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Kynoch's I M I 1950s Onwards

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Bren that was moms job assistant pastry cook and could she do fantastic spotted dicks and a different one with fruit in. They always went back for afters. Jean.
 
I'm looking for ex Kynoch (Lion Works at Witton) employees to record working experiences at the company.

It's for part of an Oral History Project researching the history of John Sutton Nettlefold and his home at Winterbourne, Edgbaston. We've already chatted to people who worked for GKN due to the Nettlefold link, but then realised that John Sutton Nettlefold himself was Managing Director of Kynochs whilst he lived at Winterbourne in the early 1900s. Obviously we can't get stories from when he was there but any stories from the 40s or 50s would be really helpful.

Does anyone have any stories to tell about Kynochs at that time?
 
A warm welcome to the forum, akynoch, which I'm sure you'll find a friendly and helpful place.

I hope that there will be members who can help you with their memories. There are already a number of reminiscences in the preceding thread and I expect you are looking to expand these further, wherever possible. And no doubt encourage others to come forward. Your project sounds very worthwhile and one which members will want to support. It's what we are all about.

Good luck with it.

Chris
 
these were kindly lent me by my old friend betty read [dorkins]. the first was taken at the nortical william from left to right maureen john val john dek ann betty george and leslie 1961. the next i think says maureens wedding 1960. the third in the middle sonia my sister in law betty and george. hope you remember some of these. bye. jean.
 
Helo Jean. Hope the arm is a little easier. Sorry we don't recognise any one of the pics. Remember I left L. Fast. in 1965 ish. Miriam.
 
Di.Poppitt said:
I think I have mentioned in passing the ICI camp, it was held during the works holiday fortnight, last week in July, first week in August, at Tenbury Wells in Worcestershire. The farm field we camped in was owned by a farmer called Cyril, a real old eccentric. We slept in old Army tents, they were khaki and slept about eight of us. The first job when we arrived, was to fill canvas palliasses with straw, they were our mattress and I have no idea now if we had pilllows. I don't think we had sheets but there were blankets, we spent a lot of time punching the straw into submission to get a comfy bed.

There was also a boys camp two fields away watched over by 'Doddy' Mr Dodgson he was in overall charge of the apprentices at Witton. The boys helped Cyril with the harvest, I think he grew wheat as well as the local hops, he also brewed a drink called perry, which is cider made from pears and absolutely lethal. We had to hide people when they were under the weather from drinking it, they were really ill.

A river ran through the field and we jumped in each morning with a bar of soap, you can imagine elf and safety sucking their teeth today.

There was a kitchen tent, where food was prepared and it was all cooked on an open fire in the field. My friend Jeannie Parkers mom was the cook, food always tastes wonderful when it's cooked al fresco doesn't it. I recall the late nights when we would all sit round the camp fire singing and drinking steaming hot cups of cocoa, and eating sausages in our fingers.

Kids came from Wales and Germany, not sure now what conection there was with Germany, ICI must have had a factory there. We had such lovely holidays, I went back to look round old haunts about ten years ago and nothing had changed, even the pub in Tenbury, The ship, is still exactly as I remember it from the 1950's.
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Hi Di, was your friend Jean Parker from the Ridgeway, If so, I used to play tennis with her at the youth club evenings. 1952/53 ?
 
Hi George. Yes, Jean lived in the Ridgeway. I was at the youth club from 1953. Are you Kenny's pal George, and did you know Bubbles?
 
Di.Poppitt said:
Hi George. Yes, Jean lived in the Ridgeway. I was at the youth club from 1953. Are you Kenny's pal George, and did you know Bubbles?
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Hi Di, I do not think that I knew Brian, I worked at ICI 1951-2-3. Wages Office and Cap priming, after I fell out with 'Doddy'. I told him I did not want to do an apprentiship in toolmaaking. If you wish you could send a Private message. We could discuss Jean and family. Regards George.
 
Pat that is Pat second from the left and first one of the Bennet sisters. Thanks for that I had missed her. Jean.
 
My mum worked there as - I think - a PA to somebody. Valerie Hollins, or Valerie Parlett as she became after she married my dad. She died 8 years ago.

Before ICI she'd worked at the Post Office as a teletypist and she also worked for the Ministry of Aviation. I think those were before ICI but I'm a bit hazy. She worked at ICI right up to 1968 or 1969, when she left to go into business with my dad. They had the newsagents on Slade Road nearest to where they were building Spaghetti Junction (or the Gravelly Hill Interchange, if you prefer). They sold up in 1973 and moved to Lincoln where they had two shops.
 
ChrisM said:
I've spoken to one or two people about Jean's group photograph which was published some time ago. The present sum of human knowledge and opinion has been inserted onto the image.

The information given is 99% certain EXCEPT for that marked with a query which can range from "probable" to "extremely likely".

Chris
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Hi I can confirm that that is definitely David Rendell he and his wife Mary bought our farm in Wales and had a horse business there for many years - sadly both Mary and David have passed. My Dad was in the Planning Office of Strip Mill in the 50's with Ken Brown, then he went to America to Honeywell to learn how to programme the computers, he then went to Lightening Fastners and Coates before retiring (voluntary redundancy in 1978) he was Maurice Kelly.

My uncle was John Kennedy and he worked in the Rod Mill in the office I have no idea what he did. Yes I too went to the Christmas Parties and got my "goodies" I got a sewing box one year and I still have it. I also have Dads gold watch for 25 years service from Garrards (still in the box he hated it) and his retirement book and some photos unfortunately most are packed away as we are moving house but will dig them out. I remember the phone number of ICI it was Birchfield 4848 and Dads extension 597 - heck where did that come from.

I also remember that Dad was in the St Johns and there was this explosion one of the furnace walls blew out, it was on the News and we got a phone call to say that Dad was in hospital, Nan freaked - no one else was hurt just Dad - wait for it- he had tripped over while running to the scene and broke his arm and leg - the only casualty!!! I told the story at his funeral and everyone knew that was Dad!!

Dyan in NZ
 
Found my Dads Retirement Book. Heres the picture I hope
!View attachment 42429 Names in his book are David Fewtrell, Eric Higgs J Child, KW PAllett R McKillop Lynne ? D M Dugmore, S Bennett John Leonard, Christine Scott Trevor ? P R ? V Cotterill H Berry C Wigley Gwen Richards A Roberts, George Nicholls Joyce Fitzgerald Ella Watterson Ron JeffersonElaine Harwood Steve Bolton Dennis Kilner Tony Cherrington Henry Brengost Leo Marshall Ann Groce G R Hickmont ? K Goodwin Ken Brown Harold Midlemass? Richard Littlewood "Doc" Thornton, David Rendall, Rupert Crane, J Boyle, G Waamaan? G Dugmore Charles Rainer? Albert Thomas Hazel Cosgrove Bob Bolton R Robinson Colin Price Pauline Smith Steve SmithJulie Roberts Gillian Stockton Irene Bryne Peter Moore Pat Antorbus Ron D...? Pam Thomas. The only one I know is Ken (Johnny Brown in this picture he is behind Dad against the pillar) David Rendall is not in the picture nor is Doc Thornton - who was the Dentist and Dad had lunch with every day.
 
hi

grat pics huge site. There are numerous sites now covering ICI Kynochs and
others. Its better to post on an exiting site.
Great PICS

Mike Jenks Kynochs 59 to 64
 
Thanks for those pics, Frothblower, here and in another thread. Where was the lion originally located? (And why hasn't it yet "walked" from its current location - it must be well nailed down).

Have only just noticed your posts, Dyan, and thank you for the information. Im sure that some of the names will be familiar to forum members although the only one which I recognise is that of Rupert Crane who has been mentioned elsewhere in this thread.

Chris
 
I recognise Tom Round [middle of picture] and remember the man with the white fluffy hair and glasses but not his name. Miriam.
 
My father uncle and Grandfather worked at Kynock between 1910 and 1965 there is a wonderfull book published and printed at Kynock called Under Five Flags this book was printed in 1962 and has pics of the total developement of the buildings and a pic of my Grandad with the King will scan a few pics in over the next few days.
 
Colin that sounds wonderful my aunt Gwendolene Marston..nee Jennings was head of the Powerhouse at Kynocks during the War.
 
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Edit. Image unavailable.

This is the photo [what's left of it] of aunt Floss and the King when he visited the munitions dept. I wonder if this is in the book Colin is on about must try and find out. Jean.
 
G G Jean said:
This is the photo [what's left of it] of aunt Floss and the King when he visited the munitions dept. I wonder nighted in 1957 My Dad started as an apprentice in 1927 and took early retirement due to ill health in 1966
He was then Purchasing and production manager.
I will scan in the pics on friday and hope you enjoy them
colin
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Hi Wendy
Glad to share them Kynock was a big thing in my formative years
 
Colin forgot to ask but did you use the Witton canteen? only my mom was pastry cook for over 25 years. Bye. Jean.
 
G G Jean said:
Colin forgot to ask but did you use the Witton canteen? only my mom was pastry cook for over 25 years. Bye. Jean.
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No I was not employed by the company My Dad was very dissapointed that I went to art college so much so He decided after my first year to stop any funding and found me a job at Rackhams in the display det (did not last long}
he book was a centenary book Kynock 1862 1962 and was given to customers My Wife who has researched our history and me of course are intending to take a trip to Witton and Aston in the better weather to locate a few of the addresses we have
Colin
 
Yes, Colin, they are rather big. If before uploading you can reduce images of this type (ie reproductions of printed material where the definition isn't brilliant in the first place) to a max. of around 100kb and preferably less, they will upload easily and still display well.

Chris
 
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