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John Bedford & Sons Ltd, Mowbray St. Neepsend

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Hello again Neil!

 

Thanks. Now I have the names to fit the faces that I just about remember.

We were a good bunch, weren't we ...

 

I didn't stay with Rank but instead became an occupational gypsy moving around to the call of various interesting vocations, among them exports (again), wholesale and retail, finance, starting up a new shopping centre, and generally enjoying myself as an author of a number of books that apparently gave me greater pleasure than the buying public who basically didn't seem to register what they were missing (i.e. sold in the thousands rather than the tensofthousands).

 

So basically I'm still trying to figure out what I'm going to be when I grow up ...

 

Thinking about it, and suddenly remembering that I've got a grandson who's going on 22, I suppose I really should figure this out pretty quickly ...

 

Get in touch when you're closing on your trip along the coast and we can see if we can't manage to meet up before the ship sails.

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Hi Geir,

 

yes, when I think about it, we were a good bunch, in fact the wholeplace was good and there are one or two people that I still correspond with from those times but we did have a really good crowd in our office and the atmosphere was great, it's all changed a bit since then.

 

After Bedfords had been taken over by the mighty Tarmac things rapidly began to change, top management out and replaced with Tarmac's own and the writing on the wall became all to clear and I got out and joined a construction company as tranport and plant manager, nice company and paid well but the export call was soon coming back and after a year or two I joined "Presto" Tools who were really just around the corner from Bedfords. I remained in sales of one sort or another up until we both took very early retirement and went to live in Cyprus for a few years and whilst we still visit and house sit various properties there we sold our own place and came back to live in UK. I took a part time job looking after the local DIY shop in the village where we live and finally retired officially from there about four years ago. So there you have it.

 

Healthwise I'm nay so bad but I had a fright a couple of years ago when the old ticker started playing up, luckily I had stopped smoking back in 2000 so I did'nt have that to pack up but I've been ordered (yes ordered) off the Booze by my consultant, when he told me I nearly had a bloody heart attack mate I'll tell you, fifty odd years boozin' and this cocky young sod cooly tells me to pack it in then and there. I though it was going to be painfull but it was easier than stopping smoking and so I'm nearly as clean as a whistle these days.

 

I'll be in touch nearer the time of our visit matey, in the meantime look after yourselves and take your grandson off to see the ice hocky matches.

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Hello again,

Retirement in Cyprus must have taken you back to times long gone. I remember you did a sales trip / exhibition there and met up with old Archbishop Makarios of all people - I think you had a picture of the two of you together ...

That may have been on the same trip you had to Teheran when the place was still worth a visit.

Good to hear that the baccy and booze resolve has done your ticker good. It's surprising what you can deal with if you're really put on the spot.

Unfortunately I'm still a sinner in both departments and determined to stay that way. But then I'm daft ...

 

Get in touch when you're ready for your trip.

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I found this by accident - Saturday afternoon - washing up done - Rugby not on yet - nothing better to do than browse.....

I too was in the Export Department at John Bedfords and have scanned these pages picking up names etc - some I remembered easily, some not.

Sadly Ian Davison died in the mid 80's - despite the fact that he was a keen sportsman it appears he had heart problems and died I think of a heart attack. I remember him saying he was going to Australia and I think he did although when I met him again he was living at Eckington and I think had his own company.

Neil - I remember you very well as I should. Gier too - do you remember guitar sessions at your flat in Nether Edge? Pete Coupe as well.

When I started there, Ron Duce was the manager who soon returned to Canada, you Neil, Malcolm Blackwell, Dave ?, I remember Lynn too also Liz and Astrid although as she took over from me when I left, I never got to know her well at all.

Loads of other names are floating around in my head and the memories to go with them - it all seems like yesterday although - sadly - it isn't...it's a very long time ago.

 

---------- Post added 23-02-2013 at 15:10 ----------

 

I've remembered - it was Dave Johnson - came from Rotherham.:hihi:

 

---------- Post added 24-02-2013 at 13:31 ----------

 

I've been reading and re-reading some of the posts here going back to the beginning - talk about a very small world - I remember Glyn Kilroe and Angela but how about this- when I retired in 2002, Glyn was my financial adviser - thought at the time there was something about him I thought I remembered and this must have been it.

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Hello emo924

 

I'm not sure who's hiding behind that name but you sure as hell must have been at my place at Nether Edge since you remember the guitar sessions (which I frankly have tried my best to forget since they were hardly up to competing with Clapton).

Sad to hear about Ian, but then there are a lot of sads and a lot of happies in the space of 40-odd years. I suppose that's just life.

But Bedfords was one of the happies as long as it lasted - a good bunch and a good workplace.

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Geir

 

This is Chris Emsley - don't know if you would remember the name.

You took over from Malcolm Blackwell as I recall although I am not sure of the year. I left around December 1970 and instantly regretted it - went to Sanderson Kaysers at Attercliffe and endured probably the unhappiest year of my working life. I tried to get back to Bedfords when Astrid left - Neil wanted me but I think it was Ron Boyd who said that I had made my bed and could therefore lie in it. As it is he did me a favour as Bedfords was sold to Tarmac and broken up and I only stayed at Sandersons for a year before moving on to something else - ahem...the Police. (Force, not group) where I did my 30 years, retiring 11 years ago.

I also remember you, Pete Coupe and I going up the hill to the waste ground and playing football during our lunch break - much to the annoyance of David Reid, the Sales Director when he saw us returning bedraggled, scruffy and sweaty! Not what he expected of us budding sales executives.

I have periodically taken up the guitar again over the years, convinced I hadn't 'lost-it' - still, as they say, what you never had you never lose and ability on a guitar always eluded me.

Trust you are in good health and enjoying life.

Regards

 

Chris

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My Dad (Mr Craine) used to work at a company called Bedfords and I think it was on Mowbray Street.

 

He then moved to Spear and Jacksons.

 

I'm not sure if it was the period stipulated, but he's been retired for over 20 years, so it could well be.

 

Regards

 

Doom

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Geir

 

This is Chris Emsley - don't know if you would remember the name.

You took over from Malcolm Blackwell as I recall although I am not sure of the year. I left around December 1970 and instantly regretted it - went to Sanderson Kaysers at Attercliffe and endured probably the unhappiest year of my working life. I tried to get back to Bedfords when Astrid left - Neil wanted me but I think it was Ron Boyd who said that I had made my bed and could therefore lie in it. As it is he did me a favour as Bedfords was sold to Tarmac and broken up and I only stayed at Sandersons for a year before moving on to something else - ahem...the Police. (Force, not group) where I did my 30 years, retiring 11 years ago.

I also remember you, Pete Coupe and I going up the hill to the waste ground and playing football during our lunch break - much to the annoyance of David Reid, the Sales Director when he saw us returning bedraggled, scruffy and sweaty! Not what he expected of us budding sales executives.

I have periodically taken up the guitar again over the years, convinced I hadn't 'lost-it' - still, as they say, what you never had you never lose and ability on a guitar always eluded me.

Trust you are in good health and enjoying life.

Regards

 

Chris

 

Hello Chris

 

Of course I remember you. Your face popped up when I got the name.

 

I had forgotten many things from my time at Bedfords until I happened upon this site and then names and faces began to pop up every other day, and now I can even recall exactly how our office was and who sat where etc.

 

I had forgotten about trotting off up the hill to kick a ball about with you and Pete, but it all came back when you reminded me of the fact. That was how it was, at the office we weren't just working colleagues but also buddies who got along well - so someone must have done a good job of creating a good work environment.

 

I seem to recall that you were pretty good on the guitar (and even knew how to tune the thing). For my own part I never got past the stage where I was a humdinger on three chords with a fourth happening along on a good day.

 

To me it seems like you made a good career move when you went into the police with what they claim to be early retirement with a pleasant pension, but then, what do I know?

 

For my own part I expect to stay on the job until I'm 70 (which is closing too darn fast) but then, I bore very easilly so retirement will probably be the death of me.

 

It was nice to hear from you.

 

Geir

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Hi Geir

Good to hear from you.

You are right and I was fairly lucky with my decision to join the Police. Every 'generation' of policemen say that the job is nothing like it was when they joined and not as good either but the way things with the service have developed I really believe I had the best of it. Because of the changes to pension arrangements, some lads I worked with now have longer to work for a full pension than they did on the day they joined.

So, I was lucky and count my blessings. The pension isn't huge but sufficient and compared to some other unfortunates pretty good.

I have been retired now since 2002 when I was 52. I had a year doing nothing at all just to see how we went on - then 'fell' into a job delivering Mercedes cars as a casual driver. Gave that up after a year, did nothing for another 7 or 8 months then again fell into part-time employment back with the Police as a caseworker in their Complaints and Discipline Department. I planned to stay for no more than 6 months but ended up staying 7 years and retired again 2 years ago. Now I do nothing other than indulge my hobbies which revolve mainly round hill-walking and the 1st World War.

I have made one or two 'comebacks' on the guitar but finally accepted I had never been as good as I thought I was. Could probably keep one in tune though but that is far as it goes.

Looking back I also seem to remember dropping in the Ladysbridge pub when we had finished work on a Friday night - what started out as a couple of pints before we all went our seperate ways ended up with me habitually rolling home about 9.30pm well worse for wear and with my dinner burnt to a cinder. Was that at the time you were at Bedfords? I seem to think it was.

I remember seeing the photographs of your wedding but can't remember exactly what year that was. I am now married for the second time, my first lasted 9 years but I have been lucky and second time around have been married for almost 32 years.

What exactly are you doing now and when can you finish.

I know there is a tendency to look back largely through rose tinted glasses but I always remember Bedfords with great affection - of course it was my first job after leaving school and that had an effect but it was a close knit office and we all got on - nothing like Sanderson Kaysers which I hated but it did do me the favour of pushing me towards the Police. Of course the Police wasn't completely a bed of roses and I like others had to make some sacrifices etc but it served me well and I have no regrets.

Anyway I hope you are keeping in good health and would look forward to hearing from you again as and when you get the chance.

Cheers for now

Chris

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Hello again,

Retirement in Cyprus must have taken you back to times long gone. I remember you did a sales trip / exhibition there and met up with old Archbishop Makarios of all people - I think you had a picture of the two of you together ...

That may have been on the same trip you had to Teheran when the place was still worth a visit.

Good to hear that the baccy and booze resolve has done your ticker good. It's surprising what you can deal with if you're really put on the spot.

Unfortunately I'm still a sinner in both departments and determined to stay that way. But then I'm daft ...

 

Get in touch when you're ready for your trip.

 

Hi Geir, Sorry to have left it a month since I last posted you but since then my wife suffered a stroke which plonked her in hospital for a short while. Luckily it was'nt a bad stroke in the sense that it did'nt do a lot of lasting damage. The main affection is in her right leg which won't respond to the instructions her brain tells it to but they (the medics & physios) are working on this and they seem confident that they can restore something like normality within time. It's been a rather busy time for me one way or the other since but we seem to be settling down somewhat now.

 

Anyway it's good to see the Bedford lads have been keeping you busy, it's like old times really or would be if one or two of the lasses threw their hats in as well, it would be nice to catch up with them, I bet there's a few story's to be told between us.

 

I hope you have a pleasant Easter, just as a matter of interest, what do you give to the kids to celebrate the occasion? as you know it's custom here to give them chocolate eggs. I know in Finland they give chocolate rabbits, is that the same in Norway and/or Sweden?

 

Take care and have a good un'.

 

N

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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.

 

they were spanner makers as i remember, i did have a set or 2 when i was an apprentice, a set of A/F and Whitworth could never get an answer as to what a/f and whitworth meant anyone tell me please x

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they were spanner makers as i remember, i did have a set or 2 when i was an apprentice, a set of A/F and Whitworth could never get an answer as to what a/f and whitworth meant anyone tell me please x

 

Quick link here: http://reviews.ebay.co.uk/Understanding-Whitworth-BSF-AF-BA-and-metric-tools?ugid=10000000003499809&clk_rvr_id=271070567134

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