GEC WITTON WORKS

[Woodcarver]

Hi Everyone,

A family discussion led me to this forum. The question was where young couples meet these days. For many people the answer used to be “at work” in large companies that are no longer there.

In 1958 I started a drawing office apprenticeship, which included two years invaluable shop floor training, in 3DO. Six years later, still in 3DO, I met a young lady working in PCD and we have now been married for fifty eight years.

Another product of GEC was engineers. For more than thirty years I was an electrical surveyor with an insurance company, working the Midlands and beyond. I seemed to meet engineers from GEC everywhere and a regular comment was that a GEC apprenticeship was almost a passport to another job.

Hoping that I am not too late to respond to an earlier post by anorak147 regarding George Jenkins. He was the chief draughtsman in 3DO. Like many of his time a strict but respected man. Attached is a photo of George making a presentation to apprentice Eddie Hard for his marriage in 1959. The other photo, from 1963 in 3DO, shows draughtsmen Jack Westbury, Alan Sola and Frank Vincent, plus two apprentices.

 

[Donbogen]

Hi Everyone,

A family discussion led me to this forum. The question was where young couples meet these days. For many people the answer used to be “at work” in large companies that are no longer there.

In 1958 I started a drawing office apprenticeship, which included two years invaluable shop floor training, in 3DO. Six years later, still in 3DO, I met a young lady working in PCD and we have now been married for fifty eight years.

Another product of GEC was engineers. For more than thirty years I was an electrical surveyor with an insurance company, working the Midlands and beyond. I seemed to meet engineers from GEC everywhere and a regular comment was that a GEC apprenticeship was almost a passport to another job.

Hoping that I am not too late to respond to an earlier post by anorak147 regarding George Jenkins. He was the chief draughtsman in 3DO. Like many of his time a strict but respected man. Attached is a photo of George making a presentation to apprentice Eddie Hard for his marriage in 1959. The other photo, from 1963 in 3DO, shows draughtsmen Jack Westbury, Alan Sola and Frank Vincent, plus two apprentices.

Very interesting Thanks for sharing

 

[Jim P]

Do you know if any of the above worked in the Xpelair factory?
I worked there 1966-1970

I was there in 1967 when Xpelair was transferred from Colchester to Witton. I was Accountant for FHP motors and we made the Xpelair motors and Witton Moulded Plastics made the plastics. John Sturrock was FD of WMP and Arthur Scotson was MD. FHP bosses were Ken Brommel and later Harry Cairncross.

 

[Kevin Hiatt]

Much of my family worked for GEC Witton, Personnel Manager was Harry Cormill, his Brother Herbert Cormill was the Deputy Chief Inspector High Tension Switch Gear, my cousin Colin Byng Worked in the Hight .Tension Switch Gear Department, myself I started in the Patternshop but only for 6 months before it closed down. Now retired after working for many years as a Design Engineer for an Engineering Consultancy, can't believe near 75 now.

 

[John L]

Just found from the 1921 Census that my great grandfather Thomas Griffiths worked as an electrical fitter at GEC Switch Gear Witton in 1921. That makes me one of three generations of my family that have worked in Witton at some point. Small wonder that I'm a Villa fan. Here is a GEC advert from 1929, the administration centre at Witton, along with 2 photographs from 1922 and one from 1920:

 

[ckingdom]

Hi, Just seen this thread about GEC (Witton Works). My Late Great Aunt (Mary J Williams Born 1923 - 181 Deykin Anvenue - Witton) worked as a 'Stator Winder' in 1939. I'm unsure if she worked at GEC as she had a pension from ICI (30 years service). But I do remember GEC being mentioned as a young boy when I had visited her with my parents. So could my Late Great Aunt have been a 'Stator Winder' at ICI in 1939?
Thanks
Charles

 

[Richard Dye]

Hi, Just seen this thread about GEC (Witton Works). My Late Great Aunt (Mary J Williams Born 1923 - 181 Deykin Anvenue - Witton) worked as a 'Stator Winder' in 1939. I'm unsure if she worked at GEC as she had a pension from ICI (30 years service). But I do remember GEC being mentioned as a young boy when I had visited her with my parents. So could my Late Great Aunt have been a 'Stator Winder' at ICI in 1939?
Thanks
Charles

Charles, welcome to the Forum, a really great place with super folks, enjoy!

 

[Ray Griffiths]

Charles, welcome to the Forum, a really great place with super folks, enjoy!

Most unlikely to have worked ICI stator winders women GEC Small motor. Std motors ,Fan shop. By t the site of ICI Higgs Motor in 1939 some took over male jobs

 

[Richard Dye]

Most unlikely to have worked ICI stator winders women GEC Small motor. Std motors ,Fan shop. By t the site of ICI Higgs Motor in 1939 some took over male jobs

Based upon Rays comments if she worked at ICI it was not as a stator winder. The question is what did she do there?

 

[ckingdom]

Thanks Richard/ Ray.

So if my Aunt (Mary J Williams - marital name Kingdom) worked at a 'Stator Winder' (second line down on image)' then SHE would have worked at GEC (in Small Motors, Standard Motors or Fan Shop)?

Please can you clarify your further comment below:

'By t the site of ICI Higgs Motor in 1939 some took over male jobs'

Rgds

Charles

 

[Lloyd]

Found this apprentice indenture form from nearly 100 years ago on the internet.

https://pewsey-heritage-centre.org.uk/images/modes_images/E768a.jpg

 

[Pedrocut]

Evening Despatch, April 1940.

 

[Cabonscooter]

I'm too, am intrigued at the lack of activity in the GEC Witton thread on this site considering how many worked there. I was a drawing office apprentice 1960 - 1965 and stayed until 1967 in Switchgear drawing office 2DO Annexe when there seemed to be a 'wind of change' approaching with the take over of the turbine hall by C.A.Parsons and it proved to be the start of the end for Witton. So many names to recall. In no particular order - Dave Turner, Mick Holt, Terry Bailey (Bailiss?) Clive Evans, John Walters, Dave Caldicot ,Fred Hatfield, Roger Johnson, Pro Dutt, I could go on for ages.
I left in 1967 to go to a Tube Investements company (STD Services) in Walsall and had many jobs since then. All I learnt from my GEC apprenticeship stood me in good stead for the whole of my career in the electrical industry. I was constantly bumping into ex GEC people. Hope someone who knew me or any of those names reads this. At 81 I still remember most of it so far !
Alan Marriott

 

[devonjim]

I'm too, am intrigued at the lack of activity in the GEC Witton thread on this site considering how many worked there. I was a drawing office apprentice 1960 - 1965 and stayed until 1967 in Switchgear drawing office 2DO Annexe when there seemed to be a 'wind of change' approaching with the take over of the turbine hall by C.A.Parsons and it proved to be the start of the end for Witton. So many names to recall. In no particular order - Dave Turner, Mick Holt, Terry Bailey (Bailiss?) Clive Evans, John Walters, Dave Caldicot ,Fred Hatfield, Roger Johnson, Pro Dutt, I could go on for ages.
I left in 1967 to go to a Tube Investements company (STD Services) in Walsall and had many jobs since then. All I learnt from my GEC apprenticeship stood me in good stead for the whole of my career in the electrical industry. I was constantly bumping into ex GEC people. Hope someone who knew me or any of those names reads this. At 81 I still remember most of it so far !
Alan Marriott

Did GEC apprentices have a link to Castle Bromwich hall, maybe a training centre. Memory of going there to discuss a concert in Town Hall to be arranged jointly by the apprentices of a number of companies, never came to anything. Must have been in early 1960's.

 

[Richard Dye]

I'm too, am intrigued at the lack of activity in the GEC Witton thread on this site considering how many worked there. I was a drawing office apprentice 1960 - 1965 and stayed until 1967 in Switchgear drawing office 2DO Annexe when there seemed to be a 'wind of change' approaching with the take over of the turbine hall by C.A.Parsons and it proved to be the start of the end for Witton. So many names to recall. In no particular order - Dave Turner, Mick Holt, Terry Bailey (Bailiss?) Clive Evans, John Walters, Dave Caldicot ,Fred Hatfield, Roger Johnson, Pro Dutt, I could go on for ages.
I left in 1967 to go to a Tube Investements company (STD Services) in Walsall and had many jobs since then. All I learnt from my GEC apprenticeship stood me in good stead for the whole of my career in the electrical industry. I was constantly bumping into ex GEC people. Hope someone who knew me or any of those names reads this. At 81 I still remember most of it so far !
Alan Marriott

Alan I was an engineering apprentice at Brooke Tool about three years ahead of you, I am 82. My apprenticeship held me in good stead throughout my career, as they say moving along the corporate ladder. It seems that GE(USA) met the same fate as GEC, albeit a few years later. Once mighty companies and pathfinders in industry are now a shadow of their former selves. As times go by there are fewer and fewer of us left with those memories.

 

[trevor bow]

Alan I was an engineering apprentice at Brooke Tool about three years ahead of you, I am 82. My apprenticeship held me in good stead throughout my career, as they say moving along the corporate ladder. It seems that GE(USA) met the same fate as GEC, albeit a few years later. Once mighty companies and pathfinders in industry are now a shadow of their former selves. As times go by there are fewer and fewer of us left with those memories.

Why did all these great companies like GEC, Lucas etc just disappear ? Was it that much bigger companies took them over and the original products they produced become redundant as technology moved on ?

 

[Richard Dye]

Why did all these great companies like GEC, Lucas etc just disappear ? Was it that much bigger companies took them over and the original products they produced become redundant as technology moved on ?

I think that Lucas’s quality was not good, also they tried to get into some other areas as technology shifted and it did not work well. This was the same Bosch in the early days of fuel injection, either throttle body or high pressure injection, but they hung on and made it work.
If you look at Wikipedia (I know they are not sacrosanct) but both companies had management changes (not sure from what planet) that got them into deep water also spinning off divisions that I think was a mistake. There was always too much government involvement, putting key people in the wrong place, if you think any government has the answer, “I have a bridge for sale”
Much the same as Daimler Benz did with Chrysler, but they saw the mistake walked away. DB did the same thing with Mitsubishi motors in the US. The next one I predict will be Stellantis, I hope I’m wrong but there are too many brands out there and the Stellantis list is not strong.

 

[trevor bow]

I think that Lucas’s quality was not good, also they tried to get into some other areas as technology shifted and it did not work well. This was the same Bosch in the early days of fuel injection, either throttle body or high pressure injection, but they hung on and made it work.
If you look at Wikipedia (I know they are not sacrosanct) but both companies had management changes (not sure from what planet) that got them into deep water also spinning off divisions that I think was a mistake. There was always too much government involvement, putting key people in the wrong place, if you think any government has the answer, “I have a bridge for sale”
Much the same as Daimler Benz did with Chrysler, but they saw the mistake walked away. DB did the same thing with Mitsubishi motors in the US. The next one I predict will be Stellantis, I hope I’m wrong but there are too many brands out there and the Stellantis list is not strong.

So it was down to very poor management decisions on a huge scale by the sound of it, and the sad fact is that these managers are sometimes rewarded for failure by getting massive golden goodbye handshakes.

 

[Richard Dye]

So it was down to very poor management decisions on a huge scale by the sound of it, and the sad fact is that these managers are sometimes rewarded for failure by getting massive golden goodbye handshakes.

That I believe that was the crux of it, and yes the golden handshakes or parachutes are there. Much the same as in GE in the US. Jack Welch hand picked Jeff Imelt to replace him and it did not work, and yet the Board kept him in place until he ran it completely into the ground and they had to break up the company! The poor management includes the Boards who in many cases should be held criminally accountable for what they do to public companies or don’t do! I most recently served on a Board where I stepped down because of lack or leadership and simply self serving or members and leadership who were inept. Six month’s later the company became insolvent. We only get to know the big names but it happens at all levels of company,

 

[mikejee]

All your points are very true, in addition to plain greed and corruption, but this thread is concerning GEC. Could we keep to that subject

 

[Cabonscooter]

Unfortunately, it's the story of the British manufacturing industry. Most of the big names have now disappeared. Each has it's own story, like GEC, Austin-BMC-MG Rover, Lucas etc, etc.........
Pick almost anything up in your house and what does it say? "Made in China". Long gone are the days when it almost always said "Made in England" or "Made in Great Britain". All those car and motorcycle names, many in Birmingham.

 

[lmr3103]

My Aunt worked as a typist at the GEC and maintained they were the best years of her life. She kept some of the in house magazine called 'Witton News, I think it was published 4 times a year. They're amazing to read- so much going on there - , no end of different clubs, functions etc held at their social club The Magnet Club.

 

[Cabonscooter]

I still have my 'Welcome to Witton' booklet marked 'September 1960'with a plan and aerial view of the works (see photos). I've also got some Witton News mags which are quite interesting with wedding and retirement photos.
Earlier in this thread someone mentioned the tunnel between switchgear block and Admin. I was pleased to read that because I thought I had imagined it! As a section lad in Switchgear 2DOA I used to get very bored and on my many walkabouts I used to use that tunnel that led to the basement of Admin block. In those days you could walk about with a piece of paper in your hand for hours and no one would question where you were going. This sums up the general lax culture of such a large place at the time I think which eventually closed it down. Sad really.
Alan Marriott

 

[Cabonscooter]

More photos unearthed ! Apprentice machine school line-up 1961, I'm on the back row labelled plus a few names I remember. Also main entrance from Dulverton Road c1968.

 

[Pedrocut]

Some nice old cars !

 

[Cabonscooter]

Re main entrance photo - private cars inside the gates were a definite no no when I was there! I had already left by 1968.
I remember when it was approaching home time, everyone would assemble by the exits with coats on, poised for the big rush when the siren/bell went. The security staff stood by the gates daring anyone to escape before then !

 

[Cabonscooter]

Did GEC apprentices have a link to Castle Bromwich hall, maybe a training centre. Memory of going there to discuss a concert in Town Hall to be arranged jointly by the apprentices of a number of companies, never came to anything. Must have been in early 1960's.

Hi Devonjim, yes I seem to recall that Castle Bromwich Hall was used for residential training for GEC overseas students. There was an apprentice from New Zealand around during my time at Wilton.

 

[lmr3103]

More photos unearthed ! Apprentice machine school line-up 1961, I'm on the back row labelled plus a few names I remember. Also main entrance from Dulverton Road c1968.

Love the collar and ties under the overalls!

 

[Richard Dye]

Unfortunately, it's the story of the British manufacturing industry. Most of the big names have now disappeared. Each has it's own story, like GEC, Austin-BMC-MG Rover, Lucas etc, etc.........
Pick almost anything up in your house and what does it say? "Made in China". Long gone are the days when it almost always said "Made in England" or "Made in Great Britain". All those car and motorcycle names, many in Birmingham.

More photos unearthed ! Apprentice machine school line-up 1961, I'm on the back row labelled plus a few names I remember. Also main entrance from Dulverton Road c1968.

A lot of pride there. So sad it all disappeared!

 

[Martyn]

Did GEC apprentices have a link to Castle Bromwich hall, maybe a training centre. Memory of going there to discuss a concert in Town Hall to be arranged jointly by the apprentices of a number of companies, never came to anything. Must have been in early 1960's.

My copy of the July/August 1956 edition of Witton News mentions some apprentice activities at Castle Bromwich Hall and this is from Bill Dargue:

After the War the General Electric Company at Witton rented the Hall as accommodation for their apprentices. There were usually 75 students here aged 18+ working alternately 6 months at Witton and 6 months studying at Birmingham Technical College. GEC laid on a bus service to get them to the factory at Witton. The apprenticeship took 5 years. But engineering was in their blood: the old stable block was full of cars that the apprentices spent their spare time stripping, repairing and rebuilding. GEC left the Hall by 1960 and the empty building gradually began to fall into disrepair. In 1969 the Page Johnson building company bought the Hall from the Earl of Bradford to use as offices for a staff.