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Anyone work at Loxley Brothers Ltd Print Works

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Well i started this thread in 2007 all of 5 years ago now and im surprised and delighted that ex employees are still commenting on it now! Tizzertaylor i remember you mate, i remember you starting there you were tiny!! you did grow up im glad to say but yes we had some banter in those days about wednesday and united didnt we it was always so painful when our team lost and you had to face the crap on monday mornings! hope things are going well for you mate i left sheffield 6 years ago and im now singing in pubs down london.

Craig2010 i do remember your mum i was there the same time as her but im afraid i cant remember your dad..and its such a long time ago i cant even remember fancying your sister lol..what is her name? Getting old now mate the memory is going...

If there are any more memories of Loxleys out there keep them coming its been great catching up again tonight.

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As I have said before on this thread I started at Loxleys as an apprentice comp in April 1952 and stayed until October 1966 so when a friend of mine put me in touch (too long a story to tell here) with an old workmate namely Colin Bird we made arrangements to meet-up and I phoned another old workmate Derek Boucher and we all met in the City centre and struggled to recognise each other, what a laugh. We spent about 3 hours or so reminiscing and enjoying a thoroughly happy time. I had not seen Derek for about 9 years when we met at the 150th anniversary celebration and Colin I hadn't seen since 1989 when we were made redundant at Sheffield Newspapers. We promised to get together again in the future and I will make sure we do . . . Ah Nostalgia . . . there's nothing like it!

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As I have said before on this thread I started at Loxleys as an apprentice comp in April 1952 and stayed until October 1966 so when a friend of mine put me in touch (too long a story to tell here) with an old workmate namely Colin Bird we made arrangements to meet-up and I phoned another old workmate Derek Boucher and we all met in the City centre and struggled to recognise each other, what a laugh. We spent about 3 hours or so reminiscing and enjoying a thoroughly happy time. I had not seen Derek for about 9 years when we met at the 150th anniversary celebration and Colin I hadn't seen since 1989 when we were made redundant at Sheffield Newspapers. We promised to get together again in the future and I will make sure we do . . . Ah Nostalgia . . . there's nothing like it!

 

Remember Derek Boucher very well. He loved his horse racing and at a quarter to every hour he would sneak into the toilet to tune into Radio 2 and get the latest results from Kemton Park or wherever. All the comps that had a bet would surround Derek when he came out pumping him for race details. He could whistle a tune in a kind of hilarious warble so the tune was only half recognisable. Derek worked alongside Fred Smith on the "Stone" way back in the days (I was there as a compositor from 1970 to 1976). Left to work at the University printing department. Had some huge laughs along the way with Stan Boddington, George Frost (my mentor) and Mark Neylan --- all three very sadly no longer with us. They used to make the day go by much faster with the jokes and larking about. There was some damn good accurate "type flickers" in those days. It would be interesting to learn how the ex-comps are doing that are still breathing. I went to Nobby Scotton's funeral and was very saddened because he was a great bloke. I wonder whatever became of Dennis Gregory, Tom Shaw, Steven Guy, Neil Mackley, Jim May, Frank Gavins, Geoff Russell, Terry Cartwright, Steve Tims, Pete Addy, Jim (Eric) Brough -- quite a rebel was Jim!, plus Roger Bentley and the very likeable and eccentric reader Bob Edworthy. At aged 61 I'm still in the print trade as self-employed ,,,,, hanging on by my finger nails. Any information would be much appreciated. Thanks. Martin Fenwick.

Edited by martin1print

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I knew Derek Boucher and still keep in touch, should be seeing him and Colin Bird shortly, Derek and I always had a bet together and had a few nice touches particularly on a horse named Grey of Falloden which won the Cesarewitch at 20-1. Of the others you mention I knew Stan Bodds and Fred Smith, Stan was a very good friend and Fred was forever leg-pulling, I went to his funeral and mentioned this to his Daughter who replied that he was still doing it shortly before his death, he lived into his nineties. I also knew George Frost, Denis Gregory, Tom Shaw, Frank Gavins, Terry Cartwright, Geoff Russell, Arthur (nobby) Scotton and Jim May. I used to see Geoff Russell but haven't seen him for a while, I see Doreen Scotton frequently and Jim's wife, Jim and I have been lifelong friends but I don't see him now as he is in a nursing home and has been for quite a few years suffering from "Parkinsons", I find it too upsetting and one cannot hold a conversation with him, he is really in a bad way. Although I wanted to leave Loxleys I had a lump in my throat as big as a football, their were some great pals I left there.

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I knew Derek Boucher and still keep in touch, should be seeing him and Colin Bird shortly, Derek and I always had a bet together and had a few nice touches particularly on a horse named Grey of Falloden which won the Cesarewitch at 20-1. Of the others you mention I knew Stan Bodds and Fred Smith, Stan was a very good friend and Fred was forever leg-pulling, I went to his funeral and mentioned this to his Daughter who replied that he was still doing it shortly before his death, he lived into his nineties. I also knew George Frost, Denis Gregory, Tom Shaw, Frank Gavins, Terry Cartwright, Geoff Russell, Arthur (nobby) Scotton and Jim May. I used to see Geoff Russell but haven't seen him for a while, I see Doreen Scotton frequently and Jim's wife, Jim and I have been lifelong friends but I don't see him now as he is in a nursing home and has been for quite a few years suffering from "Parkinsons", I find it too upsetting and one cannot hold a conversation with him, he is really in a bad way. Although I wanted to leave Loxleys I had a lump in my throat as big as a football, their were some great pals I left there.

 

Thanks very much for the info. Much appreciated. Please pass on my regards to Derek Boucher. I think he will remember me. Agreed, Fred Smith was a very witty man with a dry sense of humour and good to hear he lived to a ripe old age. I liked Fred, he taught me how to impose pages on the stone. Glad to know Doreen Scotton is still alive. Her husband Nobby was one of the best - very generous too. Once in the Heeley Social he won about £10 on the fruit machine and I happened to be passing. He reached into the tray and handed me £2 of his winnings (a lot of money in 1974) as I was only getting paid about £12 a week as an apprentice comp. He was impulsive like that. I once accidentally gave Nobby a black eye. We were pretending to spar and I swung a punch and my knuckle caught the side of his eye. It came up as a shiner and the other comps gave him some right stick about getting a slap from a kid. Wish I could go back in time and buy him a few pints. Nobby and Doreen were just about the last residents of the old houses on Broadfield Road before demolition until they were granted their wish to move to Totley. George Frost was another bloke that enriched my comp work experience with a cart load of laughs singing his Al Johnson hits at full blast. I was desperately saddened to hear that he took his own life. Also remember Stan Bodds and Mark Neylan very well and enjoyed playing quite a few practical jokes. Good old Stan was never shy to voice his opinion and it almost always involved some laughter. Mark was just a year younger than me. He worked for a printer in Handsworth when he fell ill suddenly and died aged 54. I was shocked to the core to get the news. He is buried with his parents near the entrance at St. Michael's RC cemetery in Rivelin. I worked with Mark after he left Loxleys at Slater Printing and he always had a smile on his face. I used to be on friendly terms with Geoff Russell too and saw him a few times when he worked for the Council printers in Darnall. That was about 18 years ago so I guess he must be retired now. Very sorry to hear Jim May has parkinsons. It's really sad to hear he is confined to the nursing home. Jim was a Blades fanatic, very argumentative about football and when United had lost all the Owls fans were waiting for him on a Monday morning to give him what for. If you worked for Sheffield Newspapers, I wonder if you knew Phil Short and Graham Goodwin? Also Dan Cummings who was my Uncle? Phil lives at Crookes and I think he is a postman. Graham sadly contracted multiple schlerosis and we lost touch as he lived out at Bolton-on-Dearne. I knew Phil and Graham from the Print College at Psalter Lane. When I reflect back to the 70's, for the most part I disliked the tedious job of setting up type, it was so slow and cumbersome and was pleased to escape into the world of computers and litho to the University in 1976. When I handed in my notice to Jim May, Ron Thomas the works manager summoned me to the office and told me I was a fool for leaving. Nevertheless, I knew it was time to bail out as letterpress was dying a slow and painful death and litho was taking over. Still often think back to my days at Loxleys when I was young and green as grass. Thanks again.

Edited by martin1print

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Martin, Next time I see Doreen I will mention your name, a bit more information in case you were not aware, George Frost committed suicide, very sad. Phil and Graham were apprentices when I worked at The Star and of course I well remember Dan, we were all made redundant at the same time (March 4, 1989) My wife and I accidentally met Dan and his wife some years later in M & S Fargate and sometime after that I read his obituary in The Star. I am just in the job of trying to arrange a meeting with Derek and Colin.

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Martin, Next time I see Doreen I will mention your name, a bit more information in case you were not aware, George Frost committed suicide, very sad. Phil and Graham were apprentices when I worked at The Star and of course I well remember Dan, we were all made redundant at the same time (March 4, 1989) My wife and I accidentally met Dan and his wife some years later in M & S Fargate and sometime after that I read his obituary in The Star. I am just in the job of trying to arrange a meeting with Derek and Colin.

 

Thank you. I knew that George committed suicide. This news was an awful shock as George used to teach me the tricks of the trade and I always admired his funny distorted points of view on life. He was a great inspiration to me in his own rough and ready kind of manner. Life in the comps would have been a lot more boring without George's songs and accurate type flicking antics! I lived a few doors down from Phil Short in Crookes from 1987 to 1988. I haven't seen Phil for a few years but I guess he is still at the same house. Dan was a very generous Uncle to me and good friend of my Father. I still visit his two daughters (my cousins) Bernadette and Margaret. Dan is interred with his wife Margaret at St. Michael's RC cemetery, Rivelin, where I work part-time as an administrator. I found Derek's Facebook page and left him a message. It looks as though he doesn't login to Facebook very much so please do pass on my regards when you meet him in the pub.

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Hi Martin, I saw Doreen Scotton yesterday and related to her what I knew she was going to try and get on the Forum with her I-pad although she couldn't remember you. I am meeting Colin and Derek next Monday (7th) at 11.00 am at John Lewis if you can make it you will be welcome.

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Hi Martin, I saw Doreen Scotton yesterday and related to her what I knew she was going to try and get on the Forum with her I-pad although she couldn't remember you. I am meeting Colin and Derek next Monday (7th) at 11.00 am at John Lewis if you can make it you will be welcome.

 

Sorry, I can't make it to John Lewis as I'm working all day on Monday. I'm not surprised Doreen Scotton can't remember me. It is such a long time ago. Please give Derek my regards and enjoy yourself talking over old times. Martin

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I have just heard that Jim May passed away last night (Aug 9th).

 

---------- Post added 14-08-2017 at 11:16 ----------

 

The Funeral of Jim May is at Hutcliffe Wood on Friday 25th Aug. at 10.30am.

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I have just heard that Jim May passed away last night (Aug 9th).

 

---------- Post added 14-08-2017 at 11:16 ----------

 

The Funeral of Jim May is at Hutcliffe Wood on Friday 25th Aug. at 10.30am.

 

I didn't check the forum for months and was saddened to hear Jim has passed away. I would have gone to the funeral if I had known.

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Sharrovian, Don Stevenson, worked at Loxley Brothers 1952 to 1966.

 

Died today, Sunday 21st of July, age 82

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