Memories of Wigfalls

[Ducky1 10]

Geiljon, i remember Peter Hemmingfield, he married Christine Cooper who also worked there, can remember Mavis but can not think of her surname, she only passed away a few years ago. Can you remember Kath & Margaret (sisters), flo Morris, Sue Grimshaw, Wendy Dickinson, Julia Roe, Sue Bradshaw, Debbie Cannon, Tracy.

[sprocky 10]

i worked at wigfalls on london road, early sixtes up stairs on gents wear mr brown was the manager, i also rember mrs wrag, mrs walton, mrs moaks, elaine, pat, a lot more but cant remember there names,

[wackyjaki 10]

i remember renting a twin tub washer in the 70s from wiggys in fitalan square and it burnt down with the cenima and so did the accounts hence a free washer

[Gieljon 10]

Geiljon, i remember Peter Hemmingfield, he married Christine Cooper who also worked there, can remember Mavis but can not think of her surname, she only passed away a few years ago. Can you remember Kath & Margaret (sisters), flo Morris, Sue Grimshaw, Wendy Dickinson, Julia Roe, Sue Bradshaw, Debbie Cannon, Tracy.

Hello Ducky,

 

I was very sad to hear that Mavis passed away. But what i do remember is that she would be in her late 80's begin 90's.

She was my best friend at Wigfalls in the Legal Department.

I do remember the other names you mentioned. But those were people working on other Departments.

Do you hear or know anything of Peter Hemmingfield? I do remember Christine Cooper.

And that they were a couple whilst working at Wigfalls. Are they still together.

Do you know Rene Barnes and June Smith?

I have such fond memories of working there.

I am living in the Netherlands since leaving Wigfalls in 1982.

If you have anymore information on people who worked there, and their whereabouts, i would be very happy to hear from you. Or anyone who knows anything/remembers.

 

Thanks

Edited May 20, 2010 by Gieljon

[zakes 68]

I.B.A.I.S.A.I.C

 

Mowbray Street.

I worked at Wigfalls 1971-72 starting at Mowbray Street depot in the warehouse lugging televisions and audio units about then as a van lad delivering new, repaired and or reconditioned televisions and radiograms to customers homes. Later I worked on the shop van delivering and collecting from the WIgfalls shops at Hillsbro', Firth Park, Darnall, Fitzalan Square, The Moor, London Road and Spital Hill (stunk of dryrot). The vans used were C.A. and C.F. vans made by Bedford. Colour Engineers had flashy white shooting brakes and normal engineers had Thames or escort vans. Some names:- Mr Woolhouse Snr (his son worked there as a driver during student holidays, he was studying metallurgy at uni) Mr Sheehan, Mr Morell, Mr Eshelby (had Darlows Sports shop later on West Street), Harry Green (Union rep. and colour engineer), Albert Coe and his understudy Derek Fiulger (disposal of obsolete tellys and also Aberdeen lorry), Roy Sur (red haired colour engineer, good snooker player), Stuart Varley (colour ? engineer), Denis Cerrone (deliveries driver later became a policeman), Phil Brunt (driver), Brian Mawby (warehouse), John Hewitt (warehouse and vans), Ian 'Fingers' Halliwell (vans and warehouse), spotty kid with specs (warehouse), Tubby Joe (vans and warehouse), Colin Wilkinson (vans), Kevin Briggs (warehouse), Willis South (depot-mini manager), Aklan Statham (warehouse foreman), Ted Crabtree (colour engineer), Paul (?) Grayson (colour engineer), Doreen (office), Jim (?) Furniss (colour (?) engineer), his daughter worked in the fIRTH pARK shop , loved the thigh length suede boots, mini skirt, blonde hair, and full lips......sorry). The depot had a canteen and the complete menu was:- tea, coffee, egg sandwiches (cakes) sausage sandwiches (cakes), brown sauce, red sauce, sugar were free. Wow! If you went out of the depot gates and turned left and crossed the road there was a sarnie shop that had better fare but the bloke who made the food always had a fag hanging from his mouth with the longash always threatening to fall on the snap but by some miracle never did. On Fridays after work a group of us used to have a few pints in the Brown Cow, Manchester Hotel and Big Gun. A strange thing at Wigfalls was, if you were late for work you got quartered (but not hung and drawn) but if you phoned in to say you were ill you would get full pay. I (mis)used this arrangement to the full on many occasions. Oh, forgot, Ollie, Andy, Keith and man in a wheelchair, Mr Beecroft, Mick Headford.

 

Shop Van.

During my time on the shop van we drove to the Wigfalls shops on a daily basis (mid-morning). Unfortunately I can only remember a few names but I do have most faces in my memory, Mr Brearley at Spital Hill, Geoff Gil at London Road and Chris Kaufmann the South African at Middlewood.

 

Walker Street.

Our boss was Mr McNeil (white mouse) a Scotsman who was stern but fair and very little, working for him was tough and he had the the habit of coming around the corner if you were having a fag or if you were slacking. We stacked tumble dryers (easy) and we stacked washing machines four high (not easy) but working at Walker Street had it's benefits. 1. It was more pay at Walker Street, 2. We got to take apart old settees and armchairs that came back to the depot from customers when they bought new furniture from 'Wiggies' and we often found money that had slipped inside, 3. A nice dinner time pint and a few frames of snooker in the Station Hotel on the Wicker. 4. The office girls two floors higher used to shout down to us and when we looked up they would openly and willingly give us a long flash and that is perhaps the only inspiration a young lad needs to get out of bed in the mornings to get to work on time. Some names of colleagues are Steve Broomhead, Clive (Sooty), Little Kevin, Dennis Smith and Dave Renshaw who sadly suffered with epilepsy. I also worked at a furniture warehouse near the Alma pub under the guidance of Dave and I was always scared that he would have a fit because I wouldn't have known what to do.

These were great days with a laugh a minute and we got up to some right tricks but that did not include theft, not in my days anyway, although it was rumoured that some of the men who emptied money boxes attached to the back or side of customers televisions did quite well. When I resigned at Wigfalls (to go to work at Globe and Simpson or was it Neville Watts) I received a letter a week later asking me to return the donkey jacket supplied to me at work. I duly obliged although I thought it somewhat petty.

 

Thankyou Wigfalls for employing me, wonderful days!!

[lagerlil 11]

my dad worked at wigfalls in fitzalan square, he was a hoover salesman, in the 60s

[Siren 10]

Zakes

I'm Dennis Cerrone whats your real name

D

[ldgtel 10]

Hi Dennis

My name is John Bishop an ex Hoover service engineer working from Walker St, the from Claywheels Lane with the TV men before being moved to Rotherham as ServiceScope. Your name doesn't ring any bells

[telboy 47 10]

former workmate of mine had some problems with wigfalls regarding a waranty on a tv and he was quite a placid guy so dident push the issue but his wife was a different deal and one night went down to wiggys on atterclife road and in big white letters painted her problems on the pavement outside not sure of the outcome but im sure it made her feel better

[Ducky1 10]

Geiljon, I remember Rene Barnes but not sure about June the name ring a bell. I believe Peter & Christine separated years ago might even have been before Wigfalls closed. What is your name i might know you? you can pm me.

[Gieljon 10]

Hello Ducky,

 

I was unable to send you a private mail. Apparently you need to have at least 5 messages on the Forum before that is possible.

 

My name is Ellen Barnes. I worked on the Legal Department with Peter Hemmingfield as my boss. Mavis Osborne was a good friend of mine. Sadly i read that she passed away in November of last year.

 

I also worked in Credit Sanction with Ralph Barnes as Manager.

 

So there was Rene Barnes, Ralph Barnes and myself. All Barnes's but not related.

Rene worked on the Legal department together with June Smith who came from Brinsworth. Rene i believe lived in Worksop. Her husband had some kind of company with roofing.

I left Wigfalls around 1982 to go to Holland. Where i still live.

 

What is your name? Perhaps i know you too!

[xyZed 10]

Hi Dennis

My name is John Bishop an ex Hoover service engineer working from Walker St, the from Claywheels Lane with the TV men before being moved to Rotherham as ServiceScope. Your name doesn't ring any bells

 

Yours does John. I'm Andy Trigg, from the 3rd floor. My workbench was nearest to the stores. I remember all the outside reps who used to come in a morning to get spares and pick our brains at times ;-)

 

I was at Walker street from 1976 - 1978. Best days of my life.