Blondie 1,392 Posted September 30, 2016 Report Share Posted September 30, 2016 On 07/09/2014 at 10:11 AM, Karlton said: I worked on the roof at Stephens and Pedlley just up from Bairnswear nottingham road basford, I believe they made socks. What was you doing on the roof ? ....... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Blondie 1,392 Posted September 30, 2016 Report Share Posted September 30, 2016 On 07/09/2014 at 11:15 AM, DaveN said: In the 60's I worked in the offices of a wholesalers of ladieswear, menswear and childrenswear. It went under various names Walker Reid, Luvisca and Chaffinch. It was part of the Courtaulds group as were Bairnswear and Meridian - both in close proximity to the bulding where I worked on Nottingham Road at New Basford. My hubby's friend, Ken Basford worked at Walker Reid in the 60'70's - I had a friend called Betty Robinson who was a machinist there as well..... We ran a shop opposite there in the 80's/90/s - the factory was closed then and it was called ELS they sold furniture.......I remember the factories on Nottingham Road in the 80s/90s, the staff came into our shop for filled rolls, pies etc at lunch time.....they were good customers and a nice crowd.....All changed in the 90's when the factories all closed down, the area was almost derelict.......Clothing Direct took over from ELS.....That's when we left........Our shop is a hairdresser's/Barbers now called 'Cutters'.......... 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DJ360 6,712 Posted October 1, 2016 Report Share Posted October 1, 2016 Sometime in the late 1960s I worked very briefly for a company called 'The United Rubber Company' in Fletcher Gate. They made 'surgical stockings', or more properly 'surgical support hose'. One of my most bizarre experiences ever. All of the stockings were knitted on hand powered machines, by men. As you entered the workroom from the back you were greeted with the sight of two rows of men, standing with their backs to you and doing a sort of 'shimmy' as they pushed the carriage of the knitting machine left, right and back again. The men were all on 'piecework' rates and so weren't too willing to stop to show me what to do. I like to think I'm not stupid, but I never did quite grasp that job. Basically you were just knitting a tubular 'hose', but you had to add in 'silk' and rubber thread at various points, as well as adding or removing stitches to create the shape of the calf, knee etc. And as for trying to make a heel!! I lasted about a week. Col 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DJ360 6,712 Posted October 1, 2016 Report Share Posted October 1, 2016 P.S. Bulwell Finishing Co. was a bleaching/dyeing works on Carey Road Bulwell. The 17 bus terminus was right next to it, just up from thr former Adelphi cinema. Springfields was further along Hucknall Lane between the viaduct and Moor Bridge. Some of the old buildings and stone wall seem to be still there. Think I've posted this before. Springfields. The girl at front left is my Mum, aged about 15-16, making this pic about 1938/9 Not knitwear or underwear, but I too worked on Nottm. Rd for a while at the Cheshire's of Nottingham Furniture warehouse. Col Quote Link to post Share on other sites
woody 549 Posted October 16, 2016 Report Share Posted October 16, 2016 My dad was a knitting machine mechanic at Reynolds for many years. He started there after the war and that was where he met my mother who worked as a mender. She left when I came along but my dad was there up to his death in 1969. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DaveyS 2 Posted February 3, 2017 Report Share Posted February 3, 2017 For various reasons I have haven't been logged on to this forum for quite a while. I came across this thread while searching for a completely unrelated subject - (the mysteries of google). Made me realise what a small world it is now with the internet. In 1956 I stated an apprenticeship at Reynolds' hosiery factory on Watnall Road, Hucknall. I Saw the message from Blondie saying she started work there in the cutting room. I worked in the cutting room for a while, doing all the "menial character building" jobs apprentice had to do as part of their apprenticeship. I knew Eileen Charlton well, a very nice pleasant girl.The cutting room supervisor was Doug Kale another very good guy. My apprenticeship was as a knitting machine mechanic, so there is a good chance i knew Woody's dad. The two name I remember are the boss(Head mechanic) Harold Wood and Syd Fowkes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
woody 549 Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 Got it in one Davey. Some other names you might remember from Reynolds are Freda Marshall, Jack Corden, Ernie Hutchby and Percy Potter. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DaveyS 2 Posted February 4, 2017 Report Share Posted February 4, 2017 Hi Woody, Yes I know all of those names. Some other names from the knitting room: Bernard Hayes, Ron Harper, Vin Cooper. All seems such a long time ago Mr Bodil was in charge of the knitters. Herbert Walker downstairs in the fabric store room. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wendy winfield 0 Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 On 15/10/2014 at 9:12 PM, richonmc1 said: Can anyone recall Spray and Burgass, dyers and finishers? They had a factories in Bulwell, Colwick and Basford. I started work there in 1961, my first job. my husband bob winfield worked at spray and burgess in Bulwell 60S Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wendy winfield 0 Posted October 20, 2017 Report Share Posted October 20, 2017 My husband worked at spray and burgass for years,I think they changed the name a few times over the years,colwick dyers ?basford dyers ? Maybe you knew him ? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crankypig 457 Posted October 23, 2017 Report Share Posted October 23, 2017 My late husband worked at spray and burgass in the 70 s....the company had a few name changes,colwick dyers,basford dyers,Can't remember any other names but I think there was at least one more.The factory has long gone,but I think they left an old house standing as it was listed.I have a few photos of the inside of the dye house that my husband took when he knew the place was going to shut down. It must be a very old place as I remember my granny saying she once worked there,at a guess I'd say that must have been the 1930s-40s . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
crankypig 457 Posted October 23, 2017 Report Share Posted October 23, 2017 On 1 October 2016 at 10:45 AM, DJ360 said: Sometime in the late 1960s I worked very briefly for a company called 'The United Rubber Company' in Fletcher Gate. They made 'surgical stockings', or more properly 'surgical support hose'. One of my most bizarre experiences ever. All of the stockings were knitted on hand powered machines, by men. As you entered the workroom from the back you were greeted with the sight of two rows of men, standing with their backs to you and doing a sort of 'shimmy' as they pushed the carriage of the knitting machine left, right and back again. The men were all on 'piecework' rates and so weren't too willing to stop to show me what to do. I like to think I'm not stupid, but I never did quite grasp that job. Basically you were just knitting a tubular 'hose', but you had to add in 'silk' and rubber thread at various points, as well as adding or removing stitches to create the shape of the calf, knee etc. And as for trying to make a heel!! I lasted about a week. Col I had a job in the late 60s doing the very same job ,it was very hard work,and piecwork, it was at a factory in Carlton called Thomas Glover.,now long gone.My Mam sent me to work there cos it was near home,i hated it soon left and got a job in town. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DJ360 6,712 Posted October 23, 2017 Report Share Posted October 23, 2017 It seems we are both very wise Cranky.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
radfordred 6,284 Posted February 11, 2018 Report Share Posted February 11, 2018 Come on admit it who went? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jonab 1,644 Posted February 11, 2018 Report Share Posted February 11, 2018 I worked at hatra* (Hosiery & Allied Trades Research Association) from 1964 to 1974 doing research into all the kinds of things mentioned previously in this thread. I remember the names of (almost) all the knitwear companies and the dyers & finishers and had contact with them all. The premises are now used by Page & Kirk (accountants) but I can't imagine why an accountancy firm would need such a large workspace. *the lower case is deliberate. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,089 Posted February 11, 2018 Report Share Posted February 11, 2018 Ken Kirk, now retired, who founded Page Kirk (formerly Kirk, Cree and Jepson) was my old boss at Hubbart, Durose and Pain, back in the 60’s. He was always ambitious so probably needed large promises for his expanding accountancy practice. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
denshaw 2,869 Posted February 13, 2018 Report Share Posted February 13, 2018 Hey Red, when's the next one? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LizzieM 9,497 Posted February 17, 2018 Report Share Posted February 17, 2018 Thorn Bendix manufactured a whole range of industrial electronic equipment, including machinery for the sugar industry, wired tv (assume that was the very early forerunner of Virgin Media), Textiles and there was a Defence Dept. I was the Chief Engineer’s Secretary and worked for all of the design/development engineers in those departments. This is a very young me supposedly demonstrating some sort of textile measuring equipment ........ hadn’t got a clue what I was doing, but was told to hold that and that and sit still. The article was in the Thorn Bendix News in 1970. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FLY2 10,108 Posted February 17, 2018 Report Share Posted February 17, 2018 I think most large companies had such rags. We had the Piessey News each month, and everyone would search through it enthusiastically, eagerly looking for any news or pictures applicable to themselves. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Socram 130 Posted March 26, 2019 Report Share Posted March 26, 2019 My first job in my new career as a Work Study Engineer (Time & Motion to some of you...) was at Marathon Knitwear. Our tutor was ex Meridian and our college visits were invariably to clothing factories, so I was happy to get the job at Marathon. Loved working there for all sorts of reasons. Five minutes after being promoted, was made redundant, along with 900 others, early 1980. On then to Richard Stumps in Haydn Rd (Sherwood end) and was eventually Production Manager of the basement, pre-assembly department. However, the writing was already on the wall for the local trade, despite its efficiency. Accepted a Management Services job in NZ but as in the UK, most companies (though only half as efficient as the Brits anyway) gave in and shifted production off shore. Sad - "Bly Blitish" ain't so easy, so if Brexit goes through, could the UK industry rise again or has too much expertise now been lost for good? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
plantfit 7,535 Posted March 26, 2019 Report Share Posted March 26, 2019 Probably been too long that the experts no longer available,as in all industry,experience and expertise no longer count,how many workers these days manage to work their way up through the company,not many I should think,instead the companys prefere to employ some one with no knowledge of that industry (and certainly no man management skills) but the have some sort of academic qualification that look good on paper but are of no use in the real world, as an example, some years ago now we had a new electrician start in the quarry,had more papers than you could wave a stick at,brilliant, one of his first jobs was to fit a new plug to our kettle (most important bit of kit) he blew it up, sent the live wire down through the earth pin,clueless clown Rog Quote Link to post Share on other sites
FLY2 10,108 Posted March 26, 2019 Report Share Posted March 26, 2019 When I started at Plessey in August 62, the managing director at the time, had began his career when it was Ericsson's as a machine cleaner. Impossible today, as you probably need an NVQ even to pull the toilet chain ! 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
loppylugs 8,424 Posted March 26, 2019 Report Share Posted March 26, 2019 Excuse ignorance Fly. Whats an NVQ? I know I never had one. At the time I left the UK they were starting all this, Electrician, Approved electrician stuff. I never did any of that. Came out of my apprenticeship at 21 an electrician, that was it. Had to do an exam in Toronto and that certified you as a first class electrician. That was it unless you wanted to study for a master's after some years of experience. Much simpler to deal with. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,089 Posted March 26, 2019 Report Share Posted March 26, 2019 NVQ means ‘not very qualified’. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
denshaw 2,869 Posted March 26, 2019 Report Share Posted March 26, 2019 Or not very qlever. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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