Davy United Group

[mikep57 10]

I worked at Davy for over 30 years in various engineering departments, and am pleased to say that I worked with Ron on many occasions. A gentleman of the first order. Excellent, meticulous, always very helpful to others and an extremely reliable draughtsman.

A good friend and work colleague.

 

I didn't even know he had a nickname !! I never heard it.

 

GLOS

 

Apologies! Must have the wrong Marsden. This one worked on hydraulics in the DO. I remember your Ron Marsden & fully agree with your comments.

[GLOS 10]

Apologies! Must have the wrong Marsden. This one worked on hydraulics in the DO. I remember your Ron Marsden & fully agree with your comments.

 

Hi mikep57,

You are thinking of Maurice Marsden. I was on the hydraulics section originally

myself, when, along with the lubrication section it came under Eric Stead.

Maurice joined slightly after me, and several years later I think that he went into teaching.

 

GLOS

[GLOS 10]

You must have been in the EDO when I was there. Ron and I were with Jack Wilford but it was really a section then. I was sorry to hear of Jack's passing the other year.

 

Ron and I started off in what was know as the Canteen DO in October 1957. Then we were the first section to move into what was then the new building just before Christmas that year.

 

Here are some names for you:

 

Jack was the section leader and the rest of us comprised of:

 

Don Baxter, Keith Sheppard, Eric Swift, Harold Dugdill, Eric Woodhead, Ron and myself. Then Ron went for NS (I think) and was replaced by Alan Ryalls.

 

As a section we usually worked for Jim Allsop and George Vaughan.

 

As for the Squads, these came in, I think, 1963. That was when Cliff Sturdy took over and the good Doctor Simms moved-on, replacing Bronowski at the NCB research. You must remember Dr. Simms.

 

All a long time ago

 

Regards

 

Yes I remember 'Doc' Simms. I did a special job for him, Bob Gronbech and Bela Bathory.

I knew and worked with all the people you have mentioned. I worked on the hydraulics section under Maurice Walker, with Keith Burkhill, Roy Shearstone, Bill Birkhead, John Brady and Frank Towers, later Pete Lawless, Maurice Marsden and Brian Smith. We were originally located under the balcony at the Darnall end, next to the gear section.

Happy days !!

 

GLOS

[mikep57 10]

Hi mikep57,

You are thinking of Maurice Marsden. I was on the hydraulics section originally

myself, when, along with the lubrication section it came under Eric Stead.

Maurice joined slightly after me, and several years later I think that he went into teaching.

 

GLOS

 

Must know you, I sat opposite Brian Brook who whistled a lot so to stop him we held up a drg. of a cats backside which looked like his lips & he couldn't whistle for laughing. There used to be a 6" 'cannon ball' left over I think from the old forge which would get rolled rumbleing down the D.O. floor & folks lifted their feet up to avoid a broken ankle. As has been said, 'Those were the days'

[GLOS 10]

Must know you, I sat opposite Brian Brook who whistled a lot so to stop him we held up a drg. of a cats backside which looked like his lips & he couldn't whistle for laughing. There used to be a 6" 'cannon ball' left over I think from the old forge which would get rolled rumbleing down the D.O. floor & folks lifted their feet up to avoid a broken ankle. As has been said, 'Those were the days'

 

He must have been an exceptional whistler !!

 

GLOS

[Kevparkin 10]

There are many interesting posts here relating to the wonderful old company. I am here to tell you that it is still a wonderful company and having amalgamated with Markham of Chesterfield some 10 years ago it changed its name in 2006 to DavyMarkham Limited.

 

I was brought in 2006 by the owners to undertake a turnaround of the business which had been allowed to get into a severe loss making position. By making some well overdue changes to management, operations and working practices, we managed to get the old Davy and Markham names back on the map and since 2006, with the support of the magnificent workforce, we have returned to profit and are here to stay!

 

In 2007 Duncan Hay (the FD) and I undertook a Management Buyout which was financed by Endless LLP in Leed. Endless have commenced in refurbishing the old buildings and new tenants are using some of the buildings which have been empty for many years.

 

We also reinstated the famous apprentice training scheme and have taken on 18 apprentices in the last two years – this represents 20% of the shop floor workforce.

 

We are entering 2009 with a full order book and some lucrative prospects for 2010.

 

Our main product lines are sub-contract machining (up to 350 tons), moving structures (Newcastle Millennium Bridge), tunnel boring cutter heads, mine hoists and repairs to equipment supplied by Davy over the years.

 

Please see our website …… davymarkham dot com ..... I hope you will agree with me that the old business is still in good shape and a great advertisement for MADE IN SHEFFIELD ……

 

Kind regards and thanks to all the former employees who helped make DAVY the company it was and still is today!

 

Kevin Parkin

Managing Director.

[tara 10]

Hi there, unfortunately Ron Marsden passed away in the late 90s under very tragic circumstances.

[jon&emma 13]

My grandad (frank straw)worked for davys for many years untill he retierd,we were at his funeral yesterday.

[KiwiPete 10]

I did'nt work at Davies,served my time at the ESC River Don Works.Was there from 62-70.My best mate Mick Hempshall was a production fitter at Davies and his Father Frank was a crane driver. Frank and his better half Molly are still alive and kicking as far as I know and live at Bramley? Mick lives near Cheadle Hulme.

I have family connections with Davies as well, my wife Kate Selby nee Meeke worked there 65-66 in the cashiers office. Margret Malcom and Kath Wragg were in the office too. My Brother in Law Ernest ''Mick" Tooley was I think the Factory Engineer. He had rather a bad work related accident and was of work for some time.He was back at work only for a short time before he developed cancer and died in 94.

I remember the sports club very well as I used to go there with Mick.Nobody has mentioned the spiral stair case in the foyer, very flash at the time.

Yes I spent many an hour downing a pint or three while playing snooker or darts.Mick was, and nodoubt still is a good player but hated losing so as I was a pretty average player (some would say below average) I used to *iss him off when I played a bad shot, especially if we were playing for money.

I got to know Dave "Henry'' Wragg:D as well as Frank Hammond and some others who's names I have forgotten.

ESC had a sports club at Shiregreen but this was old and rather dowdy but Davies was new and a rather exciting place to be.Is it still there?

Mick had an amazing ability to fart on demand, you know pull my finger.Anyway after having a few pints of the amber liquid at the club we decided to go into town (there was another guy with us but I cant remember his name)We hopped on a Atlantian bus and went up stairs, all cool teenages went up stairs and sat on the back seat. A Jamacan conductor came upstairs to collect the fares and just as the conductor reached us Mick let out one of his thunderous farts made even louder by the leather seats.The conductor who was a little startled by this, said, with a dead pan face and in a thick Jamacan accent Have you ripped the seat? This remark sent us into hysterics

helped nodoubt by having a few ales under our belts.

Ok you needed to have been there.

It's good to see that Davies is still in business.

Pete.

K P

[Manxdeedah 10]

I worked in the computer room at Davy-United in 1969,The manager was called Beetham I think.I was only there 6 months,went back lorry driving as I couldn't get used to working inside.

[badgemush 10]

My Dad worked at Davy Roll on the furnaces. Walter Reed

My uncle also worked there then moved to Brightside. Alf Batty

[hodkin 10]

my dad was a truck driver there for many years,

he ended up doing a horrible job cleaning boilers b4 he retired.

Sadly he died not much later.

His brother bernard hodkin also worked there b4 he died in 1964.