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Wilmot Breeden Limited

jessbreeden said:
Hi there, just wondering which is who in this photo? im related to miles/ carl and im trying to find a photo of carl, a picture of his son would be great too, thanks so much - Jess Breeden
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Welcome to The Forum Jess, great folks here I hope you find what you are looking for. Lots of knowledge here, enjoy!
 
devonjim said:
Miles Breeden on the right.
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Thanks so much! i cant see which photo is being replied too, sorry, so the photo holding the trophy is John Hack and Sir John Hunt and the other photo with 2 men on the left and one man on the right and theres microphones is Miles Breeden on the right?
Thanks so much in advance!
Does anyone have any stories of Carl or his boys? Just putting together a book of our ancestory i am loving it!! so many stories and pictures!

Jess
 
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Just thought i would re-post this picture if that makes it easier - just trying to work out names of the two men in this picture, thanks so much!
 

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Jess, attachment 158660 is the photo referred to with Sir John Hunt (Everest 1953 etc) on the left and Miles on the right. Have you seen the Wikipedia page for Carl Breeden.
 
devonjim said:
Jess, attachment 158660 is the photo referred to with Sir John Hunt (Everest 1953 etc) on the left and Miles on the right. Have you seen the Wikipedia page for Carl Breeden.
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Thanks so much! somehow i had skipped the wikipedia page, just looked it up and it has some excellent info there, ill keep looking for a photo, thank you again for getting back to me! :)
 
I did a commercial apprenticeship at Wilmot Breeden in Amington Road Tyesley between 1959 and 1964. They manufactured products such as bumpers, locks and mechanisms for the motor industry. During this time tabulators and comptometers were being replaced with early computers systems. Our Managing Director Miles Breeden bought one of these during a trip to the French subsidiary. The supplier was De La Rue Bull. I was one of two people who trained to be able to put together the complex plugboards that controlled the system. Miles also engaged consultants who convinced him that they could design a system that would enable the 'computer' to produce production schedules that would be used by the production team to work out demand for chrome plated bumpers for the week ahead. The system was based on complex mathematical formulae that were based on the car manufacturers earlier year's demand.
As with many such systems the equipment was not really up to such a complex application and so the resulting work schedules were greeted with much derision by the factory personnel who felt that they had a much better understanding of demand simply by knowledge and experience.
Once the directors realised that a more advanced computer system was needed they replaced the Bull equipment with an ICT 1900 series computer which had software based programs and large storage and processing capability. I was involved in the implementation of the new system but in the course of this activity ICT recruited me to join their Birmingham City office of sales and technical support staff
 
Barrie Allsop said:
I did a commercial apprenticeship at Wilmot Breeden in Amington Road Tyesley between 1959 and 1964. They manufactured products such as bumpers, locks and mechanisms for the motor industry. During this time tabulators and comptometers were being replaced with early computers systems. Our Managing Director Miles Breeden bought one of these during a trip to the French subsidiary. The supplier was De La Rue Bull. I was one of two people who trained to be able to put together the complex plugboards that controlled the system. Miles also engaged consultants who convinced him that they could design a system that would enable the 'computer' to produce production schedules that would be used by the production team to work out demand for chrome plated bumpers for the week ahead. The system was based on complex mathematical formulae that were based on the car manufacturers earlier year's demand.
As with many such systems the equipment was not really up to such a complex application and so the resulting work schedules were greeted with much derision by the factory personnel who felt that they had a much better understanding of demand simply by knowledge and experience.
Once the directors realised that a more advanced computer system was needed they replaced the Bull equipment with an ICT 1900 series computer which had software based programs and large storage and processing capability. I was involved in the implementation of the new system but in the course of this activity ICT recruited me to join their Birmingham City office of sales and technical support staff
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A typical piece of computer history/development! For those of us that lived through the development of THE computer, what Barrie so well described was typical of the times and in fact is still happening. Including Barrie being recruited away. I remember getting ready to install a new MRP operating system and the developers stressed that a “user” be responsible because they knew how & what, Barrie was a user that’s why he was recruited. Sorry a little off topic but a very real part of our history.
 
Hi All, it's a long shot but does anyone remember Jean Black she worked at Wilmot Breedon on Westwood Road around 1960s to 1980s as far as I am aware Jean worked in the offices.
Many thanks
 
brummie2024 said:
Hi All, it's a long shot but does anyone remember Jean Black she worked at Wilmot Breedon on Westwood Road around 1960s to 1980s as far as I am aware Jean worked in the offices.
Many thanks
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Hi, Don't remember a WB in Westwood Rd, (near to Sutton Park?)
 
Barrie Allsop said:
I did a commercial apprenticeship at Wilmot Breeden in Amington Road Tyesley between 1959 and 1964. They manufactured products such as bumpers, locks and mechanisms for the motor industry. During this time tabulators and comptometers were being replaced with early computers systems. Our Managing Director Miles Breeden bought one of these during a trip to the French subsidiary. The supplier was De La Rue Bull. I was one of two people who trained to be able to put together the complex plugboards that controlled the system. Miles also engaged consultants who convinced him that they could design a system that would enable the 'computer' to produce production schedules that would be used by the production team to work out demand for chrome plated bumpers for the week ahead. The system was based on complex mathematical formulae that were based on the car manufacturers earlier year's demand.
As with many such systems the equipment was not really up to such a complex application and so the resulting work schedules were greeted with much derision by the factory personnel who felt that they had a much better understanding of demand simply by knowledge and experience.
Once the directors realised that a more advanced computer system was needed they replaced the Bull equipment with an ICT 1900 series computer which had software based programs and large storage and processing capability. I was involved in the implementation of the new system but in the course of this activity ICT recruited me to join their Birmingham City office of sales and technical support staff
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My Mom was PA to one of the Breedon's, (Margaret Gee). She talked about a trip back on the private plane from France, due to food poisoning, and that she was there during the deployment of "one of the UK's first computers".

She started off in the typing pool, and progressed to PA. She fell in love with a chap who worked there -- he held the patent for the gas-strut on the car boot; gentleman by the name of Jan, I believe. Sadly the relationship fell through, and Mom moved on from WB.
 
Astonian said:
HI THERE
Doe,s Any=body Recall Wilmott Breedon Of Camden Street
Hockley Spring hill Did Any body Work There
I Used To Lve In King edwards Rd Just Up The Road By The Kirby Gang
Wilmotts and Breedon Had Afew Factory,s Around Brum
They Had One Next To The Ice Rink At Spring Hill And They Had One In Cheston Rd Aston Off Rocky Lane
I Have Got AN Invoice Addressed To R,H Burman Ltd Avon Works
Tyburn Rd Bham 24, FOR Reqeusting Payment For Materials Supplied
I Have Down Loaded The Copy On The Thread If Any-body Wants To See It
Best Wishes ASTONIAN ,;;
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Just seen this website. In 1970 I used to work at Wilmot Breeden Truflo, on the corner of Goodman Street and King Edwards Road. I was mainly doing test work on automotive fans, using a wind tunnel, which had to be constructed individually for the various sizes of fan, which ranged from 8" to 42" diameter. We also did testing of valves, mainly for the petrochemical industry. I see on Google Maps that the building is still there.
 
Chris Weeks said:
Just seen this website. In 1970 I used to work at Wilmot Breeden Truflo, on the corner of Goodman Street and King Edwards Road. I was mainly doing test work on automotive fans, using a wind tunnel, which had to be constructed individually for the various sizes of fan, which ranged from 8" to 42" diameter. We also did testing of valves, mainly for the petrochemical industry. I see on Google Maps that the building is still there.
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There was a lab at WB Umberslade that did test work on automotive fans. Early 1960's.
 
Shemmie said:
My Mom was PA to one of the Breedon's, (Margaret Gee). She talked about a trip back on the private plane from France, due to food poisoning, and that she was there during the deployment of "one of the UK's first computers".

She started off in the typing pool, and progressed to PA. She fell in love with a chap who worked there -- he held the patent for the gas-strut on the car boot; gentleman by the name of Jan, I believe. Sadly the relationship fell through, and Mom moved on from WB.
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I remember a Jan who liked his fast cars can't recall his surname, think it was Polish sounding?
 
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