John Bedford & Sons Ltd, Mowbray St. Neepsend

[parkwooder 10]

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.

My auntie used to work at Bedfords around that time. Her name was Mary Austin, and her Maiden name was Walker

[neil memmott 10]

Hiya Parkwooder,

 

Do you happen to know which department she worked in, it would help if you do as Bedfords employed a lot of women particularly in the File, Precision File and Manicure departments and of course in the warehouses.

Please remind me what the names of the two pubs were on PWS, I think the bottom one was the last to go and the top one the first. Had a pint or two in each, long time ago now, memorys' shot:-)

 

regards

neil memmott

[parkwooder 10]

Hello Niel,

I'm not too sure about which department, but I know it wouldn't have been warehouse work. Did they have buffer's? that would have been more up my aunties street, or something similar.

Yes Niel the parkwood hotel was the last to go. The one at the top was called the Douglas Inn.

 

Do you happen to know which department she worked in, it would help if you do as Bedfords employed a lot of women particularly in the File, Precision File and Manicure departments and of course in the warehouses.

Please remind me what the names of the two pubs were on PWS, I think the bottom one was the last to go and the top one the first. Had a pint or two in each, long time ago now, memorys' shot:-)

 

regards

neil memmott

[neil memmott 10]

Hi Parkwooder, no Bedfords did'nt have buffers as such but they did have a lot of lovely lady file cutters who dressed themselves up in a similar manner to Buffers to keep the muck off them caused by the job they were employed to do. I had a lot of respect for them lasses, salt of the earth they were, hard working, best jokers in the world and never a dull moment. How they put up with the hammering of the machines they worked I don't know, there were no ear muffs in those days.

 

The Parkwood used to be a Whitbread House and the Douglas was Stones I'm sure. I seem to remember the Douglas as the cosiest of the two even though it was right up there in the farthest corner. Why I found myself up there drinking whilst I lived in Meersbrook I'll never know, once you got of the bus at "The Gardners" you were on your own. Good days in any event.

 

I've still not identified your Aunt Mary but hopefully someone will once they have read the Forum, I've only been a member two weeks and it is absolutely amazing the people I have been in touch with whether we knew each other or not.

 

Keep in touch if you come up with something else re Bedfords.

 

Regards

 

Neil Memmott

[neil memmott 10]

I'm hoping someone out there will remember some of the following who worked at Bedfords in the sixties/early seventies i.e.

 

Home Sales - Eric Booth - Sales Office Manager

Raymond Socket -Clerk extraordanairy

Betty - a single woman who lived in or near Penistone Road, office co-ordinator

Pauline - pretty woman, Salvationist.

John Clayton was 2nd to Eric Booth but transferred to Stock Control,

Apologies to the ones I have missed

 

Steel Sales Harry Wragg - office Manager

Jack Hobson - Bright Bar Dept.

 

Buying Dept. Ron Tiddy - Manager

Susan his assistant, (her father was big in Sheffield Club)

 

Stock Control Ted Brown - Manager

Glynn Kilroe - Chief Chaser

Angela - who became Mrs Kilroe, a lovely lass, last I heard they lived in Worksop. and many others

 

Packing Room. Arthur Waller

Edith his assistant and pal

Len Allcock - Ace dartplayer, could also pack a mean packing case

Enid/Edna - lovely person who married Edmond Ogden - Works Director

Frwdng Dept. Ken Smith - Manager, disabled but you'd never believe it. Ken was followed by Les ??? - and Doreen Marples was his assistant.

 

All lovely people and I hope someone out there will remember a name and get in touch, more names to follows.

[neil memmott 10]

I'm hoping someone out there will remember some of the following who worked at Bedfords in the sixties/early seventies i.e.

 

Home Sales - Eric Booth - Sales Office Manager

Raymond Socket -Clerk extraordanairy

Betty - a single woman who lived in or near Penistone Road, office co-ordinator

Pauline - pretty woman, Salvationist.

John Clayton was 2nd to Eric Booth but transferred to Stock Control,

Apologies to the ones I have missed

 

Steel Sales Harry Wragg - office Manager

Jack Hobson - Bright Bar Dept.

 

Buying Dept. Ron Tiddy - Manager

Susan his assistant, (her father was big in Sheffield Club)

 

Stock Control Ted Brown - Manager

Glynn Kilroe - Chief Chaser

Angela - who became Mrs Kilroe, a lovely lass, last I heard they lived in Worksop.

Packing Room. Arthur Waller

Edith his assistant and pal

Len Allcock - Ace dartplayer, could also pack a mean packing case

Enid/Edna - lovely person who married Edmond Ogden - Works Director

Frwdng Dept. Ken Smith - Manager, disabled but you'd never believe it. Ken was followed by Les ??? - and Doreen Marples was his assistant.

 

All lovely people and I hope someone out there will remember a name and get in touch, more names to follows.

[karaman 10]

hey up gritman,

i didn`t know that you had worked at bedfords !

I`VE G0T YOUR EX GAFFERS MAHOGANY SH----SE SEAT ON MY TOILET.

I BOUGHT THE CONTENTS OF THE OFFICES WHEN THEY SHUT DOWN & COULDN`T RESIST THE THOUGHTS OF HAVING THE MANAGING DIRECTORS PERSONAL, HIGHLY POLISHED,HARDWOOD,(POSSIBLY HANDMADE) THRONE SEAT.

[S A C 10]

any one know geoff nuttall

He worked in the File department as a foreman. He left to be a full time driving instructer.

[S A C 10]

Hi Parkwooder, no Bedfords did'nt have buffers as such but they did have a lot of lovely lady file cutters who dressed themselves up in a similar manner to Buffers to keep the muck off them caused by the job they were employed to do. I had a lot of respect for them lasses, salt of the earth they were, hard working, best jokers in the world and never a dull moment. How they put up with the hammering of the machines they worked I don't know, there were no ear muffs in those days.

 

The Parkwood used to be a Whitbread House and the Douglas was Stones I'm sure. I seem to remember the Douglas as the cosiest of the two even though it was right up there in the farthest corner. Why I found myself up there drinking whilst I lived in Meersbrook I'll never know, once you got of the bus at "The Gardners" you were on your own. Good days in any event.

 

I've still not identified your Aunt Mary but hopefully someone will once they have read the Forum, I've only been a member two weeks and it is absolutely amazing the people I have been in touch with whether we knew each other or not.

 

Keep in touch if you come up with something else re Bedfords.

 

Regards

 

Neil Memmott

Sorry to contradict you but they did employ buffers ,brown paper leggings and aprons.Also `traditional`cloth turbans.They worked in the manicure dep`t polishing tweezers etc.

[carosio 186]

I worked in the grinding/hardening shop for chisels/bolsters/hammers/punches about 70-73 approx. A chap called Arnold managed the warehouse upstairs.

[S A C 10]

It was Arnold Wright

[carosio 186]

It was Arnold Wright

 

Thanks for that. I remember when they installed (or was it moved) a file cutting machine, the foundations had to be very deep (due to the vibrations) and were, I think, filled with concrete. They employed two Irishmen to dig it out, I've never seen anyone work as hard digging a hole, and by the time they had finished there heads were well below the floor level. I wonder if similar machines are used today.