Radiorails
master brummie
A loose connection with Birmingham maybe, but this is a little bit about the real place called Kalamazoo.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalamazoo,_Michigan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalamazoo,_Michigan
Yes I know of her, I have been married to her since 1973 !! We still live in Northfield and both have many wonderful memories of Kalamazoo.Have a Cousin Anne or Ann Fry she worked at Kalamazoo in the 1970/1980 she married Ian who also worked at kalamazoo alas do not no surname, anyone know of her as we lost touch so long ago, not a falling out but a drift .
Wow, I think that's lucky I think the last time we met was at your wedding and so long ago, would love to catch up and if wanted, we could fill in the gaps, thoughts? xYes I know of her, I have been married to her since 1973 !! We still live in Northfield and both have many wonderful memories of Kalamazoo.
Just realised name may help that's Paul Court ( the Butcher that knew Rose )Wow, I think that's lucky I think the last time we met was at your wedding and so long ago, would love to catch up and if wanted, we could fill in the gaps, thoughts? x
Hi Viv,The Kalamazoo wages method 1945. Viv.
'thong' binder called the Kalamazoo binder - named after the home town of the US company that made it (Reynolds & Reynolds I believe their name was)
I met my wife in the 72 building in 1976, I worked at Kalamazoo until 1986, happy days.Another Kalamazoo marriage here
Both of my parents worked at Kalamazoo, they met there and then got married.
My father was Packing Manager if I remember correctly, my mother was a company nurse. I still have my father's 50 year service watch from Kalamazoo.
Malcolm Horton and Heather Horton. My father passed away about 6 years ago, mother still going strong. Oddly enough, only a couple of months ago I went to the funeral of another Kalamazoo ex employee who was really good friends with my father.
I went there once for a family open day when I was a kid, and again for his retirement party. It was so strange seeing where my father worked as you didn't do that sort of thing back then.
I remember lots of my father's memories of the place. I remember there was a guy who used to put things on his desk in a precise order every day, and they used to move them to annoy him. I also remember hearing about a guy who dressed as a woman (each to their own), but this was quite the story back then.
My father kept in touch with a few of them until he died.
Great memories to recall, and lovely to have somewhere to share them.
This Kalamazoo thread is interesting Viv, as my parents both worked there. Mom, Freda Taylor of Selly Oak worked in accounts before W.W.2. and met my Dad, Frederick Neale who was an electrician. They were both much into sports and the Kalamazoo teams. Dad was a keen footballer then later a cricketer playing for the first KCC team. Before the war they bought the house at Rednal where they lived until Dad died. Through the war Dad was in a reserved occupation and was working in Halesowen and Mom left the company to have my brother Keith. Dad returned to Kalamazoo in 1945 and worked his way through the ranks to become the main electrical engineer under Jack Trigg and retired in 1972. For all his years at Kalamazoo he was on call and I remember as a lad going to the factory with him on many occasions day and night, fascinated with the machinery, and meeting some of his friends, Les Ecclestone, one I remember. He also did electrical work at the Directors homes, Tom Moreland I think lived near Barnt Green and his wife fed me whilst Dad did the jobs. I remember the Company as a family, many employees friends through the sports or other company activities and whenever I visited with Dad they always made me welcome. Happy Days.THese May bring back memories for those who worked at Kalamazoo. These are dated 1973. Viv.
Hi all my wife,s friend Linda is married to Robert Preston, or Bob he worked at Kalamazoo for years .Does the name Robert Jordan mean anything to anyone who worked at Kalamazoo?
G
James, welcome to The Forum!Hi All,
My dad, Derek Toddington, worked at Kalamazoo between ~1960 - ~1985. He made it to the dizzying heights of Print room manager. He was made redundant just before he reached the 25 year "golden handshake" threshold, which seems like a low blow, but I don't know the full details. Then they found out he'd been doing a lot of the printer maintenance, saving them money. A few months later they offered him a job back in the print room at a lower grade, which he refused.
Apparently, so my dad said at the time, Kalamazoo tried to get into the marketplace for building computers and then found that they couldn't compete with the likes of IBM and HP. Cost savings needed to be made.
He went on to be a Driving Instructor, excelling in that role, working long rewarding hours, had an impressive pass rate and his reputation earned lots of referrals. He was "Shakespeare school of motoring", but that's the start of another thread.
He passed peacefully away on 3rd April 2021 in Weston-super-Mare.
The funeral service is to take place on Thursday 22nd April 2021
Please contact Groves funeral directors 01934 525042 if you wish to pay your respects.