Anybody On Here Who Worked In Rolling Mills In The 70s

[mikeG 16]

Mike, ask your dad what the names of the other 2 blokes were that did his job, from what I remember, there were 3 of them all together, one on each shift.

 

Well Skippy, Dad says his job was basically 9 till 5 with the occasional night call out when the Steckel Mill was having teething troubles. Under him however were 3 Shift Managers one of whom was George Crawford or Crawforth. The other 2 names he can't recall but he's working on it. A chap called Doug Bennett worked alongside Dad around 1969-1971. Then BSC took over early 1972, Dad retired and I went to Ross Foods in Grimsby. Will let you know if I dig up any more info.

[mikeG 16]

Further to my previous post Skippy, I've had a chat to Dad who's come up with another couple of names, possibly Shift Managers; Ted Beaumont and Johnny King. By this time Dad was Works Manager over both Hot and Cold. I don't think his responsibility included Heat Treatment; that was under John Hemmings. The album previously mentioned as being presented to James Amour on his retirement was actually given to my Dad by James Amour's granddaughter Allison who was a guest of Dad and Jeff Edwards at their apartment in Madeira. Jeff used to be Dad's boss at SLRM.

James retired to St. Ives where Allison spent many holidays. No doubt you're sound asleep at the mo but this'll be waiting for you when you're up and about.

[skippy 11]

Mike I remember George & Doug Bennett well, I used to write poems and stick them on the notice board, they were usually about the blokes who worked there.

Doug tried so hard to find out who had written then as he was mentioned a lot, one day he caught me writing one, that made his day.

The bosses at SLRM were very friendly & well respected by the workers, no doubt your dad will remember George Baines getting the push over the grinding wheels episode, I'd better not say anymore about that.

Doug had a go at me for being late on day shift due to our first child keeping us up all night, he said, I think we had better swap jobs, to which I agreed, a couple of days later I was walking through the F/Vickers gate at 9 am when Doug pulled up in his car & was about to have a go at me about my time keeping, I turned around and asked why he hadn't started at 6am as agreed, he sped off without a word, after that he just smiled at me and shook his head.

The bosses there were the best I've ever known, I left when they had the strike in 69/70 & went to Firth Browns for my last 6 months before coming down under.

[doubleg 10]

Don't forget Earnest Damms, Peter Attwood and Rotherham Bob.

[bryhod 10]

yes most of my family the hodkinsons worked at apollo steel before it closed

[mikeG 16]

Don't forget Earnest Damms, Peter Attwood and Rotherham Bob.

 

Ernest Damms - he was a foreman working for my Dad. Heard his name mentioned dozens of times.

[skippy 11]

Don't forget Rotherham Bob.

 

Ha ha, keg on legs, his son worked with us on the coil build up line.

[PopT 10]

Worked on the Armour Plate Mill at River Don works years ago.

 

Would love to see any pictures or photos anyone has.

 

Happy Days! PopT

[manaman 10]

Worked on the Armour Plate Mill at River Don works years ago.

 

Would love to see any pictures or photos anyone has.

 

Happy Days! PopT

 

Hi PopT,

The Armour Plate Mill, now that's what you call a rolling mill! The whole of length of Brightside Lane in the canyon between the two sides of the works used to vibrate when the rolls bit the plate and then drove it through the Mill using the steam engine's full 12,000 horse power. I was always facinated as the birch brushwood was thrown onto the slab as it entered the rolls. As the wood exploded it blasted the scale of the top of the slab.

Information and photograph of the steam engine can be seen on Sheffield Industrial Museums Trust's web site (Kelham Island).

[manaman 10]

Worked on the Armour Plate Mill at River Don works years ago.

 

Would love to see any pictures or photos anyone has.

 

Happy Days! PopT

 

Hi PopT,

The Armour Plate Mill, now that's what you call a rolling mill! The whole of length of Brightside Lane in the canyon between the two sides of the works used to vibrate when the rolls bit on the plate and then drove it through the Mill using the steam engine's full 12,000 horse power. I was always facinated as the birch brushwood was thrown onto the slab as it entered the rolls. As the wood exploded it blasted the scale off the top of the slab.

Information and photograph of the steam engine can be seen on Sheffield Industrial Museums Trust's web site (Kelham Island).

[TommyR 10]

my dad worked in the rolling mills in the seventy's his name is john johnson

 

did your dad serve in the TA at the Manor top

[Urien 10]

I worked at Shepcote Lane Rolling Mills, on maintenance, in the Billet Mill in 1970 and also in the Central Engineering Workshop, (CEW).

 

The only guys I remember were Jack Priestley and Glen Holman. We also worked with a huge black guy, nicknamed "Massambula" who used to swing a 28lb hammer like a toffee hammer.

 

There was a little guy too nicknamed Garth, often referred to as "tiled hearth" who came with the contractors when the mill was built and stayed on as a foreman. He was so-called because he was only about 4ft 9ins wet-through!

 

He used to live at the mill and rarely went home usually staying all weekend. He used to sleep in the passageways under the mill - whilst they were rolling!

 

Often, if you went down there on a Monday morning, you'd find him fast-asleep in a dark corner - he'd scare the s*** out of you.