Anyone worked at Firth Browns?

So pleased to find this site is still a on the go Re Firth Browns, I worked in the Commercial Drawing Office above 36 Gate 1949 to 1951 then RAF back to drawing office 1954 to1956. my father in law Jack Shaw in Transport. My Wife Rena Hennessy née Shaw mailing room then typing pool then secretary to sales dept bosses.

Hi hendan, nice to see you on the Forum again. I recall having exchanges with you in Nov 2014 on the thread 'Commercial Drawing Office Firth Browns Savile Street'

I seem to be 10 years behind you as worked in Progress and Planning in the block across the yard behind 36 gate from 1959 to 1961. Then in Forgings Sales in the office next to yours from 1961 to 64.

Peter.

Anyone from 'Firth Brown's' recall the 'Scrap Metal Fraud' ? I think was in the early 1980's, thus: An open backed scrap metal dealers laden lorry would arrive at the weigh station on Saville Street East-between Windsor Street and Norroy Street. After being weighed in, the lorry would have to go to deposit it's load on the Carlisle Street East side of the 'Atlas works' to a gate near Atlas Street, which did not have a weigh station. The scam was that there was an identical lorry but different plates, with a lighter scrap load already waiting on the Carwood Road bridge. The drivers then swapped positions with the lighter load being delivered but a receipt from the Saville Street end meant the Scrap dealer was up a few quid and 'Firth Brown's' down a few. It was uncovered I think, by an astute security officer who to be walking across the bridge one day wondered why two identical lorries were parked parallel to each other. How many times a day, week or month they had been pulling that one ?

If anyone is interested the Annual Reunion of the Firth-Brown Melting Shop will be held at

the Trades & Labour Club on Weds 28th Dec. 1,oclock, last man standing.

Anyone from 'Firth Brown's' recall the 'Scrap Metal Fraud' ? I think was in the early 1980's, thus: An open backed scrap metal dealers laden lorry would arrive at the weigh station on Saville Street East-between Windsor Street and Norroy Street. After being weighed in, the lorry would have to go to deposit it's load on the Carlisle Street East side of the 'Atlas works' to a gate near Atlas Street, which did not have a weigh station. The scam was that there was an identical lorry but with different plates, with a lighter scrap load already waiting on the Carwood Road bridge. The drivers then swapped positions with the lighter load being delivered but a receipt from the Saville Street end meant the Scrap dealer was up a few quid and 'Firth Brown's' down a few. It was uncovered I think, by an astute security officer who to be walking across the bridge one day wondered why two identical lorries were parked parallel to each other. How many times a day, week or month they had been pulling that one ?

.......................................................

Hi stpetre and brian 1941,

Just letting you know that I read your story with interest. That's a cheeky one!

I left the area before the 1980s and didn't hear of it though.

Have you seen this on Sheffield History?

http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/topic/5095-thomas-firth-amp-sons/

http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/topic/5095-thomas-firth-amp-sons/?page=2

http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/topic/5095-thomas-firth-amp-sons/?page=3

Anyone from 'Firth Brown's' recall the 'Scrap Metal Fraud' ? I think was in the early 1980's, thus: An open backed scrap metal dealers laden lorry would arrive at the weigh station on Saville Street East-between Windsor Street and Norroy Street. After being weighed in, the lorry would have to go to deposit it's load on the Carlisle Street East side of the 'Atlas works' to a gate near Atlas Street, which did not have a weigh station. The scam was that there was an identical lorry but with different plates, with a lighter scrap load already waiting on the Carwood Road bridge. The drivers then swapped positions with the lighter load being delivered but a receipt from the Saville Street end meant the Scrap dealer was up a few quid and 'Firth Brown's' down a few. It was uncovered I think, by an astute security officer who to be walking across the bridge one day wondered why two identical lorries were parked parallel to each other. How many times a day, week or month they had been pulling that one ?

 

.......................................................

 

Hi stpetre and brian 1941,

 

Just letting you know that I read your story with interest. That's a cheeky one!

 

I left the area before the 1980s and didn't hear of it though.

 

 

Have you seen this on Sheffield History?

 

http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/topic/5095-thomas-firth-amp-sons/

 

http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/topic/5095-thomas-firth-amp-sons/?page=2

 

http://www.sheffieldhistory.co.uk/forums/topic/5095-thomas-firth-amp-sons/?page=3

----------------------

Hi Peter, Got somut you will like, i was really pleased when i saw this,

tell me what you remember about these offices and what was built

on the spare ground here. then i'll tell you what remember to. Brian

Hi Peter, Got somut you will like, i was really pleased when i saw this,

tell me what you remember about these offices and what was built

on the spare ground here. then i'll tell you what remember to. Brian

I looked on 'Google street maps' and there was Saville Street East in July 2016. Some of the old 'Firth-Brown' offices which I think were the main offices, from Norroy Street to Carwood Road on the left side going toward Brightside Lane. There doesn't appear to be a doorway or entryway, was that always the case ?

Hi Peter, Got somut you will like, i was really pleased when i saw this,

tell me what you remember about these offices and what was built

on the spare ground here. then i'll tell you what remember to. Brian

Hi Brian and stpetre,

Your photo Brian is part of the head offices on Saville Street East which is to the left of pic.

In 1959 to 1964, when I worked in them, the nearest part of the wooden extension at first floor level on the rear of the offices was a corridor to the Drawing Offices and the farther part of it was Forgings Sales Offices where I was a clerk in 1961/4. These offices and the wooden structure stretched as far as Norroy Street going towards town and then the offices beyond were for Roll Sales and then the Directors offices. The main Head Office entrance was just beyond Norroy Street and staff were expected to enter around the back through the gate, which was one of two to Siemens shop, under the clock. (The main entrance was demolished in the late 1980s at the same time as the other buildings towards town). The pic below with Norroy Street just out of shot on the left shows the Head Office entrance with the canopy. Everything beyond and including the part with the canopy was demolished and the rest still remains.

The building attached to the main block towards the back of your pic Brian, which was originally longer, at right angles to the wooden structure contained toilets downstairs and printing offices upstairs.

Where the car park is now below the wooden structure was another office block, across a small yard, where I was an office junior 1959/61 which was higher than the existing building and was accessed through 36 gate, which still exists, below the wooden structure. There was also a wooden raised covered walkway connecting the two buildings. In the foreground were other buildings attached and at a right angle across the pic. which housed a photocopy office upstairs and, I believe, light machine shop below.

38 gate was just left of shot and the pic was taken in what would have been the yard, but that's another story.

Hope you can all follow this 'short' description, there's so much more I could add that it would take up a couple of pages.

I trust that your question is answered here stpetre??

Over to you Brian.

http://picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?action=zoomWindow&keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;s26727&prevUrl=

Peter.

 

Hi Brian and stpetre,

 

Your photo Brian is part of the head offices on Saville Street East which is to the left of pic.

In 1959 to 1964, when I worked in them, the nearest part of the wooden extension at first floor level on the rear of the offices was a corridor to the Drawing Offices and the farther part of it was Forgings Sales Offices where I was a clerk in 1961/4. These offices and the wooden structure stretched as far as Norroy Street going towards town and then the offices beyond were for Roll Sales and then the Directors offices. The main Head Office entrance was just beyond Norroy Street and staff were expected to enter around the back through the gate, which was one of two to Siemens shop, under the clock. (The main entrance was demolished in the late 1980s at the same time as the other buildings towards town). The pic below with Norroy Street just out of shot on the left shows the Head Office entrance with the canopy. Everything beyond and including the part with the canopy was demolished and the rest still remains.

The building attached to the main block towards the back of your pic Brian, which was originally longer, at right angles to the wooden structure contained toilets downstairs and printing offices upstairs.

Where the car park is now below the wooden structure was another office block, across a small yard, where I was an office junior 1959/61 which was higher than the existing building and was accessed through 36 gate, which still exists, below the wooden structure. There was also a wooden raised covered walkway connecting the two buildings. In the foreground were other buildings attached and at a right angle across the pic. which housed a photocopy office upstairs and, I believe, light machine shop below.

38 gate was just left of shot and the pic was taken in what would have been the yard, but that's another story.

 

Hope you can all follow this 'short' description, there's so much more I could add that it would take up a couple of pages.

 

I trust that your question is answered here stpetre??

 

Over to you Brian.

 

 

http://picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?action=zoomWindow&keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;s26727&prevUrl=

 

Peter.

-------------------------

Hi Peter more pics.

This last picture as you see was that trap door i spoke about, we use it some-times

to nip to the post office across the rd.

Down stairs, the first 3 windows was the Roll Hardening Dept offices, the next 3 windows

was the work force changing room and the last windows was their mess room.

be intouch later Brian.

-------------------------

Hi Peter more pics.

 

 

 

This last picture as you see was that trap door i spoke about, we use it some-times

to nip to the post office across the rd.

Down stairs, the first 3 windows was the Roll Hardening Dept offices, the next 3 windows

was the work force changing room and the last windows was their mess room.

be intouch later Brian.

Nice pics thanks Brian.

Here's the aerial view of the area in 1947.

I'm 'Laurence' on the comments in the right hand column below the pic.

The part we are discussing is about in the middle of the photo.....

http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/eaw009656?search=EAW009656&ref=0

Peter.

 

Nice pics thanks Brian.

 

Here's the aerial view of the area in 1947.

I'm 'Laurence' on the comments in the right hand column below the pic.

The part we are discussing is about in the middle of the photo.....

 

http://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/eaw009656?search=EAW009656&ref=0

 

Peter.

--------------------

Thanks again Peter, yes i can see the central warehouse and the big

chimney in 37 Gate. Thanks for all them other small pics aswell.

That pic i sent No 474 all that spare ground was the building of the

grinding shop and heat treatement roll hardening dept, sadly all gone.

Behind the offices was heavy machine shop, when you pass them offices

to the end it brought you to the gent toilets, then turn right it took you

through to the scap bay the melting shop. Sadly again its all gone.

It was nice to catch a photo of them offices.

--------------------

Thanks again Peter, yes i can see the central warehouse and the big

chimney in 37 Gate. Thanks for all them other small pics aswell.

That pic i sent No 474 all that spare ground was the building of the

grinding shop and heat treatement roll hardening dept, sadly all gone.

Behind the offices was heavy machine shop, when you pass them offices

to the end it brought you to the gent toilets, then turn right it took you

through to the scap bay the melting shop. Sadly again its all gone.

It was nice to catch a photo of them offices.

...............................................................................

Yes very sad Brian, but at least we have the memories and photographs.

The 1947 aerial view was only 12 years before I started. Two of the men who I worked with in Central warehouse, which you mention, worked there during the war. Probably they were in the building at the time of the pic. The firm all seemed stuck in time and probably altered hardly at all right up to demolition in the late 80s.

There seems so few modern buildings on the site now compared to our days there.

Best wishes to you for Christmas and New Year

Peter.

 

Yes very sad Brian, but at least we have the memories and photographs.

The 1947 aerial view was only 12 years before I started. Two of the men who I worked with in Central warehouse, which you mention, worked there during the war. Probably they were in the building at the time of the pic. The firm all seemed stuck in time and probably altered hardly at all right up to demolition in the late 80s.

There seems so few modern buildings on the site now compared to our days there.

 

Best wishes to you for Christmas and New Year

 

Peter.

Thanks Peter and all the very best to you and in 2017. Brian.

PS be intouch after Christmas. :partyhat:

Hi Peter, Happy new year.

A Christmas gift my niece had me done, it a picture of Firth Brown's

on Attercliffe.

Peter this is the same picture has you'll have seen it befor.