Anyone worked at Firth Browns?

[skippy 11]

PopT, I remember the nights in the Alexander, my mates brother in law used to run it, after 10-00pm on weekends we stayed behind until the early hours.

We called the pub the Shakers, as everyone had a tin with dried peas or rice etc and get stuck into the percushion with the juke box blaring.

[alevans 10]

I worked at Firth Brown Tools, in the mettalurgy lab when I left school, My dad , Douglas worked at Firth Browns though, variously in the rolling mills or as descaler.

[shaunfl 10]

i worked at firth browns from 1970 - 1976 as a turner in

#4 bay also my father worked in the wages dept.

 

was that 4 bay in the light m/c shop? is the neth short for kenneth:confused: :confused:

[malcy 10]

I worked there as a turner from leaving school in 76 to the strike in 85. Anyone remember me?

 

Hector

[shelby46 10]

Hi,

My dad, Jack Green, worked at Firth Browns for years as a shunter, and also at Dunford Hadfields for a while til they moved.

[melv 16]

My first job after leaving school in 1968 was at Firth Brown's as an apprentice turner, boy was I crap at it. Finished up becoming a welder and doing some maching work in later life. I remember one day getting a turning down my finger while in the training centre and having to go to the ambulance room. When I got there I was scared to death the first aid man was disabled he looked like he had polio and when he came towards me with a large pair pointed tweezers I nearly fainted, well I was only fifteen. Truth was he was fantastic he got the turning out with trouble and dressed the wound like a proper doc. Years later my old boss bought the nitriding factory in the same yard as the old training centre. I think by then Firth Brown's had shut down then and only Firth Brown Tools was still open. Before FB's shutdown I remember welding some hydraulic legs for them, when I delivered them back there was three blokes slinging the work and one driving the crane. I think that was overmanning.

 

I joined FB's in 1969 as a maintenance fitter,and I remember the same first aid man.I didn,t have a turning in my finger,I had something in my eye! He had to steady his right hand with his left,as he made short stabs to extract the piece of grit.Luckily for my eyesight he got it at the third attempt.

I worked in most of the maintenance departments up to leaving in 1979,and have many happy memories .Can anyone recall the inter-departmental cricket match,when the ATS played the Lorry Garage.I scored 3 runs & was given out.I looked at the score book & i'd scored 15 ! Yes,we were fiddling the scores.We got found-out & had to replay the match,& got a severe reprimand from the sports club.

[melv 16]

Can anyone remember the guy who took over the coaching of the football teams. I think he joined about 1975,and his first name was Keith. His claim to fame was he played for Rotherham and he was the 1st player in the football league to be substituted.

[W Wilkinson 10]

my dad Roy Wilkinson worked at Firth Browns from 40s to 70s, he was a tool and cutter grinder then worked at Gordan Tools on Rockingham Street until he retired.

[CHAIRBOY 10]

Just learnt of the sad death of Dr.Donald Hardwick, 79, who headed the Johnson and Firth Brown steel group. He was a prominent metallurgist and led the field in developing high temperature alloys.

[Gangan 10]

My brother Tony Sellars worked in the offices of Firth Browns for many years from around 1960, Also my father in law Thomas Wills worked there prior to 1950s

[AndyCoke 10]

My father worked at Firth Browns up until his death in '88, his name was Jack (John) Cockayne and I know he was a Roll Grinder.

 

I seem to recollect names of people he worked with (amongst many others) being Frank Allott, Graham Woodhouse and someoone called 'Bigtime' :-)

 

I think at the time of his death the company had changed it's name to (I think) Forgemasters but I could be wrong there...

[brookmeg 10]

Hi Andy,I worked at Firth Brown from 1951-1958,going thro apprentice training shop for 18 months, then finished training in 3@4 machine shops on Carlisle street. There was a Turner in there called "bigtime" dont know if it was the same one you mentioned, funnily enough his mate on the same machine was called Tommy Allot, "coincidence"? The manager was a \Mr Elliot and the under manager a Mr Robinson. Anyone who worked in this machine shop during those years, please reply. When your my age its nice to reminis. A few of us played football for the sports club --Atlas & Norfolk, and we had a cracking team for 3 or 4 years,