I worked here from 1967 until 1973. Iwas an engineering draughtsman apprentice ending up in the Jig and tool drawing office.
The chief draughtsman was Jim Arnold whome we called Kipper.Nice easy going chap from Bromsgrove. Others in the office were Trevor, an apprentice like me. The others in the office I can visualise but can't put names to. Anybody out there help me out.
The personnel officer was a lady Miss Rotherham. I found her very fair and pleasant.
I worked for a year in the toolroom 1967 to 1968, then around the factory, ending up in the DO. I enjoyed working there, anybody else out there can perhaps remember me. I had a BSA Bantam first of all, then a Morris Minor and then a Hillman Minx.
Hi, my name is Keith masters and I worked at Radiation from 1969 until it closed when Glowworm took it over around 1982. Initially I was a gas fire development engineer working for John Arnold and later Norman Hart. Technical director was Herbert Watts. I can remember loads of names. John bushell has been mentioned. He was tooling manager. Albert Beale in charge of the development model shop. Albert Bliss in charge of the drawing office. George Nicholls in charge of industrial design. His sidekick was Keith Lewis. Don jellyman quality manager previously John cheal. I took over as quality manager when Don jellyman got the sack. Harry oak in charge of the paint shop. Many directors- Curran, Billy Carter, Bruce Coates, Brian Wright and many more. The happiest days of my life!! I have got a sales book dated 1897 that would have been binned when it closed. It is amazing what they produced in 1897. Gas washing machines, gas baths, asbestos coal, central heating boilers, gas roast coffee maker to name a few. The controls firm over the bridge was called Howletts and later T I gas controls.DID ANYBODY WORK AT GAS RADIATION FIRES
WHERE THEY MADE THE FIRES ,
DOWN THIMBLE MILL LANE ,? .
when we was kids we would see who could squeeze between the the piller and the wall.I didn't know it was burnt down in such a devastating fire, how sad.
The Drawing office where I worked was in the block to the right of the photo, so appears to have escaped the fire.
This block was where the main entrance used to be. A very grand entrance with a marble floor and pillars.
You took a wide flight of stairs up to the first floor which was the directors offices. The corridor here was very austere, dark wood panelled with as far as I remember paintings of the various directors and owners from the past.
Almost like walking in a stately house. The directors offices were off this corridor. You certainly new you were in a important area, so minions like me very rarely set foot.
You can see one of the wooden foot bridges I mention linking the two buildings in the photo.
The block destroyed by fire is were the packing department was that I mention with wooden floors and lots of cardboard. Also in this block was the loading bays at road level plus the product design drawing office on about 4th floor. No wonder it went up with all those wooden floors and cardboard. Howliths gas valve assembly lines were also in this block.
Was it closed down and empty when the fire started, and anybody know how it happened.
wonder if it was a faulty gas fire?Keith Berry photographed the fire mentioned in post#5
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Hi. I worked at Radiation Gas Fires (NWGH) in the Computer Dept on the top floor of the Thimble Mill Lane office from 1975-1977. Remember Garth Griffiths and Joy. Lovely place to work, nice social club too.Having worked at Radiation Gas Fires I was looking through the internet to see if there was much written about it. This was one of a very few sites that mentions the firm. I attached a letter about my time there which may be of interest to others. It was an eventful 4 years that I worked there.
Hi, my name is Mike Fage, I would be very interested in seeing the works magazines, especially the photos. Can you post them?I have four Radiation works magazines dating to 1966, 1968, 1970 and 1979 with lots of photos. I can share them with you on Facebook messenger if you would like. I worked there myself from 1965 until it closed down with just one year out.
Harry Wass was my brother. Was he in any of the pictures you have. I remember as a child his rover car, with driver, and the helicopter he was brought to dads funeral in. What a show off!Radiation Gas Fires was my first employer and I read with great interest the letter by mdf and other postings. I am forever grateful to Aileen Rotheram (Personnel Manager) and Eric Imison(FD) for giving me a chance in 1968 as a commercial apprentice/trainee accountant. As part of my training I worked in all areas of the business and therefore the names mentioned are nearly all familiar. Having done the rounds for my first year I ended up in the Cost Office under Harry Workman and Alan Smith. Other people I worked with included Dave Hipkiss, Gerry Ashforth and Alan Davis.
I was promoted to supervisor of the Accounts section and then on qualifying in 1973 was made Cost Accountant at M Howletts (Radiation Gas Controls) when Harry Wass was the MD.
I too have kept a copy somewhere of the Essex Works magazine (the one with my picture in!) and will attempt to find it.
Odd memories are of playing snooker in the social club, staff dances at Penns Hall, going round the factory with the wages on a Friday afternoon and believe it or not the toilet situation with various categories of toilet depending on your position in the company as follows: works, weekly staff, monthly staff, management and directors.
Hi ,Harry Wass was my brother. Was he in any of the pictures you have. I remember as a child his rover car, with driver, and the helicopter he was brought to dads funeral in. What a show off!