-
Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.
We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
GEC WITTON WORKS
- Thread starter The Baron
- Start date
Mike Bond
master brummie
Keith, desperately sad news about David, another good G.E.C. man. Very few words will help Keith. I lost my Wife in May of this year just after retiring and I have had lots of advice from very well meaning people,unfortunately most of it did not even scratch the surface.
Dig deep mate, best wishes, Mike.
Dig deep mate, best wishes, Mike.
W
Wendy
Guest
So sorry to hear your sad news Keith my condolences to all the family.
cuppateabiscuit
master brummie
I am currently involved in a project called Tamed based in Witton and Perry Barry with the Environment Agency. From 2013 new flood defences will be built along the River Tame and artists and historians have been commissioned to get involved with the local communities, past and present, and explore the history of the area. I am particularly looking for people who used to and/or still live in these areas around the Tame with stories, memories, pictures or objects from the area. I have started a new thread here..... https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=41861 for anyone to add their memories if they would like, or please let me know if you are happy for me to use any memories already added to this thread. We will probably be taking some oral histories, so if anyone would like to be involved in that aspect please also let me know. My email is cuppatea.biscuit@googlemail.com and my phone number for this project is 077333 84541. Thanks, Jenni.
cuppateabiscuit
master brummie
Picture removed as inaccurate
Last edited:
DaveWall
proper brummie kid
I sent a post earlier having just found this Forum (last few days) searched for things to do with GEC Witton.
Found an early post by yourself asking about people remembering the Jenney name at Witton and I replied
that I knew a Jenney in the Magnet Computer Bureau when I worked there in about 68.
Just came to the end of the postings to try and add that I remembered the name as Dave Jenney and discovered
this post of yours.
Please accept very belated condolences from an ex employee - I have very fond memories of working at the Bureau
and the people there were great to say the least.
I was about 20 or so at the time and had an aptitude for computers - been with them now for over 40 yrs.
Just saw the pics in post #361 - brilliant - could have been yesterday.
Dave Jenney - Stan Lumb & Ken Parton - very well remembered indeed.
Dave Wall
Found an early post by yourself asking about people remembering the Jenney name at Witton and I replied
that I knew a Jenney in the Magnet Computer Bureau when I worked there in about 68.
Just came to the end of the postings to try and add that I remembered the name as Dave Jenney and discovered
this post of yours.
Please accept very belated condolences from an ex employee - I have very fond memories of working at the Bureau
and the people there were great to say the least.
I was about 20 or so at the time and had an aptitude for computers - been with them now for over 40 yrs.
Just saw the pics in post #361 - brilliant - could have been yesterday.
Dave Jenney - Stan Lumb & Ken Parton - very well remembered indeed.
Dave Wall
Shera
true brummie
I found these three pictures of when I worked at GEC LRPD Wages Office around 1966-1968.
In the first pic I am on far left, then Moira Jennings, and Margaret (Peggy) Wilkinson in the middle on her retirement day.
Second photo from left. Mr Thompson (head of wages office) Herbert Albinson, Theresa Small, Peggy Wilkinson, Moira Jennings, Terry Doidge and myself.
Third photo is Mr Rooke (head of LRPD accounts office) with Peggy Wilkinson and Theresa Small at the back.
Cant remember the names of anyone else.
Last edited:
mroldbrummie1
proper brummie kid
Hello TRUE BRUMMIE
I remember many of the people on these photos,brings back alot of good memories.Do you remember me from EDO john hughes I used to hang around with dave busby, frank white ,john hodgettes ,neil sturman we all worked as draughtsmen in the EDO all aged about 23-25 during those years.
I have never worked at a factory that was as a happy place as GEC.
Worked there from jan 1959 to march 1984.
all the best from john hughes MROLDBRUMMIE
I remember many of the people on these photos,brings back alot of good memories.Do you remember me from EDO john hughes I used to hang around with dave busby, frank white ,john hodgettes ,neil sturman we all worked as draughtsmen in the EDO all aged about 23-25 during those years.
I have never worked at a factory that was as a happy place as GEC.
Worked there from jan 1959 to march 1984.
all the best from john hughes MROLDBRUMMIE
Shera
true brummie
Hi John, I think I do remember your name. When I started at the GEC aged 15yrs in 1965, for the first 9 months or so I took memos around all the departments of the GEC all over the site including going under the tunnel to Xpelair. I remember going down to EDO with memos almost every day.
In later years I moved around the accounts office, working for Alf Egginton, learning all the different areas, then was taught the comptometer by Joyce Gilbert, which I really enjoyed doing. I ended up in the wages office and put up all the wages for the whole of GEC every week in the little brown packets. The shop foremen would come to collect their departments wages every Friday.
If there were any queries about wages the men would come to the little counter and I would sort them out, plus I did the holiday pay.
In 1970 I moved to Magnet Computer Bureau, on the same site of course, and worked for Stewart Ellison until I left in 1975 to have my first baby.
I used to LOVE going to work at the GEC. As you say, it was a very enjoyable place to work with lots of lovely people. All the best, Shera
In later years I moved around the accounts office, working for Alf Egginton, learning all the different areas, then was taught the comptometer by Joyce Gilbert, which I really enjoyed doing. I ended up in the wages office and put up all the wages for the whole of GEC every week in the little brown packets. The shop foremen would come to collect their departments wages every Friday.
If there were any queries about wages the men would come to the little counter and I would sort them out, plus I did the holiday pay.
In 1970 I moved to Magnet Computer Bureau, on the same site of course, and worked for Stewart Ellison until I left in 1975 to have my first baby.
I used to LOVE going to work at the GEC. As you say, it was a very enjoyable place to work with lots of lovely people. All the best, Shera
proudmanpeter
New Member
Hi Any one worked in the works laboratories 1950 t0 1954
Peter
Peter
I found this site a little while ago while researching the family tree, my husband is Ken Beddowes who worked at the GEC 1957 until 1985, he worked in the Big Shop. He also worked at Xpelair for some years too. His stepfather was Harry Doubleday who worked who worked in the Capstan Shop, from 1946 until he retired in 1983. Anyone remember either Ken or Harry?
Ray Griffiths
master brummie
Hi Alan.
I agree with yoursentiment with regards to Appenticeship with GEC, I only left because of what Weintock was doing.
| like a alot of my mates from Turbo Shop left to Jion CEGB the Power Stations, at Hams Hall Myself, Terry Law, Ray Domney, John Porter, Ocker Hill, and Walsall was the others.
Terry Law and myself were the only ones to stop with the Generating Board we both had good careers for 27 years before retiring.
My old Foreman Walter Colley told us that if went and worked for 2 years somewhere else we would be worth an extra shilling an hour to him.
I did received a letter from Mr. Lockton asking me to return to Turbo Shop but I declined I was happy at Hams Hall.
Thanks you GEC
I agree with yoursentiment with regards to Appenticeship with GEC, I only left because of what Weintock was doing.
| like a alot of my mates from Turbo Shop left to Jion CEGB the Power Stations, at Hams Hall Myself, Terry Law, Ray Domney, John Porter, Ocker Hill, and Walsall was the others.
Terry Law and myself were the only ones to stop with the Generating Board we both had good careers for 27 years before retiring.
My old Foreman Walter Colley told us that if went and worked for 2 years somewhere else we would be worth an extra shilling an hour to him.
I did received a letter from Mr. Lockton asking me to return to Turbo Shop but I declined I was happy at Hams Hall.
Thanks you GEC
Ray Griffiths
master brummie
Do'es anybody
Just joined and saw that you mentioned Tom Cotton. I worked with Tom in FHP drawing office (1957-1967 ). Above shows photo of Tom with fag in hand, behind is Fred Bennett, section leader of Fan section. The chief draughtsman was Tommy Curtis and has deputy Jack Finnegan. Have lots of other names from that period. Anyone know what became of Tom Cotton ?Attachments
Sorry don't have a Joe Sedgley on my list.
Some others I remember from FDO are- John Pierce (have his address), Brian Stanford, Trevor Lane, Richard Moore (married Pat Weaver), Nigel Harding (his father also worked GEC), Steve Lloyd, Jack Finnegan, Alec Edwards, Bill Farmer, Harry Harvey, Denis Stowe, Ernie Rodgers, Ken (Mick) Burton, Doug Edwards, Harry Crossland, Bert Page, Ian See, Bert Gaden, Pete Munro. That's all for now.
Some others I remember from FDO are- John Pierce (have his address), Brian Stanford, Trevor Lane, Richard Moore (married Pat Weaver), Nigel Harding (his father also worked GEC), Steve Lloyd, Jack Finnegan, Alec Edwards, Bill Farmer, Harry Harvey, Denis Stowe, Ernie Rodgers, Ken (Mick) Burton, Doug Edwards, Harry Crossland, Bert Page, Ian See, Bert Gaden, Pete Munro. That's all for now.
I vaguely remember a Fred Wills working about 1958/1961 assembling gearboxes for fans. I was an apprentice draughtsman doing time on the 'shop floor'. I come from Tamworth and Fred used to say he and his family came over to Tamworth outdoor lido (long since gone). One weekend we (a few teenage mates and myself) were having a kick around in the castle grounds and there was Fred and family having a picnic on the grass. Happy days.
Electric Avenue, an aspect of my life which I thought I had forgotten….
I must have been persuaded to sign up to a five year apprenticeship at a school careers do in the early summer of 1960 because I could draw, liked mending things, could do electricity and was likely to attain the minimum criteria for GEC’s Electrical Engineering intake later in September.
And so it was that I joined several dozen other fresh faced hopefuls as we were each allocated our “experience” placements for the next three months.
One of my earliest being a stint in the battery works below the Drawing Office school in Dulverton or was it Bickford Road just across from the main gates manned by the ever present CID Sid.
Black carbon dust, yellow sulphur powder, gooey latex and stigian gloom pervaded and I was set the task of checking freshly moulded battery cases for leaks, quality etc with a kind of high voltage wand which arced across gaps in the case.
Experience gained: Getting very black very quickly. Living with boredom and close encounters with electricity.
Then a few weeks upstairs to learn how to draw, know the difference between First and Third angle projections, trace, line with ink on linen, remove lines with a Corrux razor blade having forgot the difference in projections….Transferred to 2DO or maybe it was 3DO as minion and fetcher of things.
Experience gained: Wrapping draughting tape around razor blade prevents bloodstains on linen drawings. Being sent around the plant stores to obtain a ten thou air gap. Often none in stock but always helpfully redirected.
Additional experience gained: Became usefully adept at drawing dashpots as viewed from various angles.
Next, a stint on the works fire brigade and especially their huge pre-war Dennis engine where a typical day would involve unrolling hoses, rolling them up again, sometimes painting some of them white before rolling them up again. Polishing bell, nozzles, valves, levers, knobs etc.
The best part being the ride around the estate hanging onto the engine and dinging the bell.
Experience gained: Never went to a fire so largely life skills honed in the effective use of Brasso.
Back to the DO where exhausted air gap wheeze now meant being sent instead on equally fruitless journeys which involved walking the length of E shop where the assembly ladies were known to eat apprentices alive or strip them naked before abusing them and sending them down the length of the conveyor belt.
Experience gained: Running very fast, secretly hoping it might happen…
Spending time in the drawing archives high above the offices in the main building. Seeing the remains of the building from the train today still brings a smile.
Experience gained: I love old drawings, plans, maps, stuff…
Being assigned to a group of elderly sparks who each year set up and dismantled the outdoor lights and fittings at Castle Bromwich Hall for the big staff do’s etc. Bonus for me, it was just five minutes bike ride away from home and thus a morning lie-in.
Experience gained: How to stretch a day to infinity whilst still appearing to do something in the sun. Not electrocuting famous guests.
Outside Erection (not what you think it is), but an opportunity to see the new M6 motorway construction from high above somewhere near Stoke on Trent whilst clinging onto a freezing cold steel power line pylon and getting close up and personal with those huge stacked glass insulator assemblies. Living in a Portakabin with may others.
Experience gained: Abject terror, reasonable tolerance of strong smells
The Wire stores was a place where large amounts of wire of all sizes, lengths, colours and thicknesses were kept and where time would stand entirely still for long periods.
My month there was measured by unreeling some wire and rolling it up again sometimes as often as three to four times a day before going home. I would like to say this was exciting but it would be a lie.
Best day was Friday when the lorry for Erith had to be loaded with some wire and the driver would drop us off near Archway roundabout so we could get to Ronny Scotts by ten.
Experience gained: Getting to know wire intimately in all its many and varied aspects.
In between Wednesday afternoons meant a walk to Brooklyn Tech along the cut to do ONC Electrical Engineering and meet other human beings.
Being assigned to Experimental and wiring cab units for diesel railcars using new found skills with wire.
Later being assigned to work with men in white coats with bell jars making new fangled electrical devices that didn’t need much wire. (Germanium transistors with only three short bits of wire sticking out)
That was en route the Magnet Club on the other side of the cut where snookering and darting skills were also learnt.
Experience gained: An insight on an industry which would later put bread on our table
Being assigned to work with men on a gantry high above the roofs of the factory where large storage capacitors were charged up off the grid and on the appointed hour we could all go to the Test house to watch the sparks fly as another vast transformer was proof tested.
Experience gained: Wear sun glasses whilst watching and make certain all hand tools were accounted for before leaving the rig.
Balancing small motors or more often unbalancing them, sweeping floors in the pattern shop, another stint in a wire store, more tracing….
Experience gained:
The dawning realisation that I could only stand only so much monotony and perhaps my life wasn’t heading in the right direction after all.
Remembering even to this day, after the night before when a certain Alf Weinstock swung his long knives and that morning seeing grown men, heads down, crying into their drawing boards.
Experience gained:
Knowing the game was up and when to move on, though I also know my Dad was devastated when I broke my indentures.
All that said I did learn a lot in and around The Avenue much of which came in handy later but even to this day I have to still have to think about correct projections. Several hundred product designs later and it still isn’t quite dinned in yet.
Later in the summer of ’63 I joined Sutton College of Art before three years at Gosta Green learning to be a designer but not before a memorable stint working at Pontin’s St Mary’s Bay holiday camp.
There was a tale, probably entirely untrue, that CID Sid had his eyes on a chap who wheeled a barrow load of small electric motors out the Main gate each night just as the hoards rushed for a seat on the buses home.
Apparently Sid thought he had him for lifting the motors which turned out not to be the case.
He was pinching barrows instead. I would like to think this was true.
Happy Christmas to all..
I must have been persuaded to sign up to a five year apprenticeship at a school careers do in the early summer of 1960 because I could draw, liked mending things, could do electricity and was likely to attain the minimum criteria for GEC’s Electrical Engineering intake later in September.
And so it was that I joined several dozen other fresh faced hopefuls as we were each allocated our “experience” placements for the next three months.
One of my earliest being a stint in the battery works below the Drawing Office school in Dulverton or was it Bickford Road just across from the main gates manned by the ever present CID Sid.
Black carbon dust, yellow sulphur powder, gooey latex and stigian gloom pervaded and I was set the task of checking freshly moulded battery cases for leaks, quality etc with a kind of high voltage wand which arced across gaps in the case.
Experience gained: Getting very black very quickly. Living with boredom and close encounters with electricity.
Then a few weeks upstairs to learn how to draw, know the difference between First and Third angle projections, trace, line with ink on linen, remove lines with a Corrux razor blade having forgot the difference in projections….Transferred to 2DO or maybe it was 3DO as minion and fetcher of things.
Experience gained: Wrapping draughting tape around razor blade prevents bloodstains on linen drawings. Being sent around the plant stores to obtain a ten thou air gap. Often none in stock but always helpfully redirected.
Additional experience gained: Became usefully adept at drawing dashpots as viewed from various angles.
Next, a stint on the works fire brigade and especially their huge pre-war Dennis engine where a typical day would involve unrolling hoses, rolling them up again, sometimes painting some of them white before rolling them up again. Polishing bell, nozzles, valves, levers, knobs etc.
The best part being the ride around the estate hanging onto the engine and dinging the bell.
Experience gained: Never went to a fire so largely life skills honed in the effective use of Brasso.
Back to the DO where exhausted air gap wheeze now meant being sent instead on equally fruitless journeys which involved walking the length of E shop where the assembly ladies were known to eat apprentices alive or strip them naked before abusing them and sending them down the length of the conveyor belt.
Experience gained: Running very fast, secretly hoping it might happen…
Spending time in the drawing archives high above the offices in the main building. Seeing the remains of the building from the train today still brings a smile.
Experience gained: I love old drawings, plans, maps, stuff…
Being assigned to a group of elderly sparks who each year set up and dismantled the outdoor lights and fittings at Castle Bromwich Hall for the big staff do’s etc. Bonus for me, it was just five minutes bike ride away from home and thus a morning lie-in.
Experience gained: How to stretch a day to infinity whilst still appearing to do something in the sun. Not electrocuting famous guests.
Outside Erection (not what you think it is), but an opportunity to see the new M6 motorway construction from high above somewhere near Stoke on Trent whilst clinging onto a freezing cold steel power line pylon and getting close up and personal with those huge stacked glass insulator assemblies. Living in a Portakabin with may others.
Experience gained: Abject terror, reasonable tolerance of strong smells
The Wire stores was a place where large amounts of wire of all sizes, lengths, colours and thicknesses were kept and where time would stand entirely still for long periods.
My month there was measured by unreeling some wire and rolling it up again sometimes as often as three to four times a day before going home. I would like to say this was exciting but it would be a lie.
Best day was Friday when the lorry for Erith had to be loaded with some wire and the driver would drop us off near Archway roundabout so we could get to Ronny Scotts by ten.
Experience gained: Getting to know wire intimately in all its many and varied aspects.
In between Wednesday afternoons meant a walk to Brooklyn Tech along the cut to do ONC Electrical Engineering and meet other human beings.
Being assigned to Experimental and wiring cab units for diesel railcars using new found skills with wire.
Later being assigned to work with men in white coats with bell jars making new fangled electrical devices that didn’t need much wire. (Germanium transistors with only three short bits of wire sticking out)
That was en route the Magnet Club on the other side of the cut where snookering and darting skills were also learnt.
Experience gained: An insight on an industry which would later put bread on our table
Being assigned to work with men on a gantry high above the roofs of the factory where large storage capacitors were charged up off the grid and on the appointed hour we could all go to the Test house to watch the sparks fly as another vast transformer was proof tested.
Experience gained: Wear sun glasses whilst watching and make certain all hand tools were accounted for before leaving the rig.
Balancing small motors or more often unbalancing them, sweeping floors in the pattern shop, another stint in a wire store, more tracing….
Experience gained:
The dawning realisation that I could only stand only so much monotony and perhaps my life wasn’t heading in the right direction after all.
Remembering even to this day, after the night before when a certain Alf Weinstock swung his long knives and that morning seeing grown men, heads down, crying into their drawing boards.
Experience gained:
Knowing the game was up and when to move on, though I also know my Dad was devastated when I broke my indentures.
All that said I did learn a lot in and around The Avenue much of which came in handy later but even to this day I have to still have to think about correct projections. Several hundred product designs later and it still isn’t quite dinned in yet.
Later in the summer of ’63 I joined Sutton College of Art before three years at Gosta Green learning to be a designer but not before a memorable stint working at Pontin’s St Mary’s Bay holiday camp.
There was a tale, probably entirely untrue, that CID Sid had his eyes on a chap who wheeled a barrow load of small electric motors out the Main gate each night just as the hoards rushed for a seat on the buses home.
Apparently Sid thought he had him for lifting the motors which turned out not to be the case.
He was pinching barrows instead. I would like to think this was true.
Happy Christmas to all..
I remember being sent for a "block of chocolate" from the shop floor. I hung around for a while thinking they are not going to pull the wool over my eyes. A foreman wanted to know what I was hanging around for and I told him the tale, only to be told " Is it for Nigel, I have it in my drawer". It turned out a "block of chocolate" was the old electrical terminal blocks that were in those days chocolate coloured and shaped like a block of Cadburys, made at the moulded plastics division. !!!
Best wishes to all old G.E.C. apprentices.
I found this from my fathers time at GEC / PP.
His name was Horace Cane and I believe he worked in Small Motors (?)
This booklet is interesting for GEC people with items like photos and write up of the various Sports Club secretaries.
I will scan an post more pages.
The Baron
master brummie
I knew a Mr Sedgley when i worked in EDO in the 50s