John Bedford & Sons Ltd, Mowbray St. Neepsend

I worked in the Export Dept., at Bedfords from 1960-1972, great workplace and people and would like to hear from anyone who was there during that period.

Neil

Did you ever come across Frank Terry in the offices of John Bedford?

Happy Days!

Did you know Ernest Senior who was Foreman Electrician?he worked there for about 19 years until his death in 1969

Highnote, thanks for your mail.

The name Ernest Senior certainly rings a bell and whilst I did'nt have dealings with him personally (I was in sales) it was a busy period for the electrical lads as lots of alterations were being made to the main office block and we therefore saw an electrician(s) most days of the week. Were you related to him or in fact did you work with him at JB's?

regards

neil memmott

PopT,

Happy days indeed.

Do you have any recollection of which particular office Frank worked in?, I'm a bit vague on this one but the name should be telling me something because it sounds unusual i.e. two christian names together.

Have just noted your location(s) very nice too. We were in NZ/Cook Islands last year and had a great time.

Regards

neil memmott

Know it well Neil

Peter left in 1974, can't remember when he started, must have been around 1968.

Marion

Mags,

How did you get in ere' Eh:-)

Neil Memmott

You couldn't mistake Frank Terry as he was an invalid with only one leg, the other he left behind in France when he was in the Hallamshire Regiment in WW1.

He wasn't a tall man and carried a bit of weight, wore spectacles and was a very jovial character.

I believe he worked in the accounts office.

Happy days!

I worked in the Export Dept., at Bedfords from 1960-1972, great workplace and people and would like to hear from anyone who was there during that period.

Hello Neil,

I was there from around 1970 to 1974,worked in the toolroom at the end of the yard 2nd floor,had plenty of laughs though, despite some of the gaffers being a bit regimental,some of the workforce were real characters.Good times they were.

Hi Gritman, good to hear from you.

The Tool Room, Jack Carr's place, I remember that well, it was on your way to the canteen. Yes it was a fairly happy place to work particularly before the Take Overs, you were a name and not just a number in those days which counted for a lot.

I used to live not too far from Jack, he lived up near to Graves Park whilst I was at Meersbrook and went to his local (The Mount Pleasant) on a few occasions.

What are you doing these days, retired or still grafting?

Nice to hear from you, thanks.

regards

neil memmott

Hiya Neil,

Yes Jack Carrs place,Jim hamilton was his underling.Ernest Dawson was another name i recall, i think he was head of training or something like that,could be personal officer.I got out of the mechanical engineering side of it after i had finnished my apprenticeship and went to work in the great outdoors,been there eversince and still at it.

PopT,

Thanks for your post. You have got me wondering because there was a man who fills you're description that ran the Forwarding Dept., in the early sixties. He was an invalid with a shot leg. I remember his car, I'd never seen one kitted out like his i.e. hand controls only. I think it was a Ford Anglia, but the surname does'nt fit, I believe the man who I remember was called Smith. If he was an accounts man then he left before I joined the Company.

The accounts as far as I can recall was headed up by Alfred Brookfield, Financial Director, and next door was his secretary, a little woman, usually bubbly but could turn, Arthur Smith was in there too, a staunch Owl with a lovely Scottish wife, they had one son and lived at Hollinsend.

Accounts Depts. in those days were usually full of women & Bedfords were no exception, I don't remember many but I do remember Joyce ???? who later became Ballard after marrying David Ballard who was the Publicity Manager, funnily enough he had a Ford Anglia too, two tone blue I think. Lived way, way up Halifax Road somewhere.

You can tell I'm getting old because I'm rambling. Great to talk to you again and I look forward to the next time.

regards

neil memmott