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Did you work at Abrose Shardlow’s?

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Is there anyone still alive today who worked at Ambrose Shardlow”s during the war. I worked there for a while, but my grandfather, Billie Wood, worked there most of his life, starting when the original workshop was in Attercliffe and old Ambrose Shardlow only had one lathe and one grinder. My grandfather was a time-served turner. When I worked there, he was about the only one left, and he could turn out a crankshaft from a single block of steel. At that time, Shardlow’s had the biggest single machine shop in the world, producing crankshafts for practically every vehicle on the road. I’ve read in ex-pats that someone believed they produced parts for the Spitfire, but not in my day they didn’t!

They also produced metric micrometers. Since we worked in feet and inches I could never see the point. I simply accepted that they probably sold them abroad to metric countries. When I was there the machine shop was under the management of a Mr Harding and Abrose Shardlow was still alive and well, and visited most days. Most of their machines came from Cincinatti in the United States. We had a first-class canteen, and at least once during the war I recall it being the venue for a radio programme, Workers’ Playtime, which was always announced on radio as coming from ’Somewhere in Britain’.

The company also produced its own crankshaft forgings. I know it’s still there because I occasionally pass it on the M1. Do they still make crankshafts? I note that the forge has gone, but at least the machine shop is still there. The company is at Wincobank near J.H. Lee, a firm which, coincidentally, was adjacent to Shardlows when the company first started in Attercliffe.

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Ambrose Shardlows did make crankshafts for the spitfire and were onre of the primary targets for the Blitz, along with other firms in the east end of the town. It is said that it was so top secret that the men working on them did not know what they were for but that were a 'Government Job' and no time allowance was made for them.

After this throughout the trade any job being done outside the time allowance (that is your own work) became known as a 'government job'

Then again I could be completely wrong

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Thanks Artisan, for the information which has arrived a little late. If I’d known I was going to be a target for bombs, I might not have worked there! What are you doing up so late? A man of your age should be in bed. I’m going there now!

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So Im wrong then peterw, all the old stories Ive told for years. Never mind no one ever believed them anyway :hihi:

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I know crankshafts for the RR merlin engine used in the spitfire were made at the English Steel Corp. in the east m/c shop I polished the pins and journals on enough of em. The engines were in use after the war as they were in the cheiftan tank in it's early days.

As for working at Shardlows, my grandfather worked as a planer in the die shop there his name was Edward Steel he was known as Fred at work and he worked on the big planer just inside the door.

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my grandfather worked as a planer in the die shop there his name was Edward Steel he was known as Fred at work and he worked on the big planer just inside the door.
I did'nt work there until 1974, but I worked in the Die shop opposite the planer in the welders cabin. The guy who taught me my trade was calle'd Sam (can't remember his surname), but I know he had worked there from being a young lad. He sadly died just before his retirement. that would be about 1978.

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I did'nt work there until 1974, but I worked in the Die shop opposite the planer in the welders cabin. The guy who taught me my trade was calle'd Sam (can't remember his surname), but I know he had worked there from being a young lad. He sadly died just before his retirement. that would be about 1978.

My grandpa retired early 50's and died in the late 50's he worked there during the war.

Just noticed where you're from my grandpa lived at shiregreen he lived in Greghouse Road about halfway up the hill from Hartleybrook, school small world eh.

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Does any one who worked there in the 60's remember Joeseph fletcher (i was told he worked there). He was my grandad.

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My grandfather, Billy Wood, also worked at Shardlow’s during the war. He lived in Deep Lane, number 23, and we lived on the other side at 22. During the war my grandparents had an Irishman billeted there. He also worked t Shardlows and his surname was Nagel. He’s dead now, but he worked there to save enough money to buy a farm in Southern Ireland, which he did. It was at a place called Ballygamboon. He married an Irish girl while he lived with my grandparents and she had her first child there.

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Is there anyone still alive today who worked at Ambrose Shardlow”s during the war. I worked there for a while, but my grandfather, Billie Wood, worked there most of his life, starting when the original workshop was in Attercliffe and old Ambrose Shardlow only had one lathe and one grinder. My grandfather was a time-served turner. When I worked there, he was about the only one left, and he could turn out a crankshaft from a single block of steel. At that time, Shardlow’s had the biggest single machine shop in the world, producing crankshafts for practically every vehicle on the road. I’ve read in ex-pats that someone believed they produced parts for the Spitfire, but not in my day they didn’t!

They also produced metric micrometers. Since we worked in feet and inches I could never see the point. I simply accepted that they probably sold them abroad to metric countries. When I was there the machine shop was under the management of a Mr Harding and Abrose Shardlow was still alive and well, and visited most days. Most of their machines came from Cincinatti in the United States. We had a first-class canteen, and at least once during the war I recall it being the venue for a radio programme, Workers’ Playtime, which was always announced on radio as coming from ’Somewhere in Britain’.

The company also produced its own crankshaft forgings. I know it’s still there because I occasionally pass it on the M1. Do they still make crankshafts? I note that the forge has gone, but at least the machine shop is still there. The company is at Wincobank near J.H. Lee, a firm which, coincidentally, was adjacent to Shardlows when the company first started in Attercliffe.

Hi Peter by way of intrest do you recall a Captain Cowan being on the board at that firm just after the war, Arthur.

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I am doing the family history and my father in law ( John Henry Firth) worked at Ambrose Shardlow all his working life - he was a drop stamper and worked on hammer number 18 which was a Germany "Bechy" both my brother in laws also worked there - Roy Firth and Stephen Firth - Roy was in the machine shop and Steve was in the forge -

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My dad worked there. I'm not 100% sure that it was Ambrose Shardlows when he was there (I *think* it was), but certainly when it became GKN and then United Engineering. I belive he started work there in the 60's. My cousin also worked there.

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