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John Rabone & Sons of Hockley rulers tapes and tools

A

Astonian

gone but not forgotten
hi guys
i know really a lot of us remember rabones of heaton st hockley brook where it was a big factory ;
and they made tools and tape measures and rulers ; but can any body tell me what happened to them ;
where did they go or did they ceased trading or even still make such items ;
I still have a couple of there old rulers and measures ;

have a nice week end this week end where ever you are or what ever you are doing ;

best wishes astonian;;
 
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Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

Astonian, Dad was a carpenter so has a few Rabone tools - not sure if its the same people, but Raybone developments based in Lifford Lane purchased the old Mint buildings from the administrators in 2010.
Where do you boot on Saturdays?
Sue
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

I lived in Ford Street and Rabone Chesterman was at the bottom of the street opposite Hockley Bus Depot. I think they moved to Springhill. It was quite usual morning and evenings when Ford Street became very busy with people starting and leaving work at Rabones.
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

Raybone Chesterman was bought by Stanley tools in about 1993 and moved to Sheffield
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

I have just been visiting my cousin in Birmingham who was telling me that she used to work for the company during the war years.

She will be 93 next week, happy birthday Edna xx
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

Hi
My dad was a rule maker among other skilled jobs he did at Raybones. In 1984 there was a book published written by Douglas J Hallam titled "The First 200 Years 1784-1984 very interesting if you can get a copy.
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

Hi all, as a lad I lived in park rd, I well remember the young women who worked at Rabones coming up Whitmore St. 4 or 5 abrest arms linked, their lower legs wrapped in brown paper, this was to keep the coolant,suds, of their legs. they almost all wore their hair covered with a scarf, Gracie Fields type. Regards Eddyjay.
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

Hi all,<br>Only just joined the site of Birmingham History and would like to let you Rabonites know how it was in 1942, in that year before we finally left school we had a man interview us for Jobs at Raybones, as I had nothing lined up workwise when I left I took him up on his offer, so, I left school before my fourteenth Birthday on the Friday and started work on the Monday still in my thirteenth year and in short trousers. Reported at the gates at either 7.30 am or eight o'clock, cannot remember exactly, was given a metal number token and told that when I came to work both morning and afternoon (an hour for dinner) this token was to be transferred from one board and hooked onto another, if you were late (i.e. three minutes at the latest) the very large entrance gates would be closed and you had to wait for them to be re-opened and your token would be put onto another board and you would be docked a quarter of an hours pay, the gates were closed every 15 minutes until about 10.30, after that you were docked a days pay.<br>On the first morning a man came whilst I was being told of the rules and we were introduced, it seemed I would be working under his tuition.<br>First thing I would be doing was collecting two boxes of rulers from across a courtyard and take them up wooden stairs to the filing (metal) department, when these had been finished I had to take them back and collect another two boxes this went on daily from time of starting up to finishing time which was either 5.30 or six pm, Saturday mornings until 12.30 or 1pm.<br>A Block of wood was set in a large Vyse (on a bench) with two nails embeded in the top of this block and a metal strip at the bottom, the ruler would have to be unfolded and the inside metals of the rulers had to be filed, top middle and bottom,when finished they would be set in such a way that a metal initial would be hit on the inside, this was to indicate who had done the work upon inspection in case of any cheating or bad workmanship, as I was only a little one I had to stand on another box to reach the vyse. I think I stayed at Rabones for just over a year before moving to another job at The British Bedstead in Clifford Passage alongside the canal.<br>Wonder if there is anyone who also worked at Rabones doing the same job?<br>Brookieboy
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

HI BROOKIEBOY
Just like to say i found your thread very intresting and it brought back memories fo me as i went to ickneild street school
across the rd and aunt winn and uncle harry phelps worked there and my cousins and my father worked at charles harris on the flat as a bakelite moulder but what also came back to me was the old practice of when you was late coming by three minutes you either got lock out or you got a quarter of an hour
of your pay if any longer you was not allowed in so you lost half a days pay which thank god they do not do it any more can you imagine of todays workers
if they started to introduced that again; there would not very much production being done today would they
raydexx of edwards rd ladywood used to use that tactics and as a lad i was always late but my oldest brother was the electrician there he was on good money and he was in a postion to tell the gate keeper to let me in ;i think he was on about one shilling and six pence an hour so i never really lost alot of my wages in shortage i i was on sixpence an hour and on peice work on a captan machine and a mller machine
those were the dats brookie boy ; what do you say ; best wishes Astonian;;
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

Hi Astonian,
How right you are, I think I got about £3 a week but not at all sure as my father would take it all and gave me shilling back, after I had been to work in short trousers for a few weeks, the workers asked me why, so I told them, they said I should have a talk with dad about it, which I did and he then raised me to 5 shillings a week,went to an outfitters on Hockley Brook near to the Palladium cinema and brought my first long trousers. Was a Mr Wise at Icknield St School when you were there?
Brookieboy
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

HI brookie
yes i recall that gents clothng on the old hockley brook and the big pubs and the hardware shop along with the rest of them;
and of course the pali;on the suject of old joey wiseman; he was there i think any body whom wentthere would never forget the school nor most certainly him he should have been banged up for you know what for its a pitty he never got reported but in those days things was never mentioioned was day
it was some think us kids never spoke about yet ever alone to tell your parents he would have most certainly been bnged up for certain
wasit you whom told me thee was a [picture of him on the old shool photos thread or the ladywood site with the pigion eyed kitchen;standing by the coach trip with the lads way back in time can only presume he as long gone from this planet mind you he never targeted me i kept my distance
we used to go up tom knockers wood years ago which was the old chad valley toy makers and across the rd was the allotments and old fredd the music teacher used to have is lotty we used to scrump is apples trees ; that was a laugh one sunday he clocked us and he shouted but he never reconised us thank god or he would have got that ruler out on your knuckles ay
best wishes brookie ; Astonian;;
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

Astonian, you surprise me, I'd never heard of Wisey that way,although to be honest I was never in his class, I only remember him from the day he stopped me fighting with another lad at the corner of the Flats, (his is the only name I can recall,) we continued our fight in Ellen Street, I made him cry but he would not give in, I called it off cause I had a paper round to do, funny how you can remember little incidents like that. No I never told you about a picture of him, I have only just come onto this web. I was at Icknield Street from 1939 to 42, were you there at that time or later?
I used to go up to the Reservoir by Chads and went on the boats there.
Brookieboy
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

My dad was apprenticed to a cabinet-maker in the early 1930's, and I've still got a few of his tools, including a somewhat battered but still lovely mahogany 3 foot spirit-level for checking both horizontal and vertical planes. It's stamped "J Rabone & Sons, Birmingham. Made in England" and "No 83 Warranted correct" and "Patent No 444431". It's straight as a die, and still used.

G
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

Hi Biggee, It just proves that the tools they made in those days were made to last, I go around antiguesfairs and see lots of their rulers and spirit levels but never seen a 3 footer straight ruler.
Brookieboy
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

My Uncle Alan Layton worked at Rabone Chesterman he was a tool setter/foreman from 1970 till they closed when they were bought out by Stanley Tools, they moved everything up to Sheffield and Alan Layton helped them with all the tools for a few weeks, he actually stayed up there hoping they would take him on but they just picked his brains for all his knowledge then said thanks and and goodbye
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

Hi Newbie Brummie, Tks for your reply, sorry about your uncle, that is the way of all firms, I was at Rabones in the War Years it being my first job I was not used to the working climate so I knew nothing about how managers worked, unfortunately that is the way of the world now, as I got older I had to learn, like most of us did, the hard way. I did not know that Stanley Tools took Rabones over, they moved I believe, next to or near Bulpits (SWAN) near Spring Hill in the fifties or sixties, now you have enlightened me as to where they went from there. Thanks for that.
Brookieboy
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

This photo is the bottom of Ford Street with Rabones on the right hand side.

Ford Street and Rabones.jpg
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

Hi Carolina,
Thanks for the picture, haven't seen that one before, with the scaffolding at the old Tram/bus depot I take it a new building has emerged, and with the scaffolding at Rabone's means they are taking it down, I haven't been round that area for years now so like my old Brookfields the area will have changed dramatically, any idea of the date that photo was taken?
Norman
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

Norman its 1938. I am not sure what is there instead of Rabones, but the bus depot is now Bingley Hall where its a venue used for weddings etc. Carol
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

Hi animal7uk, I have just read your post and I wondered if Alan Layton was the same person that I went to school with? This was Dennis Road school 1961 to 66.
animal7uk said:
My Uncle Alan Layton worked at Rabone Chesterman he was a tool setter/foreman from 1970 till they closed when they were bought out by Stanley Tools, they moved everything up to Sheffield and Alan Layton helped them with all the tools for a few weeks, he actually stayed up there hoping they would take him on but they just picked his brains for all his knowledge then said thanks and and goodbye
Click to expand...
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

Hi Brookieboy there's a new building on the old Rabone site it's a large cash and carry
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

Hi Bobj he went to Schools in the Winson Green area of Birmingham I do know he went to Handsworth Grammer School
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

Hi animal7uk, thanks , It sounds like the wrong person ah well! BOBJ
animal7uk said:
Hi Bobj he went to Schools in the Winson Green area of Birmingham I do know he went to Handsworth Grammer School
Click to expand...
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

A four-section boxwood Rabone ruler. Each section was 9 inches long and it could open out to 18, 27 or 36 inches (max). It had the advantage that a folded ruler could easily be kept in the pocket. The gradations of this ruler are either 1/8 inches or 1/16 inches. It contains a spirit level and a protractor reading from 0 to 180 degrees. Dave

P1020164.JPGP1020165.JPG
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

I remember these well my dad use to make them and mark them up. Carole
 
This was taken just before they closed down does anyone recognise themselves or anyone else 2 of my family members are on this photographRabone picture - Copy.jpg
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

casey said:
I remember these well my dad use to make them and mark them up. Carole
Click to expand...

Hi Casey, Would your Dad have worked in Wilmot Street, and what years did he work there, I worked there in the early Forties and used to file the Brass ends plus the centre brasses, I cannot remember the Man's name that I worked for but there was a man by the name of Mr Chew. Norman
 
My brother Philip Dauncey and my mother in law Pauline McKee both worked at Rabones. My brother I'm sure worked as a tool setter with Alan Layton and my mother in law worked putting the bubble into spirit levels. They both worked there for a good number of years during the '70's '80's and 90's I think.
 
Re: raybones rulers and tapes and tools ;of hockley ;

Hello,
Yes my dad would have been there in the 40s he was at Raybones till the late 60s. His job was a precision Rule Maker. My nan, uncle, auntie, and sister-in-laws father were there as well. There surnames were Alexander, Tandy, Burns. There was a friend of the family called Bobby but don't know any surname.
My mom used to say if your dad could change his knowledge that he used to teach Raybone all he new into £s we would have been better of.
I remember when I was very young being down there at one time when the whole factory clocked of there were hundreds of people coming out. Nearly as bad as Snow Hill station when we used to go on holiday.
Casey
 
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