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GEC WITTON WORKS

Mike Bond said:
Alan,
My cousin worked in one of the Switchgear drawing offices, his name was Geoff Bond. Regards Mike.
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Hi Mike

The name Geoff Bond does ring a bell. I was in 2DO annexe and knew a few people in 2DO and 3DO downstairs.
Regards
Alan
 
Hi Dave
Those section leaders names ring vague bells, they may have been 3DO.
See my answer to Ruperts post about GEC training.
Alan
 
Stan Clives was 2DO I believe. Heavy switchgear end of the drawing office Electric Avenue end. Not a tall man but a very pleasant one. Yeah, pushing carts and washing tea cups. Let's face it; becoming competent in engineering design is the product of most of a lifetimes work and an apprenticeship is just the blink of an eye. It's not possible to experience and become knowledgeable about a great many aspects of mechanical engineering design in a lifetime but not moving around will limit ones knowledge to the few aspects of one industry. I suspect that most good designers are at their peak when they are close to retirement. The advent of CAD has reduced the more tiresome repetetive aspects of DO work but perhaps the person sitting at the keyboard has become invisible to company controllers, even supposing that he/she ever was visible,....it all happens in the computer...hmmm with no input. I don't think I would do the same if I had my time over...far too little relative reward for the key players in general. That is the nature of the job.
 
Just found these old Photos of my brother & sister in laws wedding gift presentation from the GEC MAGNET COMPUTER DEPT.
ANY ONE SEE ANY ONE THEY KNOW ?

David_Jenney_wedding_leaving_gift.jpg
David___Jill_wed_leaving__party.jpg
Jill_wedding_leaving_gifts.jpg
 
The tall bloke making the presentations looks like someone who used to play for the cricket team, but I could be mistaken. I think the person's name I'm thinking of is Cox.
 
Sorry but the tall guy is Ken Patton & the inthe second pic handing gift to my brother Stan Lumb. it other in the pics I now need ?
 
The Baron said:
Sorry but the tall guy is Ken Patton & the inthe second pic handing gift to my brother Stan Lumb. it other in the pics I now need ?
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I thought I recognised him, but thought he was someone else. Was it Patton or Parton though? My dad knew him quite well, but he worked in Transformer, so I don't know how.
 
Hi Dave , I hope you havn't forgot your fellow apprentices in the training centre . Tish Chagar , Phil Lewis , Dave Smith , Mark Daly , Roy Hadgkiss , Ray Cross , Ian Boyce , Carl Shakespeare , Richard Howlett , Neil Knight , David McCarthy and myself Rob Edwards !!!!! I've still got the apprentice group photo but you wasn't on it as you went on your Duke Of Edinburgh course at that time. Many Happy times there !!..............Rob
 
Hello Robert , I was available for photos that day , but copyright laws did not allow me to be photographed in overalls .Haha .
You forgot Terrance Dowdy da rasta .

Tejpal alias Tish ( he hated that )alias Phill Lynott .
Yes I remember them all vividly .

Have you seen any of them ?? I haven't.
 
edwards said:
Hi Dave , I hope you havn't forgot your fellow apprentices in the training centre . Tish Chagar , Phil Lewis , Dave Smith , Mark Daly , Roy Hadgkiss , Ray Cross , Ian Boyce , Carl Shakespeare , Richard Howlett , Neil Knight , David McCarthy and myself Rob Edwards !!!!! I've still got the apprentice group photo but you wasn't on it as you went on your Duke Of Edinburgh course at that time. Many Happy times there !!..............Rob
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Rob what year was that ? & can you post the pic ? please.
 
Hi There , The photo was taken around about May time in 1980. The apprentices from left to right are Phil Lewis , Tish Chagar , Richard Howlett , Roy Hadgkiss , Dave Smith , Dave McCarthy , Ray Cross , Mark Daly , Ian Boyce , Rob Edwards , Carl Shakespeare , Neil Knight..........Front row seated .. Arthur Blake (Instructor) Dennis Ryland (Training Centre Supervisor) , Freddie Payne ( Apprentice Supervisor ) and Cyril Evans (Instructor ) View attachment 68873
 
Thank you for that photo Edwards I am sure someone on the forum will recognize some of the folk on there. Do you remember a Harry Wigley?. Jean.
 
Hi Jean , the name doesn't spring to mind , which department did he work in ?. I worked in the light machine shop with the likes of Vic Darby , Pete Winstone , Keith Roberts , Lenny Harrison , Stan James , Harry Doubleday to name but a few. I then worked in the Heavy Machine shop as a marker outer/ machinist up until I was made redundant in september 1984. In the H/M shop worked Steve Shaw , Alan Woodward , Archie Rodway , Mark 'Harry' Yarrington , Gordon Whitehouse , Dave Owen , Gary Sharpe , Paul Storer and the unforgettable Charlie Short and his father Sid
 
A member of the forum Marie Wigley has been trying to find someone who remembered her dad and would like a photo of him Edward. A shot in the dark I guess. Jean.
 
Hi Aston, I worked in the transformer winding Dep 1956 till it closed in 1968 I was in the winning cricket team that won the J J Grace trophy

in 1960 played darts& snooker at magnet club. good day's. K. Powers.
 
kembar said:
Hi Aston, I worked in the transformer winding Dep 1956 till it closed in 1968 I was in the winning cricket team that won the J J Grace trophy

in 1960 played darts& snooker at magnet club. good day's. K. Powers.
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Did you know Bert Wall by any chance? He was a foreman in Transformer. His manager was Povey (can't remember his first name). He also was an umpire for the GEC cricket team for several years. He also played snooker around that time at the Magnet Club and won a few tea sets.

I can remember a few names from the cricket team. Paddy Ryan, Tommy Owens, the Cotton brothers (Tommy and Bernard) Len Boyman, Cox, Peakman, Thompson
 
Thank for posting that pic of the traning school, now you have put facesto names,I remember both Dennis Ryland & Freddie Payne from my days at Witton,thanks for posting I wonder were they are now?
 
Yes I know the people you said Albert Wall worked in the drawing office, Paddy Ryan was Capt 1st team G E C
Tommy Owen skipperd the 2nd eleven, the younger Cotten brother iin Toms team with me and allan Brooks.
 
Kembar,what was the drawing office Albert Wall worked? I new a Gordon Wall who worked in EDO do you know if they were related ?
 
Thanks for getting back on that kembar The one I knew had a nick name Porke ( he was as thin as a rake) was also a Birminjgha,m JP.
 
G G Jean said:
Zambodini. Do you remember a Harry Wigley?. He lived in Holte road. Jean.
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Hi Jean, the name is vaguely familiar, but that's all I'm afraid. I was asking about Bert Wall really because I remember him as the umpire for the GEC cricket club. I used to score for them when I was still at school around 1960/1963. We had some good away trips at places like Bourne, Bishops Castle. GEC Coventry and Wembley. Anyone out there play for the cricket club back then, and go on any of these away excursions?
 
My sad news My brother (David Jenney Magnet Computer Dept GEC Witton) shown in the above Pics passed away Saturday night after a long battle with Parkinsons RIP from a loving Brother.
 
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Am so sorry about your sad news Keith and thanks for posting the photo's of your brother in an earlier post. R.I.P David.
 
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