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Rabone Chestermans Pomona Street

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hi Everyone I have just found this forum and remember some of the names. My Dad was Charlie (Wag) Dunmall who worked on a lathe. He worked there for 50+ years until 1974. He had a Norton,& a BSA Gold Wing m/cycle & sidecar & then a "new" Ford Pop car. I remember that when I was a little girl I used to go down Frog Walk and wave to him through the windows at the back across the river Porter. The names I remember are Alf Gregory, Keith Burgin, Bill Badger, Sylvia Matthews & her Dad (can't remember his name), Albert Bagnall.... there must be more.

I also remember the Sports Days they had at sports ground on Tom Lane.

I still have a lot of my Dad's rules, micrometers, tapes, feeler guages etc.

I am also trying to research my family history & wonder whether my grandfather & great grandfather worked at Chesterman's. Does anyone know where I can find any employee records please?

 

If you Google the National Archives and then enter Rabone Chesterman in the search box you will get details of the records that they hold. Those in the Hawley Collection may be the most useful.

 

Hope that this is of some help.

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If you Google the National Archives and then enter Rabone Chesterman in the search box you will get details of the records that they hold. Those in the Hawley Collection may be the most useful.

 

Hope that this is of some help.

 

I remember your dad very well.He was a truley great bloke. I worked in the same dept as your dad. I was also present in the fitters shop the day he retired. Roy Bradley the manager over the maintenance division did a speach for Charlie and presented him with a gold plated tape measure and some cans of beer. We (the blokes he worked with) also had a whip-round for him which I remember it came to nearly a weeks wages. My last glimpse of Charlie was seeing him walking out under the arch for the last time on his last day, as he turned left into Pomona Street he glanced over at me and simply nodded. His eyes were full of tears. I often think of that moment and of Charlie.

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Oh thank you. That's very nice of you. In fact you reduced me to tears, He was certainly a lovely man. I miss him so much. I was always a "Daddy's girl"!

I still have the gold-plated rule. If I remember rightly he was given a pressure cooker too.

I also have a blue Wedgwood commemorative dish from Chesterman's.

He & my Mum were invited to a wedding at the church at the bottom of Cemetery Road, by one of the apprentices called Vin I think. He thought it was such an honour and treasured that memory. Are you that person?

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Hi I remember a lot of the names mentioned,i worked in the fitting shop as an apprentice

from 1966 i left in 1978 had some brill times there,

 

I remember an old owl who worked in the fitters shop, he was a great bloke, his name was Peter Parker and he was there around the period of time you worked there along with Trever Rowbottom, Mick Wall, Morris Grainger, Harry Eastwood, Fred Widdowson, Brian Gunny, Wag, Garry the Miller, Jock Miller from the steel store, Polly in stores and finally that other man who was on the very end of our bench who used to talk to himself I think he used to get high on that glue we used on buffing wheels. If this is the same Peter Parker, HELLO LONG TIME NO SEE MATE.

 

P.S. What was the name of the forman, another nice guy but very quiet.

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I remember an old owl who worked in the fitters shop, he was a great bloke, his name was Peter Parker and he was there around the period of time you worked there along with Trever Rowbottom, Mick Wall, Morris Grainger, Harry Eastwood, Fred Widdowson, Brian Gunny, Wag, Garry the Miller, Jock Miller from the steel store, Polly in stores and finally that other man who was on the very end of our bench who used to talk to himself I think he used to get high on that glue we used on buffing wheels. If this is the same Peter Parker, HELLO LONG TIME NO SEE MATE.

 

P.S. What was the name of the forman, another nice guy but very quiet.

Hi FIRTHPARKLAD

Hope you are O/K I have just sent you a PM

The Foreman was Alan Clarke Nice bloke like you say

The bloke who talked to himself was ODD BOB like you say

too much shellac glue

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You know, this has really taken me back. I worked at Chestermans from 1967 (ish) to 1975, in the maintenance fitters. A lot of those names were familiar to me, though no-one has mentioned mine yet. We certainly had some good times. A large proportion of the maintenance staff were quite young and always game for a laugh, usually to the disaproval of the older gentlemen in the fitting shop!!!!!

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You know, this has really taken me back. I worked at Chestermans from 1967 (ish) to 1975, in the maintenance fitters. A lot of those names were familiar to me, though no-one has mentioned mine yet. We certainly had some good times. A large proportion of the maintenance staff were quite young and always game for a laugh, usually to the disaproval of the older gentlemen in the fitting shop!!!!!

 

If i am correct you are John Davies i used to be your apprentice along with Jim Swift like you say we had some good times do you remember me.

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If i am correct you are John Davies i used to be your apprentice along with Jim Swift like you say we had some good times do you remember me.

 

Sorry to have been so long in replying. Thats right, that is my name, and I would guess that you, Oldowl, would be Pete Parker. If you are, then I certainly remember you, I even remember the day you came to work with a somewhat bruised face. Mostly happy days then, but where has the time gone? Anyway, all the best to all you ex "Chestermonians", Happy New Year, and remember to lift a glass to all our "absent friends".

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