John Player Roll of Honour


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A few years back I was told that John Player had a Roll of Honour listing the employees of JP that fell in the Great War and WW2. Does anyone know if this is true? Does it still exist?

Any info would be appreciated

DC

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  • 2 weeks later...

I believe that’s true.

While I worked in the Horizon factory I happen one day to come across a corridor that had pictures on both walls that lead to somewhere I forget now.

Anyroadup the name of this corridor is the Roughs gallery.

To qualify to have ones picture hung on those walls was to have served the company man and boy for over twenty-five years.

I believe if my memory serves me still my dads portrait is there amongst the brave and fallen.

The practice of being hung with the brave and fallen has I believe been stopped hence you won’t see my ugly mug amongst them.

The best person to ask would be Radford red I believe he still works at the Horizon factory and might be able to confirm my suspicions.

I remain your ever-obedient servant…

Bip.

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So red that’s right wot I said about the gallery of the roughs it’s still there then?

When I worked in the Radford complex I believe those pictures were displayed in the personnel block. Happy daz hey!!

Bip.

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Not seen no gallery or portraits , but on the 1st floor landing above the main entrance there's two 6/7 foot x 4/5 foot memorials the one on the left as you go to the offices is 1914-18 with probably 200 names on it & the department they worked in , on the opposite side where the dentist / doctor / nurse is there's a 1939/45 Memorial with at a guess about 300 names on it .

On Remembrance Day / Armistice Day there's always something placed in reception .

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I forget what floor or where this corridor goes to but there is definitely when I worked there a Roughs Gallery.

Maybe worth asking a few questions to where this corridor is..

Or I could come over to the factory as your guest one shift..?

Thinking about it now the door to that Corridor could be at the beginning of the Corridor to the Surgery where the doctors reception is .

Bip.

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I remember when I worked at Players in mid 60's there was a corridor with lots of employees photos on the wall and my father in law telling me when he had done his 40 years I would have to look at him every time I went down there. Rogues Gallery is what he called it - I worked in every factory including "returns" so can't remember where it was.

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I was working there at that time doddy which factory were you working in mate or was you like me working in any factory that one was sent to.

Bip.

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I was a factory clerk in pipe tobacco in No 1 and when we had nothing to do used to go down Churchfield lane to returns to do some messing about down there or downstairs into packing. Because I could type I used to do lots of odds and sods in the pipe factory office. Then I worked on Quality Control in 2 and 3 for a couple of years.

I really ought to fill in the box at the side - femail!!!

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My old man worked there man and boy and retired after 40 years service , do you suppose his name/photo is up there?? Mind you he did work at number 4 factory and not Horizon.

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I recall lots of photos in corridors of No 2 factory......

I worked at JP in 1967, not sure which factory but think it was 3 & also 4, on the 4th floor making Players N06,(actually pushing trolleys around, called 'bartletts'??)

top floor made cigarettes in Gold packs...can't remember the brand!! anybody recall what they were called??

I was only 16 but smoked like a chimney whilst working there, free fags etc, used to get searched on way out at night.....so hid the 'liberated' plunder in all sorts of interesting ways.....

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Yes I think you ought ta doddy but until then I will still call you mate..

Would the cigarettes in gold packets be Gold Flake?

Bartlettes I remember them never pushed or pulled them but came in very handy if a couple of them where around a lift one was using, very simular to pick and mix.

My wife for her breif working life in a factory worked in No3 factory in where they brought the off cuts so to speak.

remember her once losing her engagement ring in one of those large bags that the waste meterials were put in, she did get it back after emptying several of them.

I myself worked in the despatch department which included the docks loading wagons and unloading rail freight A & B containers also trained to be an Order Recorder.

I worked in all factories 1 2 3 and 4 and rode a motor bike up Beckingham road with clouds of sweet smelling smoke bellowing from the 2 stroke exhaust....does anyone remember me....I wore a silver helmet and rode a blue yamaha bike.....this would be about 1967'68/69/70 era.

Bip.

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Hi Bip,

Just remembered, the fags in gold packs were called 'perfectos', I can't recall ever seeing them in shops, they were 'king size' lengths, must have been a JP experimental thing??? !cheers!

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Perfectos I beleive had a very short life span and I beleive too was Players first King Size cagarette....

Gold Flake which I suggested were I believe in a Yellow packet could mistuck for gold coloured.

Just done some research and I'm completely wronge about the brand Gold Flake being a JPS cigarette turns out to be a WH Wills one......me and my big mouth...foot in it again.

Bip.

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You were probably thinking of Gold Leaf Den , they came in a red packet!!

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Back in the good old days when Horizon first opened, even us contractors used to get an allowance - 400/week if I remember correctly.

That's on top of all them we used to smoke out of the reject bin as well :tongue:

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  • 2 years later...

When I worked for Wilson Fords, I was contracted out to Bull Motors and had the boring job of commissioning their motors on the main air conditioning plant at the Horizon Factory. I was there when that huge ramp was still erected from the ground to one of the main upper floors.

I finished as the cigarette machines were being installed.

Did I say boring??? Try hand scraping bronze bearings all day using a torch as illumination!

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  • 2 years later...

Hi , this year I was at wollaton park for the vintage car rally , think it was 1st June . On one stall bizarrely sat a framed photo of the J.Players and son Roll of Honour of their war dead and the regiments the served in and the dept they worked in . A guy from Chesterfield had the stall and was selling the photo for 4 quid .... I went to asked him where he,d got it from ...... When another guy picked it up and paid for it before I could make my purchase ..... Hey Ho .... He was kind and generous enough to let me photo the photo which was in a glass frame ... So didn't get the bet result . However I have managed to transcribe accurately all the names of the men ......... Now who were you looking for ? I may be able to help you .

Regards Brian

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