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W.H. Price Ltd Tool Hire

P

Peter Faulkner

proper brummie kid
Does anyone know anything about this business? I can see they appear as Tool Hire specialists in the 1940s and that they were sold to Hewden Stuart in the 1990s. My father worked there between 1948 and 1953 and I'd like to get more information about what it was like then, where it was based, photos, etc. Thanks!
 
hi peter i worked for them in the 70s when they were based in summer lane.....hope someone can help you with the earlier years of this firm

lyn
 
In Kelly's 1964 and 1955 they were at 18-21 Stafford Street, listed as electric tool makers.
EDIT: also 1967-68
 
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it maybe useful if we knew where they were between 48 and 53 as there could be a photo of the place

lyn
 
From Kellys Directories (date is publication date and probably refers to year before)

Should be noted that there was also in the earlier period: Price's Electrical Supplies Ltd, 21,22 Cambridge St, who seem to be completely separate

No electrical factor in Caroline St or a Wilfred H. Price in 1924 Kellys

1932-37 Wilfred H.Price electrical factor, 1A Caroline St

1938-40 W.H. Price Ltd, Electrical factors 1/1A Caroline St

1943 73,75 Summer Row

1944 73,75,77 Summer Row

1946-69 18/21 Stafford St

1970-73 49/51 Summer Lane

1973 was last Kellys
 
thats the photo i was going to post mike..so peters dad must have worked at the shop corner of ryder and stafford st.. oh i cant seem to enlarge your photo mike

lyn
 
see also

ryder street

this pic is very interesting to me...in the early 70s i used to work for a co called W H PRICE they hired out power tools and were in summer lane..a few years later they moved to the corner of summer lane and brearley st....more recently it looks like they have now been taken over....anyhow my...
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
after they moved from 49 to 51 summer lane which is where i worked they moved a tad further up to the corner of summer lane and brearly st...here is a 2015 street view..they have gone now and the building is now a car spares place

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I only know about WH Price Ltd from the mid 80's until they were acquired by Howdens. I thought they were an excellent company to deal with. The chap I dealt with was Called Bob Noakes.
 
Morturn said:
I only know about WH Price Ltd from the mid 80's until they were acquired by Howdens. I .they were an excellent company to deal with. The chap I dealt with was Called Bob Noakes.
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mort i think when i worked there the person in charge of hire was terrance hardiman/hardman...gosh it was a long time ago:rolleyes:

lyn
 
Astoness said:
mort i think when i worked there the person in charge of hire was terrance hardiman/hardman...gosh it was a long time ago:rolleyes:

lyn
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Hi Lyn and Morturn, I had a short spell at W.H. Price early 1972. I started there working with Peter Hardiman in the hire tool section. Bob Withers was like the General Manager, Mr. Lunt was the big boss who sat upstairs in his office and his son Timothy Lunt worked with Bob. I remember the names of Brian Pike and Terence Lamb, they were the sales reps. They were a good company to work for. Jen
 
JeannetteM said:
Hi Lyn and Morturn, I had a short spell at W.H. Price early 1972. I started there working with Peter Hardiman in the hire tool section. Bob Withers was like the General Manager, Mr. Lunt was the big boss who sat upstairs in his office and his son Timothy Lunt worked with Bob. I remember the names of Brian Pike and Terence Lamb, they were the sales reps. They were a good company to work for. Jen
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hi jen of course it was peter hardiman not terrance so i got that wrong...i was there about 73/4 i can date that as i was there when i reached my 21st birthday but was not there that long either...i was in the office at the back with peter hardiman he always wore a white coat....now you have jogged my memory i do remember mr lunt and his son and bob withers...what a small world..oh just remembered we sometimes went over the road to have lunch in the barrel pub...

lyn
 
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Like me Lyn, I started there a few months after my 21st. I remember Peter being tall and wearing a white coat. I used to join the girls upstairs for mid morning coffee. The Company provided the milk and coffee so it was take it in turns to rustle it up. One of us would go round and take orders for breakfast sandwiches. Different times then, think I probably gained some weight. If I remember right the girls names were, Lorraine, Barbara, Maisie and Emily. Don’t think I ever went to lunch with them to the Barrel. Nice memories. Jen
 
JeannetteM said:
Like me Lyn, I started there a few months after my 21st. I remember Peter being tall and wearing a white coat. I used to join the girls upstairs for mid morning coffee. The Company provided the milk and coffee so it was take it in turns to rustle it up. One of us would go round and take orders for breakfast sandwiches. Different times then, think I probably gained some weight. If I remember right the girls names were, Lorraine, Barbara, Maisie and Emily. Don’t think I ever went to lunch with them to the Barrel. Nice memories. Jen
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yes quite right jen...peter was quite tall dark hair...cant recall the names of the girls upstairs though...i agree it was all different back then...i worked at quite a few places over the years and all of them seemed just like one big family...happy days

lyn
 
Yes happy days Lyn, I used to love getting up and going to work. Don’t know whether Janet Harley, one of the drivers, was still there when you worked there. She had a fantastic sense of humour, she had me in stitches. Seems like yesterday. Jen
 
JeannetteM said:
Yes happy days Lyn, I used to love getting up and going to work. Don’t know whether Janet Harley, one of the drivers, was still there when you worked there. She had a fantastic sense of humour, she had me in stitches. Seems like yesterday. Jen
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again jen i do not recall that name...i think it was after i worked for prices i moved to universal jig and gauge in tower st and i recall one bad winter the snow came down in buckets and by lunch time we were all sent home early to try and make our way home...i got to newtown row hoping to get the bus but no chance as by then the snow was so deep that the traffic was grid locked no movement at all so i had no choice but to walk it all the way to great barro_O what a trek that was

lyn
 
Sue, I remember a couple of chaps who worked on the shop floor but other than the names I mentioned in earlier posts I can’t recall their names. I started and left in 1972. Jen
 
suemalings said:
My ex would have been working there at that time I am sure. His name was Keith.
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Hi Sue, I remember the two chaps because they were father and son but for the life of me I don’t remember their names. The son worked on the front counter, he was tall, about 20ish and had a mop of lovely black hair, shoulder length I would say. His dad I suppose was in his early 50’s.
Jen
 
Astoness said:
again jen i do not recall that name...i think it was after i worked for prices i moved to universal jig and gauge in tower st and i recall one bad winter the snow came down in buckets and by lunch time we were all sent home early to try and make our way home...i got to newtown row hoping to get the bus but no chance as by then the snow was so deep that the traffic was grid locked no movement at all so i had no choice but to walk it all the way to great barro_O what a trek that was

lyn
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Hi Lyn

I worked for the UJG from 1978-82. I was only a lad back then. So you would remember. Doug Stewart, Harry Timings, Harry Reynolds and all the unsung workers..?
 
hi george i think i had left by the time you started there...i was only on agency work and worked on the switchboard..i sort of remember 2 elderly men who worked in the office but its amazing as i can see their faces but cant recall their names...i will keep thinking..the last name of timings rings a bell though...

lyn
 
Astoness said:
hi george i think i had left by the time you started there...i was only on agency work and worked on the switchboard..i sort of remember 2 elderly men who worked in the office but its amazing as i can see their faces but cant recall their names...i will keep thinking..the last name of timings rings a bell though...

lyn
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Hi Lyn

It is strange, I remember more about the UJG than things much more recent.
I was only 16 when I started there so have clear early memories; Harry Timings was the Works Manager, he was in his sixties and lived on the Walsall Road opposite the Alexander Stadium... Harry Reynolds was a similar age, he was the works foreman. And Doug Stewart was the owner, he was not there that often, he lived in Aston Cantlow, near Stratford.
Actually, my real friends there were many of the workforce, some great characters who had lived a life. I wonder whether you remember Jack Jordan, in the stores, he was a coporal and wounded quite badly on D. Day. Frankie Brayshaw the works labourer originally from Salford, he another WW2 vet. Frank Robinson in the steel stores. - He was into brass bands and another WW2 participant. Chris Pitt in the drawing room, he would have been late 20s then, tall and red hair. Albert Suckling in inspection, another older guy, say 60s, he was as bald as... Albert Brassington on the bench as a fitter, another in their 60s.
That's just a few, I remember many more...
There were about perhaps 8 of us who were teenagers upto about 30, but most were more mature, and a lot were either in the forces during the War or were actually working at the UJG during the war years having been there for over 40 years.
Does any of the above ring any bells..?

George
 
My father's cousin used to work there, if I've got the right place. Her name was Audrey and she worked with Iris, Olga and Emily. She used to talk about Mr Tim (that was how he was known). There was also Reuben.
 
Peter Faulkner said:
Does anyone know anything about this business? I can see they appear as Tool Hire specialists in the 1940s and that they were sold to Hewden Stuart in the 1990s. My father worked there between 1948 and 1953 and I'd like to get more information about what it was like then, where it was based, photos, etc. Thanks!
Click to expand...

JeannetteM said:
Like me Lyn, I started there a few months after my 21st. I remember Peter being tall and wearing a white coat. I used to join the girls upstairs for mid morning coffee. The Company provided the milk and coffee so it was take it in turns to rustle it up. One of us would go round and take orders for breakfast sandwiches. Different times then, think I probably gained some weight. If I remember right the girls names were, Lorraine, Barbara, Maisie and Emily. Don’t think I ever went to lunch with them to the Barrel. Nice memories. Jen
Click to expand...
Maisie was another name my cousin used to mention. I can't remember when Audrey retired, but probably in the 1980s. At her funeral several years ago I met Emily (I think it was Emily).
 
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