Underwear, Knitwear & Associated Companies


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Mother was a smocker (spelling) at Bairnswear bottom of Perry Road. in the same large room were the machinists. When they were going full tilt no one could hear a word said however all the ladies coul

If it was up to men to buy their own underwear all the Small sizes would remain on the shelves

Mother worked at Bairnswear on the junction of Nottingham Rd and Perry Rd as a smocker. I can remember very well going to see her at work on occasions in the 50s. One abiding memory is that the machi

I started at Meridian, Haydn Road in 1973, initially in the accounts dept. It was a big open office at the front of the building, with desks grouped according to section - Sales Ledger, Credit Control, Purchase Ledger, Fixed Assets, etc. Down one side, behind a glass panelled partition, were the boardroom and the offices of the long-time directors Ted True and Gordon Bignall. I remember their big oak desks and leather chairs. I used to have to knock on their doors there to get cheques signed.

In the buildings behind the offices were numerous sewing departments and beyond them were the knitting departments. Rows and rows of noisy machines clattering away. Men worked the knitting machines but the sewing departments were all women - a dangerous place to go for a young lad from the office, fresh out of school! Behind these was Meridian Dyers, full of steam and chemical fumes.

The whole site was a mass of noise and smells. Anyone else work there?

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My dad worked for Percy Andrews (Bulwell) for many years, I also recall working (pipe lagging) at a bleachers & dyers Weldon & Wilkinson's, one factory at Leenside (Gauntley Street) basford, other factory behind Shippo's brewery.

I well remember the smells at Weldon's, acrid steamy smell from bleach..................

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I worked for Vedonis on Bar Lane from 1974 to 1978 as a 'Fully Fashioned' knitter. They moved from that factory only to be replaced by 'Davenports Fashioned Knitwear' with whom I stayed until 1979.

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Mother worked at Bairnswear on the junction of Nottingham Rd and Perry Rd as a smocker.

I can remember very well going to see her at work on occasions in the 50s. One abiding memory is that the machinist's were in the same huge room and you couldn't hear yourself speak so all the women could lip read. They would carryout entire conversations with each other without a sound coming from their lips.

I soon learnt that you never said anything out of place if mother could see your lips, a clip round your tab was a certainty.

Colin

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Gladys and Edna used to go out every Saturday night...Gladys buys her clothes from Primark who source everything from the Far East.

They don't go out on Saturday nights any more 'cos Edna can't find work as all the factories have closed down.

Remember the words of Hondas' chairman...."Bly Blitish!"

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  • 2 weeks later...

I remember the three day week in 1Q 1974 - I had only been working for a year when we were faced with picket lines on the front gate at Haydn Road. They let us office workers through for some reason - I never really understood why.

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I recall the RM ("Reduced Merchandise" aka "Ready Money") shop wher I bought all sorts of clothes for my family and I. Recently the Lyle & Scott pullovers have become fashionable again - I was buying them back then for next to ninepence!

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Hi Suissexred

Just wondered if you knew a Stuart Evans at Meridian in the 70's -80's, he was in the maintenance department. He lived in Bestwood park estate.

I have been trying to locate his son, Cary, in another thread on here, he was a mate I used to work with (the son) who seems to have vanished, maybe deceased.

I lost touch after emigrating to oz in the late 80's.

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My Mum worked in the offices at Allen Solly in Arnold. The ancient old building is still standing but is now occupied by small businesses. I think the company closed down in late 70's, my Mum then got another office job with EMEB til her retirement in 1984. I had never seen any Allen Solly knitwear on sale in the UK for years and years but recently I've seen the name in shops in the USA, probably stuff made in India !!

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I worked in the cutting departerment of J.B.Armstrong, Norton Street Radford, from 1972 to 1976 as a cutter.

It was a great place to work, Armstrong's took up the top 2 floors of the mill.......

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Viyella and Clydella used to be on Caddaw Avenue in Hucknall (now a housing estate of which one of the roads is called Viyella Mews and this stretches over the old Stag Cabinet site too where the roads are named after various lines from the Stag furniture range (Minstrel Close, etc). Vedonis was on Farleys Lane/Watnall Road (more houses) Bamkins socks moved from Portland Road to King Edward Street and i think is still going. Bainswear was on Byron Street, thats all gone.

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ANYONE REMEMBER THE NAME OF LITTLE UNDERWERE TIGHTS MANIFACTURER ON NUTTAL RD HUCKNALLATE 60S I USED TO GO THERE WHEN I HAD A JOB CLEANING TELEPHONES THE FIRST DAY I WHENT HAD TO GO INTO THE MANAGERS OFFICE 6 TELEPHONES 2 EXTERNAL 4 INTERNAL LINES,I JUDGE HIM IN HIS 50S THEN ,I WALKED IN HE SAID YOUR NEW 36, 26,38. I THOUGHT EYE EYE WE GOT ONE HEREOFF HE POPS COMES BACK A FEW MINS LATER JUST AS I AM FINISHING HIS LAST PHONE CARIER BAG IN HAND HERE YOU ARE ME DUCK HE SAYS THANK YOU SEZ I AND GETS OUT QUICKLY FINISH OF THE REST OF THE FACTORYAND GET OUT AS SOON AS I CAN WHEN I OPENED THE BAG LATER SHOCKED TO FIND 10 SETS OF UNDERWEAR BRAS AND MATCHING PANTS SETS AND 24 PKS TIGHTS . WHENT THERE QUITE A FEW TIMES AND ALWAYS GIVEN TIGHTS DID NOT HAVE TO BUY ANY FOR AGES GOT TO KNOW THE MANAGER AS WELL HE WAS REALLY A NICE MANAND OFTEN GAVE ME NEW LINESAFTER THAT WAS SORRY WHEN I PACKED THAT JOB IN AND HAD TO START BUYING TIGHTS AND UNDER WEAR AGAIN BUT AT THE SAME TIME GOT A BETTER JOB WITH BETTER MONEYAND DID NOT HAVE TO GO ALL OVER NOTTINGHAMSHIRE ON THE BUS IN ALL WEATHERS AND YOU STILL HAD TO CLEAN SAME SAMOUNT OF PHONES EVERY DAY.

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My Mum was an 'overlocker' at Meridian in Carlton (Where the police station is now) right up till it closed down in around 93. I also worked there as a steam presser for a couple of months before becoming one of "Maggies Millions" for the second time in a year (Raleigh before that) in 1981.

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sorry yes was watnall rd not nuttal rd its me old age creeping in and may have been vendonis thanks susyshoes

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Hi Suissexred

Just wondered if you knew a Stuart Evans at Meridian in the 70's -80's, he was in the maintenance department. He lived in Bestwood park estate.

I have been trying to locate his son, Cary, in another thread on here, he was a mate I used to work with (the son) who seems to have vanished, maybe deceased.

I lost touch after emigrating to oz in the late 80's.

Hi Banjo,

Sorry but Stuart Evans is not a name I remember.

Good luck.

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I have a large collection of maps of Nottingham & Shire

The number of clothing, knitwear, lace works & other clothing associated factories marked on them is amazing.(even in the city centre).

The only problem is the names of these "factories" are not marked.

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  • 4 weeks later...

My mum worked as an overlocker at Meridian and we lived opposite the playing fields at 333 for years - not sure but I think my mum worked in R2. One perk I did get because of this was free use of the company swimming pool, used to go in there nearly every day after school; there were some good cricket matches on there too - the Notts 2nd XI used to play on there occassionally.

I also believe they made the Forest kit for the 1959 cup final.

3456782296_80b7162f58_d.jpg

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It's one of my pictures, I took it a few years ago; I've also recently started a long term project to photograph Nottingham's remaining factories.

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  • 1 year later...

I worked in the manufacture of ladies foundation wear and lingerie from the sixties right through to the late nineties, the changes through those decades were great to say the least. From corsetry right through to underwire bras and firm control underwear. come on though girls admit it! you could not beat a bit of power net for keeping things in place, Wonder if it will make a comeback!!!

Come to think of it I used to travel all over the country solving production problems just so that you ladies could look Shipshape & Bristol Fashion!.

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