James Neill Tools Summerfield Street

[flightliner 10]

2 joiners were Fred Sissons and Dereck Needham, both sadly not wth us any longer.

I was one of the two joiners working under Albert Keats, the other joiner was Sid Stephenson who lived out at Halfway I was at Niells from 68/71 when I left.

Freddie Sissons at that time ( cracking joiner by the way ) was in the maintenance joiners shop along with several others. He may have had a transfer to the display dept after I left.

Joe Hubbard was the chap who used to arrange and fit all the products to the many display boards, cabinets etx

[scaleman 10]

If anyone remembers Margaret Whitaker or anyone else who worked in the Magnet Department between 1973 and 1987, please will you let me know as solicitors are looking for witnesses to help her family who are bringing a claim following her death from lung disease in 2011. Margaret worked as a grinder, fettler and on the furnaces?

 

Thanks

 

Jon S

I worked in production control for a couple of years and left in 1977. My responsibility was Sid Jessup,s division which included the magnet division. I can only remember the assistant manager who,s name was Peter and he lived out somewhere in Derbyshire. I don't remember the lady in question but we are talking nearly 40 years ago!! but I do have a reasonably good memory, the person I worked closely with was a guy called Dick who was single but knew everything about the magnet division and could quote product numbers from memory. If any of this is of help good luck, I can always be contacted through this thread.

 

---------- Post added 08-10-2015 at 21:05 ----------

 

I was one of the two joiners working under Albert Keats, the other joiner was Sid Stephenson who lived out at Halfway I was at Niells from 68/71 when I left.

Freddie Sissons at that time ( cracking joiner by the way ) was in the maintenance joiners shop along with several others. He may have had a transfer to the display dept after I left.

Joe Hubbard was the chap who used to arrange and fit all the products to the many display boards, cabinets etx

 

I became technical demonstrator for the Niell Group and travelled all over the UK promoting the groups products, micrometers, spanners, pliers etc. etc.

I became very good friends with Sid and travelled all over the UK setting up stands. when Sid died I was p....d off that a good? friend of mine who worked at Neills couldn't be bothered to pick up the phone and let me know. I used to drop Sid off at home and go in and have a cup of tea and a bun, his wife was a great baker.

[bob roberts 10]

hIBIG KEV

I WORKED AT NEILLS ON NAPIER STREET BETWEEN 1970 AND 1980.

i WORKED IN THE BAND SAW DEPT WITH SID KUCKMAN AS FORMAN AND IN STRIPS DEPT WITH JOHN HAWKSWORTH AS THE FORMAN THERE.

 

 

i also worked bandsaw dept wonder where all the people are these days like cathy robert green was in strips first old charlie in strips in fact all in neils staff too loved the place

 

---------- Post added 14-10-2015 at 16:11 ----------

 

1970s worked in strips with old charlie as a tool setter then moved up to bandsaw

 

---------- Post added 14-10-2015 at 16:42 ----------

 

just wonder who was at neils in the 70s i started in strips and ended

up in bandsaw

[forgeman 18]

Having read most of the threads I can recall quite a few names mentioned by various people. I started in 1967 and left about 1979 having been in the training bay and then in the various maintenance departments (there was 3 of them at the time) under Harry Willetts and then Jack Parker and lastly under Pete Andrews who I think sadly died a good few years ago. Being in maintenance I got to go in all the departments and knew probably hundreds of people by name but have forgotten most of them. I remember Fred Gagin in the small saw department who I met a couple of years ago and he was selling Wera tools. He worked with Wayne Bridges who married a lass called Jenny in the wages department.

[M1KEY 10]

I went for an interview in 1982 but nothing came of it, then it declined badly.

[Slip 10]

Lots of names mentioned above bring back great memories, i was there 76-87 in no.2 fitters shop Pete Andrews foreman

I still see some ex neills folk.

george hibberd works manager

dave sayles fitter

paul gregory fitter

john dawson toolroom

steve walker in training bay with me in 76

steve bell fitter (des bell's son) still there

 

I'll post some more names when ive had a think

Edited February 6, 2016 by Slip

[forgeman 18]

Hi Slip

Remember John Smedley, Kev Turner, Paul Higginbottom, Harold, Harry, Norman who played snooker. (Can't remember surnames)

There was Eddie the fitters mate too, always good for a laugh

[Slip 10]

Hi Slip

Remember John Smedley, Kev Turner, Paul Higginbottom, Harold, Harry, Norman who played snooker. (Can't remember surnames)

There was Eddie the fitters mate too, always good for a laugh

 

In the No.2 fitting shop as you came in from hacksaw blade...

all the lockers on the left, opp my bench (gaz simpson)... then kev turner, norman liggins, phil waddingham, mick baxby, harry shaw(ex twist drill) paul higginbottom, john smedley(now at sorbys woodseats),dave bacon(smokie), nick barnaby, harold walker, tony barnsley, arthur smith, paul gregory, dave sayles (joe sayles;daves dad worked in bandsaw napier st and handsworth), pete gorman, steve kelly(from mexboro on billies bus) plus others

chargehands...

alan jepson, albert thackery and jack wilmore.

semi skilled/labourers...eddie, ray simm, john gormley(paddy), ozzie, jack parker(not the foreman:skippy the other one) plus others

 

No.1 fitters....names/faces i knew....roy smith foreman, ray higginbottom (pauls dad) chargehand, john wainwright, steve chapman(spud);married alison wainwright, dave york went to aus, john nozack, john booth

 

Toolroom...philip*** foreman, john dawson (lathe turner)

 

Chisel dept...keith jennings

 

blacksmiths...stan and bill

 

plumbers...dave gibbs, dennis broomhead, Tom Kendal(a very GSOH sadly past away)

 

there's plenty more, electricians, joiners(dick stone),window cleaners

 

walt dodds (manager), pat from sunderland(but followed blades) worked in chrome plating plant.

when i started @ napier st in 1976 i was told there was nearly 2000 worked on site......

 

---------- Post added 07-02-2016 at 12:00 ----------

 

Some more names from James Neills....

 

Electricians...Mel Holgate foreman, Earnest Rayner, Terry ?, John Johnson.

 

Garage...Les Todd ?, George 'Tarranowski' spelling. Remember the fleet of Austin Maxi's pool cars, then they got some Ford Cortina's

Edited February 7, 2016 by Slip

[Yerman 10]

Some more of the fitters who covered the Magnet Department, Strips and bandsaw in the early 70's:

 

Bill 'lovely day!' Houghton

Ken Birks

Big Brian

Little Eddie

Walt Kent

Stan Griffiths

Alwyn Speed

Ray Higginbottom

John Wainwright

Harry Willetts

Arthur Smith - his brother Fred worked in the toolroom next door under Tommy Watkinson

Laurie Whaley - his main job was to go to the Neill family home once every week and wind up all the clocks!

Walter Hadfield - foreman

There was also Ralph Shipman, the vendor mender, whose sudden disappearance was the subject of a lot of speculation.

[forgeman 18]

There was also Dave Platts in the fitting shop and Dave Parker who repaired the vending machines. Big Brian was called Roberts, all six feet five of him. He was the smallest of 5 brothers.

Joe Ashton was the turner in the No 1 fitters and later transferred to the toolroom.

Bernard Fidler the jig borer, Jim Miller who was one of the millers and Charlie Turner who you guessed it was a toolroom turner.

[Kiwityke 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.

[escort1 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.