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GEC WITTON WORKS

Message for Ray Griffiths and a few others. Bob Ash joined Birmingham City Police and I worked with him for a number of years in Handsworth. He is now retired but has become a Vicar.
 
help, can anyone tell me what has happened to the 2016 posts please?. MICK BOND, DAVE KEITH, are you still posting memories? do you know what became of COLIN WEBB, despatch bench, L.R.P.D. or was he carried away when they knocked the building down!. Went to TONY SIMPSON'S funeral in February. Ray Cope.
 
hi ray the forum had a few problems and unfortunately we lost a couple of months worth of posts...

lyn
 
Hello G.E.C.
Found this old photograph of myself in the Apprentices Training School around 1964 give or take a year. The group was a fair mixture of craft, student and graduate apprentices so one or two faces may seem familiar. I'm afraid after 50 years or so names escape me.Because of it's age and the fact that it has been around the world a few times, the condition is not great so if any of our computer Buffs can sharpen it up- many thanks. Regards, Mike
 

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Hi everyone,
I posted a photograph yesterday of the Apprentices Training School 1964 but I had so much trouble getting the image to register, I must have altered my log in status. It went onto the G.E.C.Witton Works thread but did not register on the new posts so no one knows it's there.
I have also found some old photographs of the G.E.C. Rugby team, I will post them shortly- you may see a familiar face.
Regards, Mike.
 
mike
The new posts thread only records new posts that "you " have not seen. It did appear., but as you have seen the post when you posted it will not show on your new posts. Hope that makes sense to you
 
Hello Pedrocut,
Great photograph from the G.E.C. Operatic Society. When I started my Apprenticeship in the early 1960's, the starting wage was 30 shillings per week old money so by the end of the weekend I was broke.
I joined the Society for a couple of years working back stage making props etc. They did the full range of productions including plays and a Christmas Pantomime. The standard was very high helped by the wonderful facilities at the Magnet Club i.e. full size stage and workshops.
Regards, Mike.
 
The Baron said:
When I drive down ELECTRIC AVE now it has changed so much from the days of GEC, The only remaining reminder of those happy days when you could go to work & look forward to it, is the frontage of the main admin; block.
Gone WMI,SWITCH GEAR,TURBO BAY,ENG WORKS, FOUNDRY, TRANSFORMER,RECTIFIER,& many more on site units.
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I've come across a book called 'From the shadow of Poverty' by Dennis Harding.
He worked at the GEC in the 50s and 60s, and gives a lot of amusing stories and information of his time there. It's a fascinating read.:)
 
lynnrymond said:
I've come across a book called 'From the shadow of Poverty' by Dennis Harding.
He worked at the GEC in the 50s and 60s, and gives a lot of amusing stories and information of his time there. It's a fascinating read.:)
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I've just discovered we have it here in the library so i've put a request in and should get it tomorrow.
Simon
 
Good afternoon chaps. I'm posting on behalf of my father in law who did his apprenticeship from 1944 to 1949. His name is Stanley smith (known as Stan). He worked in engineering drawing office (edo). Just wondering if anyone remembers him.
 
Welcome Gary. Nice to hear of your father in laws connection. Hopefully someone will know him on here.

If there are any recollections you'd like to post on his behalf, please do so. We'd be interested to hear them. Enjoy the forum. Viv.
 
I worked in the drawing office, my first job on leaving school in 1944, but had to leave after 12 months (the month the war in Europe ceased) due to eye strain. Afraid I cannot remember any names, such a long time ago, over 70 years Eric
 
My father in laws name is Stanley smith and he is 88. Started off in small ceiling fans and then into engineering drawing office working as a section boy, the section leader was Tom Webster. From there onto foundry for 3 months and then 3 months in standard motors machine shop and then onto switch works machine shop on the miller, onto windings in big shop, 3 months in chemi lab, then nights in m.a.r, then back to drawing office. Finished apprenticeship is 1949. Then moved to a consulting engineer in bath. Played cricket and hockey at magnet club and attended apprentices annual dinner and New Year's Eve party's and dance. Sports days and won one or two prizes. Then man in charge of engineering drawing
Office was called bonnel, we used
To call him bonny. There's was a good footballer who worked there called Stan hews.
 
Anyone see anyone they know from this Photo of EDO Staff .My first stop on my start as a GEC Apprentice 1957
 

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Gary foley said:
My father in laws name is Stanley smith and he is 88. Started off in small ceiling fans and then into engineering drawing office working as a section boy, the section leader was Tom Webster. From there onto foundry for 3 months and then 3 months in standard motors machine shop and then onto switch works machine shop on the miller, onto windings in big shop, 3 months in chemi lab, then nights in m.a.r, then back to drawing office. Finished apprenticeship is 1949. Then moved to a consulting engineer in bath. Played cricket and hockey at magnet club and attended apprentices annual dinner and New Year's Eve party's and dance. Sports days and won one or two prizes. Then man in charge of engineering drawing
Office was called bonnel, we used
To call him bonny. There's was a good footballer who worked there called Stan hews.
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Gary take a look at the Picture I have posted of EDO Staff ,I also started my life as a GEC Apprentice in EDO back in 1957
Mr Griffiths took over from Mr Bonnell if my memory is correct, remember Stan Hughes well.
 
Hi guy's you will see some faces from the EDO Pic on this one of Pasrson's Tyburn Road office after the move from Witton.
When I moved to GEC Rugby aftyer Tyburn Road I found so many old faces it was like Witton all over again HAPPY DAY's
 

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One from the day's when Witton used to be flooded by the Tame ,which was most years untill they up graded the flood barriers & dug out the river bed.
The GOOD OLD DAY what !
 

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RichardH said:
Re: Stafford Fred.



Fred, you haven't worked a day in your life mate!
Hope all's good with you.......thought you'd like to know that Rod Williams retires today

Cheers,

Richard Howlett
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What ever happend to Stafford Fred tried to contact big Jim Allworth but had no reply ?
 
The Baron said:
One from the day's when Witton used to be flooded by the Tame ,which was most years untill they up graded the flood barriers & dug out the river bed.
The GOOD OLD DAY what !
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There is a pillar still standing on Electric Avenue/Dulverton Road. Would it be the right hand one in your picture?
 
Anyone help looking for the name of this guy,Q Shop foreman GEC Switchgear & Chairman Highgate United ?
Must have past him every day when I worked in Relay Shop for a few years.
 

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Hi guys;
I guys i know we have alot of old ex employee,swhom worked at the old G C E Witton
so i thought i would down load a couple for them , 4 in total
1, home gaurd and one of the reunion for old employee,s meet up
and two showing the workers at work in there departments of works
I do have others photographs but i will spread it out over the week
Here they are as follows i hope one or two of you may reconised some one at some point
 

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The Baron said:
Anyone help looking for the name of this guy,Q Shop foreman GEC Switchgear & Chairman Highgate United ?
Must have past him every day when I worked in Relay Shop for a few years.
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Looking for info on Highgate United I came across a picture of the tragic events of 1967 that I had completely forgot about. Wikipedia says...

"In 1967, Highgate played Enfield in the quarter-finals of the FA Amateur Cup. Midway through the first half, which was being played in heavy rain, a lightning strike saw several players collapse. One player, the Highgate centre half Tony Allden, did not recover consciousness and died the next day in hospital. As a gesture of goodwill and sympathy, Aston Villa agreed to host the replay of the game concerned. They also donated a new set of Aston Villa kit to Highgate United to use in the match, which ended with a 6–0 victory for Enfield. The replayed game drew an attendance of over 30,000 at Villa Park. He is commemorated by one of the Midland Combination's cup competitions, the Tony Allden Memorial Cup."
 
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