The Engineer

The building in the foreground (between Bath St and Brook St) was the Nottingham automated Parcel Sorting Office - PSO, built late 1960s, later re-badged Parcel Concentration Office - PCO. It had a big issue with blue asbestos used to insulate its steel girder framework (one engineering manager later died from asbestosis). Cost a fortune to remove or make safe. It closed after Royal Mail rationalised its parcels business (it never really recovered after a strike led the Government to remove its monopoly on parcel handling). Now some sort of self-storage facility. The darker building to the right (between Brook St and Huntingdon St) is the 1939-built Letter Sorting Office - LSO (automated in 1981 and re-badged as a Mechanised Letter Office - MLO). When the PSO was built, they included a high level covered bridge across Brook St with provisions for a conveyor to connect the two buildings but it was never used for that. Staff could walk across the bridge though. Around the same time an extra floor was added to the top of the LSO. It closed around 1993-94 (business relocated to Beeston). The tall building at the back is the Bowman-Sheriff telephone exchange (hence nearby use of land for their green GPO and later yellow BT vans - the GPO split late 60s to early 70s). Bowman-Sheriff is the main exchange for Nottingham today. It is not outwardly identified as they think that would be a security risk. There was a little building on the right hand side of that parking area but I don't recall what it was (demolished a few years ago). Not on the photo but across Brook St from the exchange and behind the letter office was an old garage (car maintenance/repair). When the letter office was automated, Royal Mail acquired the site and a purpose built Motor Transport workshop was built there (with its 'co-op blue' cladding). When the main letter sorting operation moved to Beeston, the old MT workshop was converted to become the City Delivery Office, as it remains today. The letter office had several more floors added and became Marco Island.

Thought I would pop back to the forum to see what's occurring. Must say I don't visit the clock for fear of seeing it not in fine fettle. I am saddened to hear that it might not be getting the attention it needs. Those of you who followed the journey will know that I put a lot of hours into it over several years. I would have liked an on going arrangement to fettle it as necessary but it wasn't to be. If 'The Management' ask, I would happily sort it out at any time. Pete (The Engineer)

Don't know if anyone posted this before, but I just found an article in the 'Left Lion' about Nottingham council housing with loads of pictures. Maybe someone can identify a few? https://www.leftlion.co.uk/photos/2016/january/homes-and-places-a-history-of-nottinghams-council-houses-in-photos-532 eng

Those building look a bit random shape and size; I wonder whether they were meant to depict real premises or just some fanciful modelling? Maybe they wanted to inject some interest or perhaps several different modellers contributed? I can't readily think of any part of Nottingham Road, Nottingham that is flat; certainly not Haydn Road down to Perry Road. East side there have been various commercial enterprises for a long time and West side is old housing. Catonine, what makes you think it is Nottingham? I expect there are a few conurbations that have a Nottingham Road and have had tram systems, including Derby and Mansfield.

Check out deathlist.net for predictions of 'celebrity' deaths. 50 names on the list, 25 of whom can be carried forward to the following year.

Music can of course be described by mathematics - the common multiple frequency of notes in a chord, the duration in quarters, eighths, sixteenths, etc. but computer generated music can sound too clinical if it lacks the human planned swing/syncopation/groove and the unplanned timing errors/dithering. Digital audio studios can create these effects if the producer so desires, or alternatively, the software can 'quantize' a track to reduce/remove human timing errors. Creation of credible instrumental sounds in mathematical software has proved elusive and so sound 'fonts' are still recorded from real instruments. When it comes to the human voice, the use of software to shift pitch to its mathematically correct frequency can, and often does, sound false. To err is human, so they say.

The advent of television is in the living memory of some. The inception of the Internet is remembered by most adults. The rise of social media has occurred since today's teenagers were born. The consequence is that the sheer number of famous people continues to escalate. This means that as each year passes, the number of 'celebrity' deaths will inevitably increase.

A Potted History of QMC - 40th Anniversary Tuesday 24 January, D Floor Restaurant QMC. 4.30pm - 6pm. 2017 is the 40th Anniversary of Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre. As a teaching hospital and medical school it was first conceived in 1965 when a decision was made in parliament to establish the first medical school in the 20th century outside London. As a consequence, establishing the QMC was for those who were its creators, no easy task, and for many years they had to fight off stiff competition from those who were against its construction. For the first time members of NUH have the opportunity to come to an illustrated talk, to be given by Paul R. Swift, Honorary Archivist of our hospitals. Paul will talk you though how the QMC’s creators managed to fight off those who were against its construction, and how the QMC has become one of the world’s leading teaching hospitals in research and medical innovation. This event is kindly sponsored by The League of Friends QMC. If you haven't already confirmed your place please register by emailing ft@nuh.nhs.uk or calling 0115 9249924 x63953.

Ah, yes, Patricia was grand-daughter of Arthur (senior) and Phyllis (senior). Patricia Redfern married John Deacon Jan-Mar 1958.

Would that be Phyllis Redfern who married Arthur Kerry? A bit more digging (mostly FreeBMD hence dates spanning 3 months) revealed some detail of the Redfern family: Arthur Henry Redfern married Phyllis Haslam (daughter of Samuel Haslam of Sutton in Ashfield) in Mansfield (Apr-Jun 1902) They had four children, the house on Highbury Vale and the manufacturing plant up Ingram Terrace. Arthur Leslie Redfern, born Oct-Dec 1904, married Elsie Allen (Jul-Sep 1930), one daughter, Patricia Redfern, born Oct-Dec 1936. Henry Ivan Redfern, born Jan-Mar 1906, married Maggie Powdrill (Jul-Sep 1932), one son, Henry I Redfern, born Jul-Sep 1943. Phyllis Gwendoline Redfern, born Jul-Sep 1909, married Arthur Kerry (Jul-Sep 1937), see children below. John ('Jack') Redfern, born Jul-Sep 1916 (had cerebral palsy). Phyllis and Arthur Kerry had four children: Arthur V Kerry, born Oct-Dec 1938 Samuel L Kerry, born Jan-Mar 1947 Gwendoline R Kerry, born Oct-Dec 1949 Phyllis G E Kerry, born Oct-Dec 1950, married Brian Rogers, Jul-Sep 1970. I believe this is the 'Gail' Rogers who contributes to Picture the Past.

Mr Carberry had two sons I think. One was a doctor (in Bulwell) and the other a dentist? He was average height, elderly and bespectacled. Mr Williams taught English; his nickname was 'Junky Bill' (can't imagine why!). Don't recall him being tall either. There was Mr Mattocks (PE) - think he was tall (well taller than the other PE/geog teacher Mr Ford). Also for geog or history was Miss/Mrs Brent. There was another female: Mrs Ackfield (Granny Ackers) - can't remember what she taught, probably history or geography. Mr Bagguley was woodwork in that loft above the wood shed, Mr Stanley for music (upstairs, near the library). Arrogant Mr Jacques for French (poseur with a gown). Mr Koch (Polish?) for maths. Mr Faulkner for French. One of the 'fathers' (Aquinas?) taught biology - told us on Day 1 that he was deaf in one ear and couldn't tell which direction sound came from - cue my music box mechanism (Old Macdonald had a farm) in a 2oz tobacco tin that we passed from one boy to the next! Another of the 'fathers' was the bursar - always smoking a pipe - what was his name? Fr Roger Killeen (aka The Horse) was Headmaster. Bit of a history of being over-the-top disciplinarian (it's out there if you look at Hitchin College website). Deputy head was John/Jack Douglas (lived in Rivermead flats, just up Wilford Lane). Latin was from a course of booklets, 'The Cambridge Latin Course', all kept in a plastic wallet bearing the words "Quid Novi" (what's new). Main character was Caecilius and there was Grumio, the cook (anyone who watches 'Plebs' will know that name). Our Latin teacher was Mr Coxon but there was also a Mr Quinn (Latin and/or Greek?).

I remember Mr Chamberlain. Think he was my form tutor in 1x. Called us by first names and we called him Tom. Most odd at the time in a very formal disciplined establishment.

Tompa, if you buy from CPC online, uk p&p is free if you spend at least a fiver (ex vat).

Tompa, if in Preston, go to trade counter at CPC, Fulwood. They are the consumer side of Farnell. Vast selection, keen prices. No account needed.

I also recalls R F Potts on the way to Derby, maybe Spondon area?