J Jones & Co. Canal Street


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Richard, Jack was retired when I started at J.Jones, that was November 1968, he used to drop by a couple of times a week at the new works.

I thought it was John Jones, but now you mention it it could be Richard, almost 50 years ago now.

Back then we were a registered flame proof repair shop, and we did a lot of NCB work.

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No gearboxes Rog, AFC motors, conveyor motors and shearer motors, we stripped them down, checked the parts for damage or wear, tested the stators and rotors, if all was well, new parts ordered or if in stock, we painted the insides of the end plates, paint or sprayed the windings with new varnish and reassembled the motors, tested then for an hour and monitored for heat and current fluctuations, if all well, the foreman signed off on it and it was given a fresh coat of white paint. If the windings were faulty, the stator was turned over to the armature winders. If rotor bars were found to be cracked we replaced them.

 

At Wilson Ford, I did rebuild an epicyclic gear box for an Eimco, holy crap did that have a lot of bearings!! They also overhauled a lot of NCB motors, but also FLP switchgear and transformers for the NCB.

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23 hours ago, alan s said:

 

Thanks for the reply Richard. Jack's my old man, at 91 years old he only uses a computer for Sky Sports but as I'm popping down for Ilson fair this weekend (from Newcastle) I'll ask him and report back,

Cheers, Alan.

Alan I'd be really interested to hear anything your dad can remember. Depending on how long he worked at J Jones. I've attached a photo of Joseph Jones circa 1950IMG_0428.JPG.cd2ac538a84e48ce7e2ec42854698360.JPG

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Just phoned him as I can't make Ilkeston this weekend (missus had arranged something Sat night). He can't remember his password for NS so I mailed him the link for this thread & he managed to open it. Password retrieval would be beyond him but someone is round at his on Sunday who should be able to sort it. 

It's a pity he's not computer literate as he worked all over Nottingam in the 40's & 50's & would have a wealth of stuff for this site.

Cheers, Alan.

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On 19/10/2017 at 11:11 PM, Ayupmeducks said:

Richard, Jack was retired when I started at J.Jones, that was November 1968, he used to drop by a couple of times a week at the new works.

I thought it was John Jones, but now you mention it it could be Richard, almost 50 years ago now.

Back then we were a registered flame proof repair shop, and we did a lot of NCB work.

I'm going to ask a relative about who was running what in 1968. I think my dad was involved in the refrigeration side then which eventually was sold off and became Foremost Refrigeration. I worked with Frank Blair in 1984. I worked in the light machines dept. Was Frank a fitter?

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Yes an electrical fitter, he's a very old mate of mine, I knew his Dad and most of his family and his wife's family. It was him that suggested I apply for a job at J. Jones, but at the time I had a couple of years of my apprenticeship left to finish. If Clifton Colliery had stayed open, I'd have stayed there, I hated Cotgrave, so as soon as I'd finished my time I applied and got a job as an electrical fitter.

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The name doesn't ring a bell Richard, I was on shifts as soon as we had transferred to Cotgrave, so didn't get to meet the other electricians on the other shifts. On the shift I was on we had at least seven elecs, one Elec Engineer, one Chargehand , Dennely(sp) Pickering, and an assistant Chargehand, a big blonde haired feller, I don't recall his name now. So the total staff was probably in the 50's for both U/G and surface.

I did leave a PM with Frank Blair on FB last night.

 

I'll contact Mick Wolven, he'll probably remember your Dad, Mick was transferred to Cotgrave when Bestwood closed and retired from Cotgrave.

 

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On 17/03/2017 at 5:44 PM, DAVIDW said:

Welcome Jack . Sorry don't know the firm but here's an advert of theirs from 1948

 

33453875896_c996a500ce_o.jpg

Hi David that's an interesting advert. Where did you find that and are their any more? I'm interested because it was a family business that went into administration in 1988 regards Richard 

  

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There are potentially many dozens of adverts for J. Jones , Canal Street between 1925 and 1950 in the Evening Post archives .

Unfortunately to view them you will need a subscription to either 

https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk 

Or in the newspaper archive section of 

Find My Past 

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search/british-newspapers

 

You will be able to search and get a short precis but to view the full article needs a subscription . I used the search term "J Jones" and "Canal" and filtered the dates and just stuck to Notts. results.

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 10/20/2017 at 1:42 PM, Richard Peach said:

Alan I'd be really interested to hear anything your dad can remember. Depending on how long he worked at J Jones. I've attached a photo of Joseph Jones circa 1950IMG_0428.JPG.cd2ac538a84e48ce7e2ec42854698360.JPG

Richard. Password sorted. I'm typing, he's dictating.

 I left school on Friday in 1941 aged 15 and started work at Jones on Monday for the princely sum of 4d per hour (60 hours for one pound). Walked down Joneses yard with great trepidation. I'd been to see Mr Wood the manager who'd told me to go to the stores, on the way there the first person I met was Jimmy Bust, a little gnome like fellow who to me looked in his eighties,  in the stoving shop. I was shown what was what in the stores,  people brought me chits and I handed them their stuff.This was pretty boring although once the police were called because stuff was going missing. The culprit was found and questioned and when asked where he got it he said "Jack Syson gave it me". Next thing there's a knock at the door at my parents home in Cotmanhay and two men who said they were policemen wanted to question me. I had some end of rolls winding tape, which were not used, as they made good football boot laces. I told the police he had chits so I had to give him the stuff. After an hour or so they left happy I was not involved. 

On another occasion, Mr West, the head storekeeper, told me to go and get a copy of Health and Efficiency magazine. As a naive 15 year old I didn't have a clue.

After a couple of months I was sent out as an apprentice with Dennis? , lived in Bullwell, can't remember his name, he died young, I think of cancer,  to Tathams in the Lace Market. Staffed entirely of young women/girls making brassiers. Had to ask my sisters what size they were and I got them seconds. Remember everything was coupons. The toilet and washrooms were in the bowels of the building. One lunch I went down to wash my hands where I was set upon by a gang of girls trying to debag me. I manfully (boyfully) fought them off. A couple of years later I wouldn't have bothered!

There's loads to tell. If you Want to pop over to Ilkeston get in touch with @alan sand we'll sort something out.

 

 

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  • 2 months later...

Hi this is Bernard Carlin I worked for J Jones 1972 till 1987 I remember most of the family. I worked in developments with Harold Chambers and Terry Lacey on Daleside road. I also was the engineer who started the cable shop and the  transformer BS 171 testing. Developments was the old HD department from canal street. 

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I was an apprentice in the late 1970. I have fond memories of J Jones on Daleside road.  And I remember A young Richard Peach first Christmas song when he was an apprentice funny it nearly killed him we all got into big trouble that day.              Mark Knowles.   1977 till 1988 at J Jones.  

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  • 9 months later...
On 3/17/2017 at 3:30 PM, jack syson said:

 First post (guided my son) who's shown me this site.

 

I started work aged 15 at J Jones & Co on Canal Street in 1941. Long shot I know but I was wondering if there's anyone on here with a connection to that place from that era. At 90 I understand this could be a futile request.

 

Thanks,

Jack.

 

 

Hi Jack

My grand father worked for Jones - William Arthur Wells and he was an armature winder (electrical engineer). He worked there for many years and died in 1974 not long after retirement.

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@suzanne wells I’ll show this to my father when I next see him and see if he remembers the name as he was born in 1926 so it’s feasible their paths crossed. 
It was going to be this weekend to watch the match with mates in a pub but it sounds like too much hassle even if we got in.

There’s a guy on this thread called @Richard Peach his relatives were something to do with the founding of the company. He called in to see the old man a year or so back and had a chat, he even supplied pics of the old clocking in clock.

I’ll let you know if the name rings any bells with him, 

Cheers, Alan.

 

 

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  • 7 months later...

 Michael Atherton here.Just been reading some of your fascinating post on J Jones .I worked on Daleside Road 

In the winding department from 1971 till 1988 and from 1992 till 2000 when it was called Wyko.Made many friends who I still see.I remember Richard when he was on the shop floor with Steve Sherwin.I’m afraid Frank Blair passed away Tuesday 2nd  February.Such a lovely man  I noticed he was mentioned  in a lot of the  posts .


 

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  • 4 months later...

This is a fascinating blog...  I started working for J. Jones Electric (Refrigeration) in 1970 as the Western Region Manager out of Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset. By 1971, Mr Richard had purchased an industrial unit in Highbridge, Somerset from which location, we ran the HVAC & Refrigeration services business.  I reported to John Peach & worked closely with Richard Jones (Mr Richard); Eric Morgan; John Dunne; Tony Smith; & John Peach.  I emigrated from the UK in 1975 & came to Canada.  BTW: I'm the guy who wrote off the light green Austin Maxi when I hit a power pole after swerving to avoid an oncoming vehicle in the wrong lane.  We had many guys travel down from Nottingham to the West Country to carry out service for Whitbread, Boots, Berni Inns, the Central Electricity Generating Board, etc.  Wow, are any of Richard Jones, Eric Morgan, John Dunne, Tony Smith, or John Peach still around???  Mel Hughes

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On 2/3/2021 at 3:28 PM, Michael Atherton said:

 Michael Atherton here.Just been reading some of your fascinating post on J Jones .I worked on Daleside Road 

In the winding department from 1971 till 1988 and from 1992 till 2000 when it was called Wyko.Made many friends who I still see.I remember Richard when he was on the shop floor with Steve Sherwin.I’m afraid Frank Blair passed away Tuesday 2nd  February.Such a lovely man  I noticed he was mentioned  in a lot of the  posts .


 

Wow that was a shock, I hadn't heard Frank had passed on, he was a good mate of mine, I first met him in the Sir Richard Arkwright pub in the mid 60's, I knew most of his family, dated his Sister in Law, knew his Mum and Dad and all of his Brothers.

I was wondering why I hadn't had an email from him in months.

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