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The Birmid

Hello Thank you so much for your reply. I am so pleased to hear from someone who knew my grandfather. I dont suppose you have any photographs of work christmas partys etc with my grandfather on them? I am trying to trace his obituary in newspapers but as yet have not come up with anything. I cannot believe you knew my grandfather, it's amazing to hear from you. Thank you
 
Hello I do have his will thank you for looking. I believe his obituary was in Sandwell Telephone??? Express and Star but as yet not found it. Did you know my grandfather as a collegue? Have you socialised with him out of work? My mother is very interested to speak with you,as she was only 10 when my grandfather was killed. It's so touching for us to be able to have contact with someone who knew my grandfather.
 
No sorry I didn't know your grandfather. I moved with my family to Bartley Green in 1953 when I was 3 and remember the Birmetals and Birmid buildings, that was why I looked at the Birmid thread, but will make a note of your search and if I find anything in the future I will get back intouch.

Sorry I can't help more.

bewdley
 
Oh sorry I miss understood your message, I thought you said you knew my grandfather. How did you know of the accident and Uncle Jack?
 
Hello Johanna,

I think I have confused the issue, I am The Ice Man, I worked at the foundry DAC Number 2 where your Grandfather 's accident happened. I worked with your uncle Jack and with George your grand fathers son, he was an electrician I probably know your mother if she is George's sister Yvonne !
 
Hello, the ice man does not really tell me who you are?!!! Yes, indeed my mother is Yvonne and George my Uncle! My mother is intrigued to know who you are, as I am sure my Uncle George will be when I email him. My Uncle George lives in Spain.
 
johannna said:
Hello, the ice man does not really tell me who you are?!!! Yes, indeed my mother is Yvonne and George my Uncle! My mother is intrigued to know who you are, as I am sure my Uncle George will be when I email him. My Uncle George lives in Spain.
Click to expand...


Hello Johanna,

Your uncle George does some work in Gibralter I know he moved to Spain, I also knew your Grandmother Hilda. I'm Godfather to your cousin Louise, Georges daughter. It was incredible for me to be looking on this site and to find your part of the family. Your mother will remember me when you tell her this.


I'm researching the Birmid and DAC in particular; thats how I came accross this thread. Your Grandfather was a bit older than me and I'm now 72 most of the Maintenance workers will be gone now, thats what I'm finding. I don't have any memoribilia of the days at DAC, only memories. I get over to Smethick library, where I research the old News Papers I'll start looking out for information about your Grand father. Tell your mom I remember when she was a Dental Nurse. The Ice Man.
 
My grandmother is Edna not Hilda. And it was my aunty Lorraine that was the dental nurse. There is George, Yvonne and then Lorraine the youngest. I would be very appreciated to receive any information you can find on my grandfather. Many thanks for your reply
 
Hi There Johanna,

Sorry about the mix up of names, Hilda is another electrians mother and Lorraine was the youngest sister of the Wilcox family, but my memory is pretty sharp on most things; I do apologise. As I was saying previously, the people that really new your grandfather and the terrible accident will be in their 80's and 90's or have passed on. I clearly remember a fitter called Christopher (Kit) Chaney, he'll be 90+ now, he and George were great pals and the day I started at DAC 2 in 1964 he took me and another chap to the hopper above the BMM machine where that accident happened and explained to us exactly what happened on that aweful day. Thats how I know about the clearance between the Overhead Crane and the steelwork of the hopper; it was to make us aware of one of the many dangers of working in a foundry. I'm off to Spain on Saturday for a couple of weeks so I won't be able to get to the Smethwick Library until later But I promise that I'll do all I can to get Georges obituary + any press cuttings. Take care, regards The Ice Man.
 
Thank you for getting back to me. I wonder if Christopher is still alive. How exactly did they explain the accident? I believe you are Harry? My mum does remember you and said you were very good to Louise. Are you the person that took Louise to Canada? Are you still local to the Midlands?
 
Hi again Johanna,

Yes I am He, Berg hence The Ice Man, I live in Redditch not that far from Louise and we still keep in touch. My wife Rachel whom your mother will remember, died in 2007,we were living in Northumberland. I met a new partner via the internet about 3 years ago and I moved back to the Midlands to be with her and we are happy most of the time.

Kit explained the accident very clearly to me. George was working on a sand plough which ploughed the sand off a conveyour belt into the sand hopper which fed the Moulding machine (BMM) his back was to the overhead crane, so he did not see the crane moving and he could not hear it because of the deafening noise of the machinery. The upper part of his body was above the sand hopper. Apparantly the crane driver did not know or observe George working on the plough. Thats how it was in those day, no safety locks / stops or devices to isolate the crane. Production of castings was paramount. The crane hit George and knocked him over the edge of the hopper and continued to travel over him which was the cause of the fatal injuries.

I don't know if Christopher is still alive. When the Birmid closed he went to work for Metal Box Co. He was Irish so he may have gone home to Ireland when he retired. He lived in Rotten Park Row I think, however I 'll try and find him when I get to Smethwick. Regards The Ice Man.
 
Hello Johanna,

I'm back from holiday and I went to Smethwick this morning only to find that the Archive room at the library is closed to the public for the next 2 weeks as it is being used as a rehersal room for some local school who are putting on a play. However today on Ancestry co.uk I found a record of G B Wilcox death registered at West Bromwich. Its another small piece of information which may help me when I get back to the library. I've also had a phone call from a Smethwick Librarian who said that he would try to get the necessary newspaper cuttings and the obituary; about the accident and your grandad's death. He went to great lengths to apologise about the Library being used for the rehersals. He said that if he found what I'm looking for he will send the information to me, I let you know as soon as I can. Regards Harry, The Ice Man
 
Hello again Johanna,

Had a letter this morning from Smethwick Library, from Richard M Slaughter Local Studies Librarian re your Grand father. He says " I have checked the issues of the Smethwick Telephone for May 1961; also the first issue of June 1961. Unfortunately, there is no reference to George Wilcox, or the Industrial Accident that caused his death in any of these issues." If you want the letter let me know how to get it to you. But don't give up, there will be a record some where, possible searches of the Express and Star and the Sandwell Evening mail; the Sandwell Evening Mail archives are in the Birmingham Library, the Express and Star are at Wolverhampton. I've used these 2 places for my own research and no doubt I shall use them again and I shall try to find the information for your Grand father and I will let you know.
 
johanna i contacted mark andrews on your behalf from the express and star...he has done a search for you and sorry to say can find no reference to your grandfathers accident..he checked as far as month after the date you gave us but no luck...

lyn
 
Hello Bill,

Thanks for the offer of help on DAC. I was at number 2 foundry from 1964 to 1969 then again from 1970 to 1976. As I have already said to Johanna most of those I knew will be well on in age now and most probably have passed on. However, I'm trying to compare the working conditions then against the way things are today; with all the safety and risk assesment etc. I'll be interested in what you have to say. I was a maintenance fitter while at DAC; then went on to become a coded welder and spent most of my time after DAC Welding. The Ice Man
 
img005.jpg A picture of four lab workers taken c1957. Apprentice Ian Campbell, lab tech Don Cullern, app John Riley and app David Kind.

Metallurgical Lab Birmetals
 
Interesting photos and a bit before my time which was 1967-1979 the latter due to enforced redundancy when DAC No 1 closed which was effectivly the start of the huge decline in heavy industry that ran through the country and has never really stopped.
 
I was at Birmetals from 1952 until 1959, first as a technical apprentice then finished in Freddy Fox's laboratory. The article by Anvil Man brought back many memories. Who is Anvil Man, I am sure that we must have crossed paths in the past. I am organising are-union for ex-apprentices from Birmetals who were there between 1950-1960 at the Stag and 3 Horseshoes , top of Mucklow Hill, on 29th April 2013 at 12 pm miday. Anybody who would like to attend would you please phone me on 0121 684 2921. Jim Harris.
 
Hurricanplanes, My dad was the steward of the workers club at Birmetals, Bartley Green/Woodgate, factory, around 1956/7 time, his name was "Harry Stacey", big tall man, I wonder if you ever used it and remember him, I certainly remember the Christmas Party's and other things for workers children, wonderful time. paul stacey
 
Hello Paul, I do remember your father at the social clu. Also I spent a period of time with Bill ?????? who spent a lot of time working at the social club. I cannot recall his surname. Most days he would be checking stocks of drinks in the clu during hjis lunch break.
 
Thanks for replying hurricanplanes, I was very young but remember with fondness the social side supplied by Birmetals was first class, it was the place I saw my first full size billiard table.paul
 
Hi, Hurricaneplanes, I'm glad you found my rather long memory of Birmetals of interest. I presume you are Jim Harris, I am at the moment trying to recall the name. I suppose you will remember many of the people I have previously mentioned. Have you managed to gather many of the "old boys"? I live in Pembroke and before committing would like to know something of the event before making the journey. I am David Kind, does that do anything for you?
 
Hello David, a name from the past, but a welcome one. You worked in the laboratory under Brian Burke alonside Ian Campbell and John Riley. How our re-unions started goes back to when I had my 21st birthday celebration on the Norfolk Broads with Derek Simmonds, Roy Hubbard, David Mawson, Geoff Potter, plus Bob Skitt. Although Bob was not an apprentice he was a friend of all of us. That was a week to remember. I managed to get all of the lads , except poor Bob who was killed in a car accident , together for an evening drink/ get together which was great after 25 years. Another 25 years went passed before the next get together, the same lads, and we met at the Kings Highway at Quinton. A repeat meeting was held at the Stag and 3 Horseshoes last December for lunch together with Bob Dyer and Ken Sedgley. As we are not getting any younger it was suggested that we do not leave it another 25 years before we have a get together and so this coming 29th April at 12 pm miday was decided on. I managed to get a small piece placed in The Halesowen News about our get together, inviting any ex-apprentices to join us for lunch, it is part of The Sizzling Pub chain with very good food which you order on the day. At the moment there will be six present, but I hope that a few more will decide to come and then I can contact the pub regarding seating. You would be made very welcome should you decide to attend this very informal get together.
 
Would anyone know of the where abouts of Bob Hollis. Birmetals apprentice in the 1950's. Had a daughter who went to The Catholic School in Hagley so I presume that Bob Hollis lived nearby.
 
hurricaneplane I know it will not help with the location of Bob Hollis , but I worked in the same office as he and remember him as a avid fan of Al Jolson. Was he the son of the foreman of the casting shop? He and I worked with Ray Amphlet in the die design office , this later becoming the office of the technical director Cyril Smith. You would probably remember Ron Mortiboys, an apprentice ., Eddie Gale and Jim Hodges from the chem lab. Then ,of course, the glamorous cleaners, Ivy Harries, Fanny Booton and Gladys. I understand you are having a reunion on Monday 22nd so perhaps you cold mention the above during your reminiscing! Have a good time, anvil man.
 
Anvil Man. Thank you for your reply. Your memories of Bob Hollis are spot on. Bob's father was indeed foreman of the casting shop. I also worked in Ray Amplets office. I met Ron Mortiboys a number of years ago when he was working at Raleigh Cycles, but I believe he has passed away.. Eddie Gale was a fierce character in the laboratory, and I had kept in touch with John Hodges but I cannot trace him now. I did get a phone call from John Kent today who will be coming to our get to gether on Monday 29th April at the Stag and Three Horseshoes at 12 oclock miday. I know that you are living a long distance away but if you could manage to make it you would be most welcome.
 
Hurricanplanes......As far as I can remember my first dep't was the casting shop where John Kent also started. He should remember Jack brown , the heat weigher. Often he set John and me loading 56lb aluminium ingots on to the standard trailers for the furnace batch. If I remember correctly we loaded somewhere in the region of 10 ingots long by 9 high ,perhaps 5 trailers before tea break. Originally I thought the reunion was on the 22nd, which I could not have made, so now I will have a re-think.
 
I believe that my grandad and both my parents worked at the Birmid at some point. I think my dad (Doug Crosthwaite) was an apprentice there in the 70's and my mum (Anne Crosthwaite - was Parker) worked in an office?? I'm not sure what my grandad (George Parker) did. He retired in about 1981. My parents often talk about things that they did there.
 
Hello Curlyp 1986. I remember an Anne Parker who worked at Birmetals; did she by any chance live at the bottom of Clapgate Lane? If not then I have got the wrong Anne in mind.
 
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