Anyone worked at Firth Browns?

Hi Brian,

 

I'm assuming that you are refering to the first 'photo.

The only two of the one's you mention that I can put names to are.....

 

Front row second from left...

Roy Harper who was a progress clerk and dealt with work put out to outside contractors.

He was a part time football referee and sadly collapsed and died on the pitch.

 

Front row fifth from left...

Ron Skinner, my old pal who died three years ago and who you may recognise you have seen on our scooter photos on past posts. He was a progress clerk for forgings at testing stage in 7 bay I recall he told me.

 

When I left Firth Browns from the Forging Sales Dept in 1963 my old colleagues in Progress and Planning bought me a leaving present. I recall walking across the railway line to their 'new' offices at the time to thank them. Ron Stacey, front row far right, who was Chief Planner had by that time become Head of Heavy Engineering over there. When he heard I wanted to return to FBs he offered me the job at Central Warehouse. Who you know in those days eh :

 

Peter.

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

Thanks Peter, Sorry i didn't make it clear, all that info was for

them chaps on first picture 1956.

Would Frank Skinner be in his late 70s befor he passed on, i knew

a person of that name from the 40/50s.

Not seen him for years and i heard he was suffering with his legs,

not sure if he'd spent time in hospital.

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

Thanks Peter, Sorry i didn't make it clear, all that info was for

them chaps on first picture 1956.

Would Frank Skinner be in his late 70s befor he passed on, i knew

a person of that name from the 40/50s.

Not seen him for years and i heard he was suffering with his legs,

not sure if he'd spent time in hospital.

Hi Brian,

I don't think he was the same Skinner. His name was Ron and he was 72 when he died in 2014. He did however spend about 6 months in a body cast in Northern General when he was about 14 after a cycle accident on Bellhouse Road.

He lived on Ellerton Road until he married. Here he is, the round face peering between the two girls on the left of pic, on an outing from Hucklow Road School in the early 50s...

http://picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?action=zoomWindow&keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;v03139&prevUrl=

Peter.

Hi Brian,

 

Further to your post 557 and my response post 558, here are some more pics I took in 1990 of the gates prior to the ones you mentioned. The gates follow on from each other and I don't know why the numbers aren't sequential. Don't recall any gates on the opposite side of Savile Street East in that location. The gates for those buildings are, I believe, on Greystock Street, the opposite side of the buildings .....

 

http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/peterlaurence/FB%2038%20Gate%20Saville%20St%201990_zpszjxt8rxz.jpg

 

http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/peterlaurence/FB%2036%20Gate%20Saville%20St%201990_zpsdi3xptup.jpg

 

http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/peterlaurence/FB%20Saville%20St%201990_zpsq0wx8kwr.jpg

 

Here's what remains of them now. Only 36 gate still exists. Pics dated 2005....

 

http://picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?action=zoomWindow&keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;c01484&prevUrl=

 

The war memorial has been removed but the mounting plinth is shown on here, still remaining, on the front wall at the nearest end of the building. The same memorial plinth on the first pic gives an indicator as to where the buildings to the left of it were demolished, including the canopy section.

 

http://picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?action=zoomWindow&keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;c01487&prevUrl=

 

Peter.

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

Hi Peter, Enclose you this picture Siemens wall but look on the other

wall, this is how it looks now compare to you pic on Page28 No560

on your last pic.

Brian

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

Hi Peter, Enclose you this picture Siemens wall but look on the other

wall, this is how it looks now compare to you pic on Page28 No560

on your last pic.

Brian

Hi Brian, thanks for the pic.

The old stone arch on your pic has been moved from it's original position. There is some reference to this on a plaque nearby. However, the arch on your pic isn't the original old 33 gate stone arch that was originally in the position but in line with the front of the buildings on your pic. If you compare the pics below you will see that it is the most impressive archway from 30 gate Siemens Electric Furnace shop that has been preserved, moved about 60 yards or so, and rebuilt on that spot.

Here's 33 gate and to it's right is the Head Office entrance, the section with the canopy, now also demolished. The rest still stands and is on your pic...

http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/peterlaurence/FB%2038%20Gate%20Saville%20St%201990_zpszjxt8rxz.jpg

Here to the left of 33 gate, which is now out of shot to the right of pic, are right to left on this pic, 32 and 30 gates ...

http://picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?action=zoomWindow&keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;u03761&prevUrl=

Here's 30 gate again which gives a good comparison to confirm it's the arch on your pic..

http://picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?action=zoomWindow&keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;t02999&prevUrl=

Peter.

Hi Peter, My picture on Page31-No604 regards Siemans wall,

i think i took that pic in 2006 but not really sure.

When do you think it was change. Hope your enjoying you May day holiday.

Brian.

Hi Peter, My picture on Page31-No604 regards Siemans wall,

i think i took that pic in 2006 but not really sure.

When do you think it was change. Hope your enjoying you May day holiday.

Brian.

Hi Brian,

This info should answer your question re the Siemens shop stone 30 gate entrance. Also it's original position is mentioned, confirming what I had discovered a few years ago and covered in my previous post 605. I thought I'd been clever .....

http://picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;c01486&pos=1&action=zoom&id=1991

This pic on 18 April '66 is on Windsor Street towards Savile Street East. The Siemens shop is the massive building in the background facing onto Savile Street East and confirms the position of the gate being nearly opposite Windsor Street as described on the above pic text. The gate is directly below the apex of the building. ( See last pic below).

http://picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?action=zoomWindow&keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;s20671&prevUrl=

Here from right to left is the big clock with 34 gate just out of pic, then 32 gate then 30 gate. Windsor Street is a few yards further on the left. (Out of sight, so you'll have to believe me ) After reading the text use the Zoom image for a bigger pic....

http://picturesheffield.com/frontend.php?keywords=Ref_No_increment;EQUALS;u03762&pos=401&action=zoom&id=38908

Peter.

Hi Peter, The Firth Browns news book you sent me 1978,' by gums thats some

years ago.

About 12-05 you can see a water tower i think that one was down at

heat treatement shop, can you remember one further up lineside but oposite

the other side of railway lines.

There was one sited near the shunter area, not sure if it was ow't to do

with the Tyer Shop.

Brian.

Hi Peter, The Firth Browns news book you sent me 1978,' by gums thats some

years ago.

About 12-05 you can see a water tower i think that one was down at

heat treatement shop, can you remember one further up lineside but oposite

the other side of railway lines.

There was one sited near the shunter area, not sure if it was ow't to do

with the Tyer Shop.

Brian.

Hi Brian,

Yes, I see the water tower.

Sorry I can't shed any light on the whereabouts of other water towers other than the ones I remember at the corner of Sutherland Street and Saville Street East and at the side of Central Warehouse at 37 gate.

There's no comment in the magazine regarding the location on the cover photo.

Can you throw any light on this or name any of the buildings?

Peter.

Hi Brian,

 

Yes, I see the water tower.

Sorry I can't shed any light on the whereabouts of other water towers other than the ones I remember at the corner of Sutherland Street and Saville Street East and at the side of Central Warehouse at 37 gate.

There's no comment in the magazine regarding the location on the cover photo.

Can you throw any light on this or name any of the buildings?

 

Peter.

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

Hi Peter, If you go through 37 Gate and walk passed central warehouse

towards the rail track, look straight across the track then just a

little to the right it stood near the shunters cabin at the wall.

Sure the water supplied the Tyre mill and mabe other Departements,

thats about as much i can put on this, sorry to have put you through

this but thanks for your input. Brian

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

Hi Peter, If you go through 37 Gate and walk passed central warehouse

towards the rail track, look straight across the track then just a

little to the right it stood near the shunters cabin at the wall.

Sure the water supplied the Tyre mill and mabe other Departements,

thats about as much i can put on this, sorry to have put you through

this but thanks for your input. Brian

Hi Brian,

I was trying to orientate where the railway track runs on the pic. From your description of the position of the water tower on the front page of the mag it appears that the track runs between the long buildings and straight ahead into the distance in the middle of pic.

Please don't apologize Brian, FB was such a massive site so we can't know it all eh? I really enjoy our little searches into the past.

Have you read this particular rendition of history before??...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firth_Brown_Steels

Peter.

iv"e been reading this thread for sometime now, and find it very interesting. iv"e just noticed peter r started in 1959, so I thought I"d stick my nose in... I also started at firth browns in 1959, engrs. cost office. iv"e still got a copy (in excellent condition) of the firth brown news dated winter 1959... in it is a photo of the new starters, they are.

Philip whybrow(research) trevor lee(elec engrs) graham fields (elec. drawing office) Donald dennis (forwarding) neil rumboll (power station) Malcolm vaughton (comm. drawing office) trevor French (a.t. school) George beck (a.t. school) Geoffrey Langford (a.t. school) stuart hockley (a.t. school) Richard Johnson (research) Michael McVeigh (melting) david smart (r.p.d.) Gregory Connelly (research) david slack (joiners) roy leake (order dept.) david Johnson (research) keith bell (a.t. school) brian patchett (forwarding) graham savage (boiler shop) roger wells (elec. engrs) Michael boon (boiler shop) roger smith (research) graham knott (timekeepers) Robert butlin (a.t. school) brian Wallace (engrs. drawing office) john Harrison (a.t. school) . just thought you might know someone on there.

iv"e been reading this thread for sometime now, and find it very interesting. iv"e just noticed peter r started in 1959, so I thought I"d stick my nose in... I also started at firth browns in 1959, engrs. cost office. iv"e still got a copy (in excellent condition) of the firth brown news dated winter 1959... in it is a photo of the new starters, they are.

Philip whybrow(research) trevor lee(elec engrs) graham fields (elec. drawing office) Donald dennis (forwarding) neil rumboll (power station) Malcolm vaughton (comm. drawing office) trevor French (a.t. school) George beck (a.t. school) Geoffrey Langford (a.t. school) stuart hockley (a.t. school) Richard Johnson (research) Michael McVeigh (melting) david smart (r.p.d.) Gregory Connelly (research) david slack (joiners) roy leake (order dept.) david Johnson (research) keith bell (a.t. school) brian patchett (forwarding) graham savage (boiler shop) roger wells (elec. engrs) Michael boon (boiler shop) roger smith (research) graham knott (timekeepers) Robert butlin (a.t. school) brian Wallace (engrs. drawing office) john Harrison (a.t. school) . just thought you might know someone on there.

Hi Padders,

It's good to see all the names from 1959 . I know only one name though.

I started at FB in the spring of 1959 so unfortunately I'm not on your pic.

However, Roy Leake started a few months after me in Order Dept across the yard from me in the Head Offices. We became friends and both had Lambretta motor scooters. We lost touch in 1963 but we had a few exchanges on Friends Reunited about three years ago. He lives on the south coast so we never met up again.

Here's a pic of us at Constance Grant's ballroom on West Street when we were 16 in 1960. Roy is in the middle and me on the left. I didn't really know the lad on the right and don't think he was at FB.....

http://i1255.photobucket.com/albums/hh629/peterlaurence/IMG_1519_zps2ce0vh8i.jpg

Peter.