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Johny Wrights

T

tgille

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Worked at Johnny Wrights in Thimblemill Lane Aston in 1958 for about 18 months assembling parts for the New World gas cookers newcomers seemed to get landed with the worst jobs and as time went on you slowly worked your way up to the better jobs I was 17 at the time and when you reached 18 you got quite a substanial rise which I was really looking forward to but low and behold when I became 18 they made me redundtant. We used to use a coffee shop which was just up the road in Lichfield Rd and spent quite a few bob on the judebox the record I remember most was Handy Man by Jimmy Jones also I remember the bookies runner who used to collect your bets in Lovers Lane along side Aston Road station. Just memories now.
 
hi tgille
I CAN RECALL JOHNY WRIGHTS WE LIVED AND I WAS BROUGHT UP
ON THE LICHFIELD RD NEXT TO THOMPSONS THE PIG SLAUGHTER HOUSE
AND MY OLDER BROTHER GOT A JOB AT WRIGHTS AS AN INSPECTOR
WHEN HE WAS 21 YEARS OLD,AND I WAS COURTING A GIRL FROM SANDY LADY SHE WAS A CRACKING GIRL SHE WAS AN BRUNETTE
THEY HAVE NOW TURNED THAT AREA INTO AN INDUSTRIAL ESTATE
I THINK THE VINE PUB IS STILL STANDINGON THE CORNER OF PARK RD
AND SANDY LANE THE WHOLE AREA HAS BEEN REDEVELOPED
HAVE A NICE DAY OUR KID , BEST WISHES ASTONIAN ,;;;;
 
Just found this site. My mother worked at Johny Wrights in the 1920s before she married. She soldered small components together using a large soldering iron which was heated by a gas ring, the solder was a stick about 10 inches long apparently, which was dipped in a tin of "Flux" which helped the solder to run better. When I left school in 1946 I went to work at a Radio and sound systems firm which maintained the "Sound System" at Johny Wrights I remember that a new system was installed in about 1948 and I went round the offices and the factory including the foundry with one of our engineers checking that everything was working O.K. I think that "Music While You Work" was still "Piped" round factories then.
 
hi.i remember there foundry.we got cast iron runners off the workers,we used them for jack stones.
they had a huge rec ground,with a lot of air raid shelters.ideal for our dens.there was a large wooden shed on the grounds,some sort of club house. pete
 
In this picture, which is one of Phyllis Nicklin's, you can make out Johnny Wrights(Radiation) in the background, it has been shown before.View attachment 63688
pencil.png
 
ASTONITE said:
In this picture, which is one of Phyllis Nicklin's, you can make out Johnny Wrights(Radiation) in the background, it has been shown before.View attachment 63688
pencil.png
Click to expand...
Hi Astonite, thanks for posting the photograph, can you tell me the name of the road in the foreground with green lorry in it, so Ican get my bearings, I've been away from Brum for many years now and i,m afraid my memory needs jogging on many occasions. Cheers Reg
 
Hi Roverman ( hope I'm not being rude using this name)

I'm sure this picture was taken from the high rise flats Boulton Point and the road in front is Aston Hall Rd.

In the distance you can see the New World Factory in Thimble Mill Lane at the back of the Britania Pub on the Lichfield Rd, there was an idea of convrting to a Hotel but a big fire stop that.

You are looking from Salford Park towards the City

Ray
 
Ray, l worked at JW's from 1-1-51 untill l left for the USA in 1958, l was in the main building but knew the factory quite well, l hated to go in the foundry as it nearly always required me to get a new pair of nylons (which l could'nt afford) because of the sparkes, JW's was not known for paying the best of wages but l enjoyed it there, by the way l know it burned down but what was the cause of the fire???, one thing has changed after viewing the picture ......courtesy of Astonite......wether it be B/W or coloured it still very grey and forboding by the pollution and to think we lived and breathed that smoke everyday...its a wonder were all still here....l know some who are'nt....Brenda
 
Hi Brenda.

I don't think that they really know what caused it it was thought to be arson but by who ?.

I think what you may forgotten was that round the corner you had Aston locomotive sheds where loco's would steam away for hours which creatated a area smog also you had Smith's Brewery across the road.

Ray
 
hi ray
smiths brewer became the aston mannor brewers of thimblemill lane where a limited of redundant workers from ansells brewers
set up a co opertive betwen themselves and bought the old brewers premises and guess what i beleive he was doug ellis brother inlaw whom was the main man of the aston manner brewers was the director of aston mannor i was working in cheston rd at that time
our kid worked at wrights in the inspection department his name was billy best wishes astonian
 
l've been away for so long l never did know if JW's had closed down before the fire or did the fire close it down.....Brenda
 
Ray Griffiths said:
Hi Roverman ( hope I'm not being rude using this name)

I'm sure this picture was taken from the high rise flats Boulton Point and the road in front is Aston Hall Rd.

In the distance you can see the New World Factory in Thimble Mill Lane at the back of the Britania Pub on the Lichfield Rd, there was an idea of convrting to a Hotel but a big fire stop that.

You are looking from Salford Park towards the City

Ray
Click to expand...
Hi Ray, thanks for the information, now I know where i am coming from. Of course you were not being rude. Cheers, REG
 
Hi Brenda knowing that area can you imagine a good quality hotel doing well there, I was born just up the road in Sandy Lane so I'm not surprize the hotel near got off the ground.

Did you live locally to John Wrights?

Ray
 
Ray,l knew the JW's area quite well my grandparents ( Wm Coates) lived in Church Lane and my mother was raised there,but l lived up the other end Copely st off of Burlington st, attended Burlington st school untill l left in dec 1950 l can'nt sat much about a hotel in that area as l left in1958, but l could always visulise JW's office building being turned into a hotel, is it still the there the office building or did that go with the fire....Brenda
 
Hi dont know whether the shell is still there, it was for a long time after.

We move from Birmingham 5 years ago we live in North Devon wonderfull Devon.

Ray
 
Hi, my dad used to work for johnny wrights (radiation) and i think my mom did too they were Alf and Emily Pritchard , I used to go to the Chistmas parties there. Dad died in '73 and the whole factory turned out for him as the procession passed on the way to witton .
 
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