Davy United Group

[Falls 10]

A lot of my family used to work for Davys from when it was Davy Utd or perhaps before. Here are a few. George Burford[my grandad], Ron Burford[my grt uncle], George Albert Burford[my dad] and John Burford[my uncle] My dad worked there until just before they changed hands and took redundancy. Every time I come to visit him I think of the open days I used to attend with him when I was a kid and what a shame it is that it is no longer Davys. I still have a few pictures from when he was there including a works magazine picture when he was an apprentice some where.

 

Hi,

 

I knew a George Burford at Davy's but it goes back over 50 years ago: which one might it be? I started in the apprentice training shop at Davy's in 1952. That's where we met. We were both part of a group of eight apprentice fitters. Some of the names were: Peter Moss, Ken Littlewood, John Lloyd, Jim Hydes. Making up the rest of the group were George, a lad called Brian from Swallownest, a Peter from Southey Green, and of course, me.

 

After the shop training, the George I knew went into the main fitting shop (6 bay) and I went into the light fitting shop (2 bay). We would see one another around the works but we never worked together again after our time in the training shop. After a year in 2 bay, I spent the next four years moving around various departments and ended up in the engineering office. I left Davy's in 1965.

 

Small world.

[peterw 10]

When I was a kid living at Attercliffe I was always told Davy used to build railway carriages. Is this true or false? I remember when I first came to Manchester there was a pastic extrusion firm I used to visit and all their machines were Davy United. They must have been good. They kept going day and night! How in hell could a firm like that disappear!

[Falls 10]

When I was a kid living at Attercliffe I was always told Davy used to build railway carriages. Is this true or false? I remember when I first came to Manchester there was a pastic extrusion firm I used to visit and all their machines were Davy United. They must have been good. They kept going day and night! How in hell could a firm like that disappear!

 

 

Hi Peterw,

 

Davy's did make presses from time-to-time but usually for steel forging. They may have got into presses for other materials after I left.

 

In addition to Davy's on PoW Road, there was another works in Darnall called called "Craven's": Craven Carriage and Wagon Works to give it its correct title. They made rolling stock for railways, much of it for export. I remember riding in one of their carriages about 30 years ago on the Central Railway of Peru. It had been a fine piece of equipmentwhen built but was in sad shape by the time I saw it.

 

In later years, Cravens also manufactured plastic moulding machines. I haven't been down Staniforth road in years so don't know if they are still in business.

[Deacon 10]

hi name is tony harrison,slinger in 5 bay when your dad was there,have ginger hair he may remember me

HI TONY

IS IT TRUE THAT ON A QUIET NIGHT AT CHRISTMAS TIME YOU CAN

STILL HEAR CLIFF PLAYING CAROLs ON HIS TRUMPET ON TOP OF HIS CRANE

[Gleighton 10]

That could be my Dad he started there when he was about 14. Did his national service in Warwickshire but Davy's held his job for him[how many companies would do that nowadays?] met my Mum & brought her back & stayed with Davys until the bitter end.My Grandad was also a George Burford but everybody called him JUD.

Hi,

 

I knew a George Burford at Davy's but it goes back over 50 years ago: which one might it be? I started in the apprentice training shop at Davy's in 1952. That's where we met. We were both part of a group of eight apprentice fitters. Some of the names were: Peter Moss, Ken Littlewood, John Lloyd, Jim Hydes. Making up the rest of the group were George, a lad called Brian from Swallownest, a Peter from Southey Green, and of course, me.

 

After the shop training, the George I knew went into the main fitting shop (6 bay) and I went into the light fitting shop (2 bay). We would see one another around the works but we never worked together again after our time in the training shop. After a year in 2 bay, I spent the next four years moving around various departments and ended up in the engineering office. I left Davy's in 1965.

 

Small world.

[andyf16 10]

brilliant thread - i've always had a strong interest in the steel industry although from outside as it were, and in my job i actually got to visit PoW road works about a month ago, so it was a bit like meeting a hero for a saddo like me

 

coincidentally i also managed to "salvage" a davy-united cast nameplate about 18" x 8" from somewhere a while back (cannot say where might get into trouble!) can anyone tell me what colours it might have been originally,

it was from a slabbing (large rolling) mill?

 

also, without wanting to seem ghoulish, does anyone have any similar items or memorabilia from davy, davy-united, davy-loewy, davy mckee etc which they might want to get rid of? this is pureley personal and not for selling on or anything

[margarete 10]

I have a pewter tankard we each were given in 1968 to mark Davy-United being awarded the Queen's Award for Industry. - I don't think I'm wanting to get rid of it though.

[DaveT 10]

According to the DavyMarkham website, the Darnall manufacturing facility is still active, there are some pictures of the machine shops, etc.

When I first went to the place in 1989, to have some large fabrications machined, it was called Davy McKee and by the time I last went there it had become Kvaerner - that was in April 1998. Just before that Markham's (Chesterfield) had wound up and the last time I went in there, nearly all the machine tools had been removed. It is a sad sight to see these places closing.

 

Dave

[andyf16 10]

yes dave they are still working and fairly busy (not compared with their heyday of course) with various stuff when i was in there

 

by the way i'm only about 15 miles from you - in the right direction (southwest that is!)

[hagardriley 10]

I remember as a kid living on the Arbourthorne in the late 1950s Davy United used to have a Gala Day every summer, with many attractions & sideshows, at their sports ground on Gleadless Road. This later became the site of the Central Technical School, which became Ashleigh School, and has recently been developed as a private housing estate.

 

Anyone else remember those Gala Days?

 

Also, does anyone remember the Works Convener of Davys from the early 1970s, a bloke by the name of Eddie Keys. I didn't work there, but I knew him through the Union and found him to be a nice, sensible bloke.

[DaveT 10]

Andy, when were you last in Davy's? In my job I used to visit a lot of heavy machine shops and, to me, Davy's was always interesting. I've got a great photo taken from the crane walkway, up in the roof of one of the bays, but on this forum it appears that I've got to have a minimum of 15 posts before using URL links...

 

BTW, are you in or near Huntingdon?

 

Dave

[margarete 10]

Davy-United is one of the workplaces listed on FriendsReunited. There are about 30 people listed, whom people reading this thread may remember and may like to contact.