Sheffield Testing Works

Anyone work there in the 60's? Head was Mr.Evans, assisitant Edwin (Tim) Young.

Anyone work there in the 60's? Head was Mr.Evans, assisitant Edwin (Tim) Young.

I was there in 71, in the upstairs labs. Mr Knapp ran that place. His wife kept the flask and pippettes clean. Other names.. Bob Keen, John Hastings..I'll try and think of some more

I used to deliver there when i was a van lad on British Rail 61 thro to 64 there were about 12 foot lenths of wire rope pretty heavy at the time.

now known as 'element materials technology' since the foreigners took us over. john hastings is still here. brian ancliff is retiring in a couple of weeks, think he's been here since about 1965.

funnily enough i'm the poor bugger who has to prep and test those big heavy wire ropes, usually about 6-7ft not 12.

now known as 'element materials technology' since the foreigners took us over. john hastings is still here. brian ancliff is retiring in a couple of weeks, think he's been here since about 1965.

 

funnily enough i'm the poor bugger who has to prep and test those big heavy wire ropes, usually about 6-7ft not 12.

John still there? Wow!! Does he still live on Wordsworth?

My grandfather used to collect the scrap in the 40's when the Testing Works were on Blonk Street then my father collected it from the 50's untill he retired in the early 80's, I believe he used to deal with Mr Goodison but can't remember what position he held.

john lives in chapeltown as far as i know. he wasn't there when i started in 2006 but he came back not long after. not sure where he worked in between. do you remember dick brookes or gordon black the metallurgists? they're both as old as the hills but i'm not sure how long they've been working there. how about dave tame? he might have been a machinist back then but more recently he was the general manager up until he died last year.

My grandfather used to collect the scrap in the 40's when the Testing Works were on Blonk Street then my father collected it from the 50's untill he retired in the early 80's, I believe he used to deal with Mr Goodison but can't remember what position he held.

Eba Goodison was the top guy. Don't recognise the other names mentioned. George Parkin was another lab lad, a twin called chris and a tall bass guitarist called graham. The girls in the office were glorious and brightened up the dull days. I was only there 5 months and I've been round the world (literally) since then.

i worked there down stairs from 75-78, names i remeber eba goodinson some times he dropped me off going home in the firms austin maxi,harry pinhorn, johnny walker, brain ancliff,alan marshall, mick who worked the 200 ton. in the machine shop denis mate, bill on the shaper machine and tamey had some good nights out with dave did not know he had died untill reading 200 ton post,allthough lost contact saddend to hear news, on a brighter note seem to remember paying subs for a football and clearing the car park at dinner to play mon -thurs and pay day (friday) going down to the manchester for a couple of pints !

The girls in the office were glorious and brightened up the dull days.

oh they still do

owd man, did you work in the test house? i bet you'd recognise most of the machines that are still there today. i've heard of harry pinhorn, johnny walker and matey. in fact there's still a bit of foam wrapped round a protruding part of the 200 Ton that was probably put there to stop johnny walker taking out his good eye were you there when tamey sawed the end off his finger?

hi 200 ton.

yes i was there when dave took the end off finger, we used to work overtime together the odd sat afternoon if they got behind making proofing rings.when not doing overtime we used to finnish at dinner and have a couple of pints in frechville working mens club (now the sherwood)

hi 200 ton.

yes i was there when dave took the end off finger, we used to work overtime together the odd sat afternoon if they got behind making proofing rings.when not doing overtime we used to finnish at dinner and have a couple of pints in frechville working mens club (now the sherwood)

well times have changed. for a start there's no chance of clearing the yard out for a kickabout. usually 10 or 11 cars in there in addition to the ones parked up the alley and on the front, and the traffic wardens are like vultures. i don't think any of the lads really go out saturday afternoons but most of us still go up to the harlequin last day before christmas, although it hasn't been the same since dave died. still a few old proving rings knocking about although they don't make them anymore. we used one the other week on the 200 Ton to check discrepancies between the beam reading and the digital readout. obviously the beam was spot on after about 130 years with next to zero maintenance, and the 21st century electronics were nearly as good