James Neill Tools Summerfield Street

[Kiwityke 10]

My late father Fred Sissons was a joiner and for a few years i worked in the chisel shop. i now work in a large store in Sheffield and sometimes see Malcolm Burnham as his wife used to work there as did the late Derick Needham's wife. Also in the shop sometimes see Pete Jakeman and Frank Sheldon but not seen Frank recently and in today's local paper Audrey Barraclough has just passed away aged 81.'m Alison Chapman (nee Wainwright), married to Steve Chapman still (40+ yrs),sister to John Wainwright, daughter of George and Beattie Wainwright, neice of Winnie Burdekin and Bill Wainwright - we all worked here. Steve and I have lived in New Zealand for the last 20 years but have very fond memories of the 17 years we worked at Neill Tools from leaving school in 1970 until we left from Handsworth in 1988. All the great guys who worked in the 3 fitting shops at Napier Street and the Toolroom lads - we had the best of times. Some of the names I recall from my time at Neill's which I haven't seen mentioned are: Ralph Littlewood, Dennis Garner, Audrey Barraclough, Frank Sheldon, Mick Moore, Angela Walker who married Steve Walker from the Toolroom, Robert Larson (Fitter No.1) who went to Australia, Glen Gillett, Graham Havenhand (Drawing Office), Malcolm Burnham, Connie from the Toolroom Canteen, Eric Boleham, Neil Morton, Phil Strutt, John Booth, Phil Waddingham, Christine Unwin, Harry? in the canteen, John Moffat, Stan Lewis, Dewiss and Yvonne Brown, Dave Sorsby, Jack Clark, Walt Kent, Ernie Crookes. I will post some more names later.

 

---------- Post added 01-08-2016 at 09:26 ----------

 

Hi Slip - it seems I can't reply privately just yet but wow so great to hear from you. You are correct, we went to NZ in 1987 and then returned to UK the following year and then back out to NZ in 1996 and here we are still.

 

Sad news to hear about Audrey Barraclough. I remember Fred Sissons, Derek Needham and Eric Schofield from the Joiners Shop.

[Slip 10]

I'm Alison Chapman (nee Wainwright), married to Steve Chapman still (40+ yrs),sister to John Wainwright, daughter of George and Beattie Wainwright, neice of Winnie Burdekin and Bill Wainwright - we all worked here. Steve and I have lived in New Zealand for the last 20 years but have very fond memories of the 17 years we worked at Neill Tools from leaving school in 1970 until we left from Handsworth in 1988. All the great guys who worked in the 3 fitting shops at Napier Street and the Toolroom lads - we had the best of times. Some of the names I recall from my time at Neill's which I haven't seen mentioned are: Ralph Littlewood, Dennis Garner, Audrey Barraclough, Frank Sheldon, Mick Moore, Angela Walker who married Steve Walker from the Toolroom, Robert Larson (Fitter No.1) who went to Australia, Glen Gillett, Graham Havenhand (Drawing Office), Malcolm Burnham, Connie from the Toolroom Canteen, Eric Boleham, Neil Morton, Phil Strutt, John Booth, Phil Waddingham, Christine Unwin, Harry? in the canteen, John Moffat, Stan Lewis, Dewiss and Yvonne Brown, Dave Sorsby, Jack Clark, Walt Kent, Ernie Crookes. I will post some more names later.

 

---------- Post added 01-08-2016 at 09:26 ----------

 

Hi Slip - it seems I can't reply privately just yet but wow so great to hear from you. You are correct, we went to NZ in 1987 and then returned to UK the following year and then back out to NZ in 1996 and here we are still.

Alison, here's a link to my website (boring fishing i know) but I still see Dave Sayles,Paul Gregory,Geo Hibberd Keith King Steve Walker..... off the top of my head. click on and have a look round different titles. Gaz plenty of photos of us now lol

 

https://slipfishin.net/2016/04/

[scaleman 10]

It was called the "Magnet Department" The hacksaw department was actually on the ground floor when I was there. The ladies were drilling holes in components prior to assembly as magnets. Both my wife-to-be and myself worked there until 1960 or so. Don't remember George Newbold but I do remember Bob Broome, Pete Merrick, Stanley Pennington, Jack Hall and a sweeper called Val. My wife remembers all these plus Jean Marshall (Horsepool) Sheila Pinder, Cora Howson, Joan Ireland, Bill Williams and Elsie Turner (cigarette lady). Can see the faces of more people but can't put names to them. 2 of the chargehands were Mr Dexter and Mr Critchley.

Hi all, I was production controller for the magnet department and then became Group Technical demonstrator and travelled all over the country showing off the groups products, went on tomorrows world with the worlds first digital micrometer.

[abbeyedges 83]

I realise this is an old thread but did James Neill / Hallamshire use the football pitch on Chesterfield Road South (where the Hilton Hotel is now) in the late 1960's?

 

Thanks

[Runningman 148]

Good morning abbeyedges ! They certainly did, played for Neill's on there many times, also played on those pitches when they belonged to Brunswick Trinity church at Highfields in Sheffield.

When the church sold that land to Neill's which I think was around 1967, Neill's paid £11000.

[abbeyedges 83]

2 hours ago, Runningman said:

Good morning abbeyedges ! They certainly did, played for Neill's on there many times, also played on those pitches when they belonged to Brunswick Trinity church at Highfields in Sheffield.

When the church sold that land to Neill's which I think was around 1967, Neill's paid £11000.

Thanks for that Runningman. I was recently up at Quarry Bank Gardens on Ecclesall Road South and read all about James Neill. 

 

It prompted a distant memory of James Neill on that sports ground way back. We always referred to it as Hallamshire pitch but we probably didn't know the reason why. 

 

I remember going across from the Lowedges estate to watch matches (could have been Thursday evenings). We were all football mad and at half time there was a 10 minute opportunity for us to get on the pitch and play with real goal posts and NETS.

 

This was better than 'jumpers for goal posts' that we were used to. 

[forgeman 18]

Ah, this takes me back to around 1970/1 and we had every year an inter departmental 5 a side footie competition at the sports ground.  I think No 2 fitters won it every year if memory serves. Great times,great people.

[kosumi 0]

Dear all,

I bought a vintage "Moore and Wright" spring divider recently. It has "Tools From Neill" text on the package.  Does anybody here know about them? Can you please give me an idea about when it might have been produced? Best regards!

 

 

 

[scaleman 10]

On 22/02/2021 at 15:36, kosumi said:

Dear all,

I bought a vintage "Moore and Wright" spring divider recently. It has "Tools From Neill" text on the package.  Does anybody here know about them? Can you please give me an idea about when it might have been produced? Best regards!

 

 

 

 

Hi, that must be quite old because I worked at Neills back in the seventies and all the products went under Neill Tools as opposed to an individual company but I couldnt put a year to it, hope that helps.

[forgeman 18]

I worked at Neill tools from 1967 - 1980. Moore & wrights were bought by Neill tools in 1970.

Can't be more specific than this.

[forgeman 18]

In an addition  to my previous answer, according to Graces guide it was 1993  when James Neill changed the name to Neill Tools. 

[Frenchie1 0]

Just seen this thread I worked in promotions department for Tony Evan's from 1974 for 5 years married Robert Lindley who worked in toolroom