow Hill shop in the late 60's. We met once a week and usually adjourned to the pub after an hour or so. Graham always had tall story or two to tell after a pint
In 1971 I left Collis Radio, actually, we'd been taken over by Loyds by then, and went work for James Beattie's. A year later I moved to Yorkshire. I worked for Telefusion and then Trident in York, as service manager. In 1975 I met Vicky who later became my wife, and in 1976 we settled in Australia.
My name is John Whitfield, AKA, Ted. At Collis's I had the nickname 'Flash' and I'm now retired in Port Macquarie, NSW.
I worked at the Redditch branch late 60s
Hi
What’s your name,just trying to place you. I worked at the service workshop on castle vale ind estate
Foggy wood
New Member
I worked at the Lichfield branch, remember people mentioned. still in touch with Graham Felton.
Ron the workshop engineer was killed in a road accident, big shock to us all.
l remember the radio club in Wolverhampton and the ghost haunting the place, got my radio ham license G8FOG. The early colour TVs weighed ton and full of valves.
Ron the workshop engineer was killed in a road accident, big shock to us all.
l remember the radio club in Wolverhampton and the ghost haunting the place, got my radio ham license G8FOG. The early colour TVs weighed ton and full of valves.
Stuart Wood, Redditch had a small workshop I was about 17 to 18 years old when I started there.
Like most others I really enjoyed working for Collis.
I'm retired now living down in Brean Somerset, some of the other names from Redditch had a manager first name Pete he was into amateur radio he was replaced by Ron Mosley, engineers one had the nickname Digger think his name was Graham also Bill Whitehead, Colin Broomfield.
I remember pete beech who became our service manager at castle vale,probably because I mainly worked at the vale and sparkbrook depot during the 3 day week when there was the power cuts in the city. Our workshop engineers were tony hunt , Norman crisp,Keith Gordon,Dave Morris,John Hyde our senior was Roy Jackson
And then there were the Christmas party at the Tower Ballroom in Birmingham.
I went to most of the Christmas Dinner-Dances between 1965 and 1971. Tower ballroom was probably one of them. There were also one or two big dinner -dances at other venues throughout the year. I remember one at the La Reserve.
I lived in Wolverhampton in those days: the firm organised buses to transport everyone to and from these events. There was always a big three course dinner or buffet and a band. Memorable events.
I lived in Wolverhampton in those days: the firm organised buses to transport everyone to and from these events. There was always a big three course dinner or buffet and a band. Memorable events.
I remember Ron Mosely. He worked as a field engineer at Wednesfield during the years I worked there. Ron used to do a bit of casual bus driving in his spare time (sometimes during work time too, it was suspected). Ron used to organise bus transport for us to some Collis's dinner-dances.