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Kynoch's I M I 1950s Onwards

  • Thread starter Thread starter shannon
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It works well, Fred - great pic. and welcome to the forum.

Tell us more about the Kynoch connection.

Chris
 
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Here is my sixpeneth!,
My wife Barbara, her surname was then McDonald, worked in the IMI Shipping Office and afterwards in Kynoch Press in the early 1970s. Dave Swarbrick of Fairport Convention apparently worked there just prior to her joining (what a great fiddle player he is). Picture taken at Gatwick Airport. Barbara is 3rd from left at front. Edit. Image unavailable.
 
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dollyferret said:
i wonder whose garden the old white lion has been smuggled into
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My wife was made redundant from her old job. She joined an agency, which got her a job at, "Guess were" IMI components at Witton.They have a brand new unit on the now called, Hub site.
The white Lion is on a Traffic Island inside the estate.
 
My auntie Gwen surname Marsden was head of the powerhouse at Kynoch's she worked there all through the war till the 60's.
 
Dave Bath said:
Here is my sixpeneth!,
My wife Barbara, her surname was then McDonald, worked in the IMI Shipping Office and afterwards in Kynoch Press in the early 1970s. Dave Swarbrick of Fairport Convention apparently worked there just prior to her joining (what a great fiddle player he is). Picture taken at Gatwick Airport. Barbara is 3rd from left at front.
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Hi Dave,

My friend Joan (I won't identify her any further) worked at IMI and she married Dave Swarbrick. Sadly it didn't last.

Dave is still playing, despite very severe health problems.

Regards,

Big Gee.
 
Big Gee,
A bit off the thread but Barb and I think he is great and could have been THE greatest. Nevertheless, very highly rated. Nuff said now! Could be a whole new thread.
 
ChrisM said:
It works well, Fred - great pic. and welcome to the forum.

Tell us more about the Kynoch connection.

Chris
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Aveling and Porter Steam roller, Number 8489, new in 1915 to Kynock Ltd Witton. (REG 0k58) Worked for them until the 1960's. I think it was called Big Nellie when at the works. I've got a newspaper cutting of the works manager flagging it out of the gates for the last time. I've owned it for about 20 years now. Take it to a few shows and still does the odd rolling job.
Regards,
Fred
 
How wonderful Fred have you got a photo of this wondefull machine!Edit. Image unavailable.
 
Thanks frothblower they are such fantastic machines. I remember when they were used in making the roads. When I was small we lived in a lane which was just dirt when they had to dig it out and surface it. I would sit on our front lawn watching the roller flatten the ground. I think this is why I love them!
 
ChrisM said:
Could you post your cutting, please, Fred?

Chris
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Just in the process of moving house, as soon as I find it, I'll scan it and post.

Bought the roller about 20 years ago, I was one of the young guys. I now get pushed off the footplate by my 12 year old daughter !!! The old Roller must have been well looked after at Kynock's as it is still in good order, and show no signs of a hard life. I believe it was stabled along with the railway locos.

Will have to come to a show or rally in Brum and bring it back home one day.

Regards,
Fred
 
Edit. Images unavailable.

Sports and fun day at the IMI. These are photo's of the Witton canteen staff who used to keep us fed and watered all day. Did they work hard. My mom is one of them.
 
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.
 
Re: Kynock group photo

G G Jean said:
:DanceBallerina2: Do you recognise anyone on this group photo. In white are the canteen staff at Witton. I remember Patty's dad used to be on the gates at Witton. TTFN. Jean.:DanceBallerina2:
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Hi Jean, a wonderful picture.

I recognise the man at the top row, far right, folding his arms, wearing glasses, standing behind one of the chauffeurs.

He is my grandad, Dr W.H.G. Lake.
 
Brenda that is lovely. Quite a few photo's have been posted on the forum and relatives have been recognised. One from the forum of the Red Lion pub was in Carl Chinns Brumagem sent in by Anne B. Jean.
 
Hi I went to school with someone by the name of Wiseman but the first name eludes me. It was Yew tree road junior and infants school. Jean.
 
ChrisM said:
I misled you rather. Initially I thought the gentleman on the extreme right was Mr. Clay but later had second thoughts and changed it to Dr. Lake of whom I am 99% certain. They were not dissimilar in appearance.
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Chris,

You're right. The man at the top row, far right handside, crossing his arms, wearing glasses is my grandad, Dr WHG Lake.

A good call and a great photo!

Brendan.
 
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Thanks, Brendan.

I have one or two more names to add to Jean's wonderful pic. I'll do that in the next few days.

Chris
 
Edit. Image unavailable.

Found this photo out of the Amal football team. Pete's brother is Mervin Smith and my friend Betty married George Dorkins and both worked at the Amal. Jean.
 
Frothblower said:
My wife was made redundant from her old job. She joined an agency, which got her a job at, "Guess were" IMI components at Witton.They have a brand new unit on the now called, Hub site.
The white Lion is on a Traffic Island inside the estate.
Click to expand...

IMI Components supplied small castings to the company I worked for ( Flight Refuelling ) and my boss always sent me it was like coming home, the QA Manager always took me down to the sports field for lunch and very nice it was.
 
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
 
The photo is before my stint at IMI but brought back many fond memories of the beautiful Headquaters building. I worked in the catering department in my holidays when I was a student in the 1980's. The lovely Jerry Wiseman and Steve Jeremy were my bosses. It was a great place to work , full of lovely people. I met loads of them, from chauffeurs to Directors. I remember Beryl the pastry cook (who made the best bread pudding on a Friday!), her daughter Elizabeth who was a waitress as was the fabulous Doreen (married to Brian), Joan who took the tea around to the directors, Mary the washer upper, Tim, Tim, Terry, Dave and Tonia the chefs, Norma in the stores and many many more. I gained so many life skills there as they had me doing everything from washing up, peeling a million sprouts at Christmas to silver serving the directors.
From the photo I vividly remember Val Sweeney on reception (and Beryl who worked with her) and Rupert Crane who came into the Director's suite.
I couldn't go anywhere without someone mentioning my Dad, Doug who worked there all his life, starting as an apprentice carpenter at 16 until he retired at 58, having earned the B.E.M for services for industry.
I don't think there is a member of my family who hasn't worked there! My mum worked in the supply department and they met at one of the fab dances held in the Pavillion (I had my 21st party there too!) her sisters also worked there as did her Dad who was a works study engineer. My Dad's dad (my grandad, obviously) worked there in the stores after his football career ended (Preston NE and AVFC) and my dad's maternal grandad worked there too; I have a fab interview he did with Metal Monitor in 1936!! My brother also trained in the secretarial school before going to work with IMI publicity agents Gascoigne and Moody!
I have loads more memories and mum and dad have been fascinated with this thread. Thanks to everyone.
 
Jo jo my mom was assistant pastry cook and worked with Beryl for years. Her name was Edna and most of the other canteen staff had the first name LILLY. Jean.
 
JoJoJobby said:
.....many fond memories of the beautiful Headquaters building.
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Here is an image of the reception area in 1960 after a (presumably) 1950s makeover. The building itself dated back to 1904 and must have been "state of the art" at the time. I have dim memories of parts of it being far less glossy than the image suggests, though. In particular I recall a clunking, old-fashioned lift with its folding metal grills. All demolished now, I assume.

Thanks for your memories, JoJo. Do let's have more of them. It does seem as though the Company was almost a family business to some, inspiring great loyalty and length of service.

I should be very interested to see the 1936 Monitor abstract. Is it postable?

Chris
 
Hi, What a suprise...Re photo, I think I can see my Grand-dad Leslie Hartland, on left of picture just behind lady standing full on, little chap, with glasses.

I have photos & little red A5 bound booklet with lots of autograph, from when Grand-dad retired in 1963 & Pictures of him being presented with a watch.

All with Kynoch's press on the back.
 
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Hi my father worked at Kynocks all is life till he retired,George Burridge is mate was Norman Rastgate BB
 
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Hello, Here is a selection of photos I have of my grandad,Leslie Hartland Retired in 1963. from general servies
Last picture is taken in 1953 at the coronation, my Grannie is in the picture...not sure were this is????? any ideas.​
 
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