1956.
Hello Phil, I was a technical apprentice from 1967 to 1971, when I shortened the apprenticeship to 4 years so that I could take a job at the Worcester plant. I remember Phil Luke very well. Having recently left school I remember being told off by him for calling him sir! My first placement on the shop floor was on the screw section, which was run by a section leader called Bass, but I can't remember his first name. The labourer was called Johnny. After that I too was on the 7D section under Harry Woodward. The big day came for me to take the lead in lowering a turret saddle on to a bed. Despite great care, when the saddle was moved along the bed there was an awful noise and it was scratched! Harry was far from impressed as the machine had to be stripped so that the bed could be reground! I had a placement in R&D and I remember Edgar Powell and Dilip Chawathe very well. Dilip was very bright. I think I also remember Steve Pitman. Was he an apprentice that the company had sponsored through university? You must have been in R&D when I was there. I went to work in the drawing office at Worcester and was part of the team that designed the tooling for the 10D Autoward. I left the company in 1973 to work on light commercial vehicles at British Leyland, Longbridge. I have many happy memories of H W Ward, both in Selly Oak and Worcester. I remember fellow apprentices, Trevor Hemus and Neil Buffery, who bought a house near where I was living in 1975.Hello everyone,
I am an ex-apprentice to 1964 to 1970. I started with Lofty Forth, Dick Page, Trevor Kilby, John Day, Dave Duffield, Mike Povey etc at the new Apprentice School in No2 Factory. Phil Luke was in charge (ish)
Worked in most sections including 7D Erection with good old Harry Woodward and ended up in R&D under peter Fraser and Edgar Powell working mainly on the new 10D and other Autoward projects. Anyone recall Dilip Chawathe who is now lives back in Bombay. Steve Pitman? About 10 of us met up this year pre-lockdown at Hopwood Services on the M42 and had a good old natter. I am still great friends with Les Wilkes (his Dad was Dick Wilkes under Norman Prost)
Happy days! Phil
David, welcome to the Forum, I am sure you will enjoy great people and topics of interest!I was a Ward apprentice from 1948 to191953and continued to work for the Company until it's demise in 1983
Welcome to the Forum Mick............I cant help you although I know their equipment quite well. I'm sure you will find some help shortly!Not an apprentice, so apologies in advance. I understand that my grandfather worked at Ward's as a designer. I only met him once when I was about 3 and he lived in Bromsgrove. George Conway Hooson, originally from Halifax in west Yorkshire. I'm pulling together the family history, so any memories shared would be greatly appreciated. Thanks & regards,
Mick Hooson
Not an apprentice, so apologies in advance. I understand that my grandfather worked at Ward's as a designer. I only met him once when I was about 3 and he lived in Bromsgrove. George Conway Hooson, originally from Halifax in west Yorkshire. I'm pulling together the family history, so any memories shared would be greatly appreciated. Thanks & regards,
Mick Hooson
Just came across this site and glad to declare I'm a h w ward old boy although I was a trainee rather than an apprentice. Some of the names I see in the posts bring back memories.trevor hemus was amongst my group as was Tony gough and Paul Atkins known to his friends as pussy.someone mentioned a chap called bass that would be Ronnie bass my old foreman.ronnie was a villa supporter and I supported blues.great banter.iwas always late for work and my excuse was I'd missed the bus it became a standing joke as I actually lived in dale road.the other chap mentioned was the labourer Johnny Goldberg he took some stick off the boys but it was all good natured.happy days even through the three day weeks.day release to matthew Boulton and football in George road park in our lunch hour.arrh where have all the years gone. Best wishes to all the old boys. Laurie Mackin.Hello Phil, I was a technical apprentice from 1967 to 1971, when I shortened the apprenticeship to 4 years so that I could take a job at the Worcester plant. I remember Phil Luke very well. Having recently left school I remember being told off by him for calling him sir! My first placement on the shop floor was on the screw section, which was run by a section leader called Bass, but I can't remember his first name. The labourer was called Johnny. After that I too was on the 7D section under Harry Woodward. The big day came for me to take the lead in lowering a turret saddle on to a bed. Despite great care, when the saddle was moved along the bed there was an awful noise and it was scratched! Harry was far from impressed as the machine had to be stripped so that the bed could be reground! I had a placement in R&D and I remember Edgar Powell and Dilip Chawathe very well. Dilip was very bright. I think I also remember Steve Pitman. Was he an apprentice that the company had sponsored through university? You must have been in R&D when I was there. I went to work in the drawing office at Worcester and was part of the team that designed the tooling for the 10D Autoward. I left the company in 1973 to work on light commercial vehicles at British Leyland, Longbridge. I have many happy memories of H W Ward, both in Selly Oak and Worcester. I remember fellow apprentices, Trevor Hemus and Neil Buffery, who bought a house near where I was living in 1975.
He's working on a cylindrical grinder...Photo of my father Tom Bryant working in the bottom shop.
Wonderful picture RJB! What is even more wonderful is the fact that he spent his working life there which you could never do that today!Photo of my father Tom Bryant working in the bottom shop.