David Quick
master brummie
The little progress chaser, was it Harry something? Wierd but I remember him & his arm in a sling
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Ionic Plating Works
- Thread starter Frankf
- Start date
The little guy was name Harry Bolton, for some obscure reason he was nicknamed “Little Napper” he lived on Quinton Road West, I used to repair his car. He was mad on dog racing, he once asked me “what would you do if you lost £100 on a bet”? I think I was on about £3 a week in the 1960s at that time,
Yes Bob Belcher lived on Shenstone Road, his Dad worked, I think it was called 7Shop; it was up the metal stairs opposite the toilets and through the door on the right. if you went through the door on the left at the top it took your to the polishing shop.
When he married Bob Belcher bought a house in Welsh House Farm Road, Birmingham, I have a vague recollection Bobs wife could have been named Joyce.
They later moved to the Squirrels Estate, Halesowen. And yes I believe he died.
His partner in crime was a lovely guy name Fred Knowles, Fred had a brother name Alf who also worked at Ionic, Alf also worked for a bookies and used to take the bets at Ionic.
Fred was mad on Ballroom Dancing and I would go with him often to go to places to dance around the Midlands, Bocker and Betriges, think it was in Birmingham, there was a dance place on the corner of Nineveh Road Handsworth.
Alf had a black Morris Minor, it was always spotless and Fred used to borrow it sometimes, once I believe it had some scratcher on it from a bush or something, Fred was so worried.
Yes Bob Belcher lived on Shenstone Road, his Dad worked, I think it was called 7Shop; it was up the metal stairs opposite the toilets and through the door on the right. if you went through the door on the left at the top it took your to the polishing shop.
When he married Bob Belcher bought a house in Welsh House Farm Road, Birmingham, I have a vague recollection Bobs wife could have been named Joyce.
They later moved to the Squirrels Estate, Halesowen. And yes I believe he died.
His partner in crime was a lovely guy name Fred Knowles, Fred had a brother name Alf who also worked at Ionic, Alf also worked for a bookies and used to take the bets at Ionic.
Fred was mad on Ballroom Dancing and I would go with him often to go to places to dance around the Midlands, Bocker and Betriges, think it was in Birmingham, there was a dance place on the corner of Nineveh Road Handsworth.
Alf had a black Morris Minor, it was always spotless and Fred used to borrow it sometimes, once I believe it had some scratcher on it from a bush or something, Fred was so worried.
There were two fires, one was in the original factory and was over the Barrel Section cleaning line, the first I knew about it was when Ron Hale from the Human Resources bought our P45, round to our house and to tell us we had been made unemployed due to the fire.
The second fire was in 21 shop where the large barrel plating machine was, it was an old Belfast Roof Trusses and once alight quickly took over the plant , I believe it was on a 16th of August the day after my Birthday it would from memory have been the early 70s.
Don't think it was at Ionic, but anyone remember a Plating Company run by a Peter Campbell? He would have retired perhaps 1990 ish?
Hi Andrew, its been so long since I've been on this site, so apologies if you're reading this. Just wanted to say thanks for the very kind things you said about my dad in your piece. Your description of his temperament and outlook was very accurate and I can just imagine him taking a walk round the shop floor every morning.
I wish I had more memories or images from his time there, tho i do recall vaguely, the fire incident being talked about at home and of course remember some of the Christmas parties. I have a photo of dad at work in his office. He died in 1972, long time ago now, but would be great to hear from anybody else who knew him or any more pics.
Thanks again.
David Quick
master brummie
Hi Frankf7, what a great picture. Do you know approx when this was taken? If you've got any more pics you can share with us, please do. The thread has been quite active recently
Hi David, I’m really not sure of the date, tho maybe late 50’s early 60’s judging by the car on the left.
I do have some colour pics taken not long before it was demolished for the new hospital build. If I’d known when that was happening I would have gone over there and got some pics. I’ll find the other pics and post them.
I do have some colour pics taken not long before it was demolished for the new hospital build. If I’d known when that was happening I would have gone over there and got some pics. I’ll find the other pics and post them.
David Quick
master brummie
Somebody put me right on this. Is that road forking off right Grove Street going towards the Cape & is the left fork with the cyclist Halberton Street?
Hi all,
I've greatly enjoyed reading all the recent activity in the forum, though I only caught up with it today.
Chris,
Like Dave Quick I recognised you instantly. I have one very clear memory of you telling me that my then girl friend Judith who was waiting in reception for me to finish the shift, had good legs! So did Jimmy Gull but not in such polite terms.
Give him my regards when you're next in contact.
The girl on the left of your pic, was also a Christine, but I've forgotten her surname. She was a clerical worker, I think for Tom Archer and as you can see, very pretty (not that we lads noticed these things!)
I was saddened to hear that three of my friends and contemporaries had passed on; Eddie, Alan and Bob Belcher.
Bob's wife was indeed Joyce, a lovely fun lady. Together with Judith we went on several fishing club "dos" as a foursome and got on famously. I recall coming back from one of them on a coach and laughing so much at Bob's jokes and general nonsense I had hiccups for two days afterwards. Bob worked for some years at Accles and Pollock as a foreman. i/c their golf shaft plating section.
His father was Bert, who had run into ticker trouble as an Ionic employee; when he recovered he was given a job in the lab on Quality Control. He was a great one for a bet on the gee gees, and I recall his smug satisfaction after I'd repeatedly told him Red Rum never stood a chance; nice man.
Jim G, I ought to remember you, we were clearly at Ionic at the same time, but forgive me, I can't put a face to the name. You must surely have worked with Brian Killgallon, Wilf Manning and Larry Smith.
I remember both fires; the first I knew of the old barrel section (3B) cleaning line going up was when John Vale the draughtsman, not much given to over excitement came racing through the bottom lab like Linford Christie running for the last bus. Like a clot I asked "Where's the fire then John"?
"Three B and its a -------- good one"! I have some memories of that day not rightly fitted for a family forum; if we ever meet up I'll spill the beans.
21 shop being destroyed was blessing in disguise for me and the bride to be. The barrel section chemists (me and Jimmy Alldrick) were asked to work shifts; we did so and I made quite a bit of extra money to put towards our first flat.
Regards
Fred Molloy
I've greatly enjoyed reading all the recent activity in the forum, though I only caught up with it today.
Chris,
Like Dave Quick I recognised you instantly. I have one very clear memory of you telling me that my then girl friend Judith who was waiting in reception for me to finish the shift, had good legs! So did Jimmy Gull but not in such polite terms.
Give him my regards when you're next in contact.The girl on the left of your pic, was also a Christine, but I've forgotten her surname. She was a clerical worker, I think for Tom Archer and as you can see, very pretty (not that we lads noticed these things!)
I was saddened to hear that three of my friends and contemporaries had passed on; Eddie, Alan and Bob Belcher.
Bob's wife was indeed Joyce, a lovely fun lady. Together with Judith we went on several fishing club "dos" as a foursome and got on famously. I recall coming back from one of them on a coach and laughing so much at Bob's jokes and general nonsense I had hiccups for two days afterwards. Bob worked for some years at Accles and Pollock as a foreman. i/c their golf shaft plating section.
His father was Bert, who had run into ticker trouble as an Ionic employee; when he recovered he was given a job in the lab on Quality Control. He was a great one for a bet on the gee gees, and I recall his smug satisfaction after I'd repeatedly told him Red Rum never stood a chance; nice man.
Jim G, I ought to remember you, we were clearly at Ionic at the same time, but forgive me, I can't put a face to the name. You must surely have worked with Brian Killgallon, Wilf Manning and Larry Smith.
I remember both fires; the first I knew of the old barrel section (3B) cleaning line going up was when John Vale the draughtsman, not much given to over excitement came racing through the bottom lab like Linford Christie running for the last bus. Like a clot I asked "Where's the fire then John"?
"Three B and its a -------- good one"! I have some memories of that day not rightly fitted for a family forum; if we ever meet up I'll spill the beans.
21 shop being destroyed was blessing in disguise for me and the bride to be. The barrel section chemists (me and Jimmy Alldrick) were asked to work shifts; we did so and I made quite a bit of extra money to put towards our first flat.
Regards
Fred Molloy
David Quick
master brummie
Where was the reception in the late '60s?
Dave,
How nice to see you in the forum once more; I hope all is well with you and yours. When this wretched Covid thing is behind us, we'll make a date to meet in Poole. We take a cottage in Dorset every now and again.
The building in the pic isn't the factory we all worked in, it's the one on the opposite side of the road from us, with one face (the left) in Grove Lane, and the other (the right) in Grove Street. The pic would have been taken from the car park of "The Cape of Good Hope". I can't bring the "Ionic" sign on the end of the building to mind at all, perhaps it was subsequently moved.
In our time it was one of (if not the) admin centres for the Heath Street Div. of GKN. With the decline of GKN it was sold off and became a distribution warehouse for a major Indian restaurant supplier, and true to local tradition went up in smoke after a couple of years. Subsequently demolished, the last time I saw the site it was a big hole in the ground.
The factory we knew still stands but in much reduced circumstances; very scruffy and dirty, Tom Flynn would weep to see it. You can get it up on Streetview, but if you have fond memories don't bother. All very sad.
More later,
Fred
How nice to see you in the forum once more; I hope all is well with you and yours. When this wretched Covid thing is behind us, we'll make a date to meet in Poole. We take a cottage in Dorset every now and again.
The building in the pic isn't the factory we all worked in, it's the one on the opposite side of the road from us, with one face (the left) in Grove Lane, and the other (the right) in Grove Street. The pic would have been taken from the car park of "The Cape of Good Hope". I can't bring the "Ionic" sign on the end of the building to mind at all, perhaps it was subsequently moved.
In our time it was one of (if not the) admin centres for the Heath Street Div. of GKN. With the decline of GKN it was sold off and became a distribution warehouse for a major Indian restaurant supplier, and true to local tradition went up in smoke after a couple of years. Subsequently demolished, the last time I saw the site it was a big hole in the ground.
The factory we knew still stands but in much reduced circumstances; very scruffy and dirty, Tom Flynn would weep to see it. You can get it up on Streetview, but if you have fond memories don't bother. All very sad.
More later,
Fred
No problem Freddy, glad it’s how you remember him. I’ve always assumed this office was in the building in the picture in grove street - would you know if that’s right?
thanks
Frank
Frank,
No, the pic of the GKN building wasn't where your Dad had his office, at least in my time. When I knew him his office was accessed from the main reception area on the ground floor and didn't (from memory) have that corrugated glass panelling.
The offices that did have that sort of pre-fab looking construction were on the second and third floors; notably the inspection office, Tom Archer's , Lou Jones', Colin Prosser's, and the chief chemist's. These were a common feature of virtually all post war factories and were referred to as a "Lucas Foreman's Office".
His office off reception was altogether nicer, so I guess he promoted himself! If Andrew chimes in again he might throw more light.
Looking at the pic again, there's a blobby looking thing on the right of the sign that might just be an arrow pointing across Grove Street to the Ionic building proper which is just out of shot.
No, the pic of the GKN building wasn't where your Dad had his office, at least in my time. When I knew him his office was accessed from the main reception area on the ground floor and didn't (from memory) have that corrugated glass panelling.
The offices that did have that sort of pre-fab looking construction were on the second and third floors; notably the inspection office, Tom Archer's , Lou Jones', Colin Prosser's, and the chief chemist's. These were a common feature of virtually all post war factories and were referred to as a "Lucas Foreman's Office".
His office off reception was altogether nicer, so I guess he promoted himself! If Andrew chimes in again he might throw more light.
Looking at the pic again, there's a blobby looking thing on the right of the sign that might just be an arrow pointing across Grove Street to the Ionic building proper which is just out of shot.
David Quick
master brummie
Hi Fred, thanks for explaing that. I thought I was going mad because I remember getting off the bus in Dudley Road & walking down Grove Street to the reception on the right hand side. So obviously not the GKN building in the picture. I think the stairs hit you almost as soon as you walked into reception & Tom Flynn's office was on the right of reception. Was there an Ionic warrior icon outside over the reception? Also, was there a chemical stores on the other side of Grove Street further down? Look forward to our Ionic reunion on The Quay when 'house arrest' is over, I think it's a great idea - just let me know. I still have family in Birmingham but its been over a year since I was up there. I'm going to revisit Grove Street next time just for the hell of it.
David Quick
master brummie
Great picture. Like the pensive pose with cigarette in hand of course. Dave
Attachments
Like Dave Quick I recognised you instantly. I have one very clear memory of you telling me that my then girl friend Judith who was waiting in reception for me to finish the shift, had good legs! So did Jimmy Gull but not in such polite terms,Hi all,
I've greatly enjoyed reading all the recent activity in the forum, though I only caught up with it today.
Chris,
Like Dave Quick I recognised you instantly. I have one very clear memory of you telling me that my then girl friend Judith who was waiting in reception for me to finish the shift, had good legs! So did Jimmy Gull but not in such polite terms.
The girl on the left of your pic, was also a Christine, but I've forgotten her surname. She was a clerical worker, I think for Tom Archer and as you can see, very pretty (not that we lads noticed these things!)
I was saddened to hear that three of my friends and contemporaries had passed on; Eddie, Alan and Bob Belcher.
Bob's wife was indeed Joyce, a lovely fun lady. Together with Judith we went on several fishing club "dos" as a foursome and got on famously. I recall coming back from one of them on a coach and laughing so much at Bob's jokes and general nonsense I had hiccups for two days afterwards. Bob worked for some years at Accles and Pollock as a foreman. i/c their golf shaft plating section.
His father was Bert, who had run into ticker trouble as an Ionic employee; when he recovered he was given a job in the lab on Quality Control. He was a great one for a bet on the gee gees, and I recall his smug satisfaction after I'd repeatedly told him Red Rum never stood a chance; nice man.
Jim G, I ought to remember you, we were clearly at Ionic at the same time, but forgive me, I can't put a face to the name. You must surely have worked with Brian Killgallon, Wilf Manning and Larry Smith.
I remember both fires; the first I knew of the old barrel section (3B) cleaning line going up was when John Vale the draughtsman, not much given to over excitement came racing through the bottom lab like Linford Christie running for the last bus. Like a clot I asked "Where's the fire then John"?
"Three B and its a -------- good one"! I have some memories of that day not rightly fitted for a family forum; if we ever meet up I'll spill the beans.
21 shop being destroyed was blessing in disguise for me and the bride to be. The barrel section chemists (me and Jimmy Alldrick) were asked to work shifts; we did so and I made quite a bit of extra money to put towards our first flat.
Regards
Fred Molloy
definitely not Jimmy Gull!! I knew Fred Malloy, but didn’t know your girlfriend and wouldn’t say that about a girl, sorry Fred I think you knew of me but didn’t know me...
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His father was Bert, who had run into ticker trouble as an Ionic employee; when he recovered he was given a job in the lab on Quality Control. He was a great one for a bet on the gee gees, and I recall his smug satisfaction after I'd repeatedly told him Red Rum never stood a chance; nice man.Hi all,
I've greatly enjoyed reading all the recent activity in the forum, though I only caught up with it today.
Chris,
Like Dave Quick I recognised you instantly. I have one very clear memory of you telling me that my then girl friend Judith who was waiting in reception for me to finish the shift, had good legs! So did Jimmy Gull but not in such polite terms.
The girl on the left of your pic, was also a Christine, but I've forgotten her surname. She was a clerical worker, I think for Tom Archer and as you can see, very pretty (not that we lads noticed these things!)
I was saddened to hear that three of my friends and contemporaries had passed on; Eddie, Alan and Bob Belcher.
Bob's wife was indeed Joyce, a lovely fun lady. Together with Judith we went on several fishing club "dos" as a foursome and got on famously. I recall coming back from one of them on a coach and laughing so much at Bob's jokes and general nonsense I had hiccups for two days afterwards. Bob worked for some years at Accles and Pollock as a foreman. i/c their golf shaft plating section.
His father was Bert, who had run into ticker trouble as an Ionic employee; when he recovered he was given a job in the lab on Quality Control. He was a great one for a bet on the gee gees, and I recall his smug satisfaction after I'd repeatedly told him Red Rum never stood a chance; nice man.
Jim G, I ought to remember you, we were clearly at Ionic at the same time, but forgive me, I can't put a face to the name. You must surely have worked with Brian Killgallon, Wilf Manning and Larry Smith.
I remember both fires; the first I knew of the old barrel section (3B) cleaning line going up was when John Vale the draughtsman, not much given to over excitement came racing through the bottom lab like Linford Christie running for the last bus. Like a clot I asked "Where's the fire then John"?
"Three B and its a -------- good one"! I have some memories of that day not rightly fitted for a family forum; if we ever meet up I'll spill the beans.
21 shop being destroyed was blessing in disguise for me and the bride to be. The barrel section chemists (me and Jimmy Alldrick) were asked to work shifts; we did so and I made quite a bit of extra money to put towards our first flat.
Regards
Fred Molloy
Robert Belchers dad was name George Belcher, and suffered with eye problems when he worked in Severn Shop. Roberts mom worked on wiring up.
David Quick
master brummie
Looks grim. You're right Jim, best I just leave the old images in the memory bank. Dave
Running to catch the bus after Work get there before the GKN crowd