Gordon Tools - Rockingham Street

[Saturn 23 10]

Thats the very flight of stairs people used to say the strange noises came from,must admit it was a little eerie beyond the canteen,the small office at the top of those stairs was used mainly for storage,and the room at the back was used as a photographic studio for a while,have alot of memories of that building,spent over twenty years working there.

 

Spooky! What sort of noises did they hear? I used to work late most nights and was often the last to leave, but I didn't hear any noises. However, I did work at the other end of the building. The small room at the top of the stairs was the directors' dinning room and the larger one next to it was the board room.

I wonder if they here noises in the new building or did they disappear with the stairs.

[Yerman 10]

When did Gordon Tools actually close down? What were the circumstances behind the closure - bankrupcy, sale of the business, transfer of operations overseas or any other reason?

 

It was a very well established and highly respected company.

[Saturn 23 10]

When did Gordon Tools actually close down? What were the circumstances behind the closure - bankrupcy, sale of the business, transfer of operations overseas or any other reason?

 

It was a very well established and highly respected company.

 

Gordon Tools was purchased by the Walter Lawrence Group in the early eighties. They bought it for three basic reasons - the forge, the marketing and a Taiwanise importing operation. It did fit nicely into their portfolio as they already owned Wilkinson pliers and Sheffield Steel Products (car tools like pry bars, axle stands. etc.). SSP was located near the M1 at Tinsley and there was room to expand, so the two Walter Lawrence guys involved in the running of Gordons decided to close down the operation on Rockingham Street and move Gordon Tools to Tinsley.

 

They moved the forge - you never move a forge as the foundations are so deep (over 20 feet in this case) it is never viable. They closed down the Taiwanese operation and finished off the marketing. They also sacked vertually all the factory staff (nearly 100) thinking the SSP people would be able to do all this work. They kept some chargehands I believe.In the first year they lost something like a £million! Not sure what happened then as I was long gone thank goodness, but Gordon Tools is now owned by Record Ridgeway and no long trades. What a shame. Gordon Wilson must be turning in his grave.

 

Hope this helps.

[bullerboY 10]

Hi saturn23

itsn funny int it my mother lilly lunn worked at sheffield steel products for 20 yrs before going to gordons and I bet she never new they were owned by the same people.Do you know IfRon Gibson raced a Velocette in the 1939 IOMTT thanks mel

[Saturn 23 10]

Hi saturn23

itsn funny int it my mother lilly lunn worked at sheffield steel products for 20 yrs before going to gordons and I bet she never new they were owned by the same people.Do you know IfRon Gibson raced a Velocette in the 1939 IOMTT thanks mel

 

Gordon Wilson, Ron Gibson and Roy Walker raced in a load of races in the late 30s and early 40s. Gordon Wilson owned Manx Nortons (one still remains somewhere out there) and a KTT Mk8 Velocette. The Velo went into storage at the big depot near the Wicker one week prior to the biggest fire in Sheffield stince the blitz, which was said depot! Hence no more Velo. However, I have some photos of them racing. Ernie Walker used to race sidecars but I have no photos.

[marriott63 10]

Asked my mum about Jim Beavers she says he will know my dad,did he ride a moterbike possibly with a side car?. Also she remembers someone called Marriot,please reply back with any info. thanks

 

yes my dad woked there dennis marriott and me his son david marriott my dad worked there for 37 years and me for 4 my mum also worked there for 15 years i started working there whe i was 17.Also my uncle bill marriott wored there with my aunty flo marriott or 12 years . i no all the people in the tool room smuggy/ padlock/ jack rodgers/ hot sleeves (roy wilkinson)/ fuzzy face/ tony turner/ roy wilson / dereck gambles/ alan shaw nick name arty. a lot of happy memories there. Dennis marriott died 10 years ago rose marriott died 4 years ago.

[Saturn 23 10]

Sorry for the late reply. Ron Gibson did race motor cycles in the late 30s early 40s. Gordon Wilson owned a Velocette KTT Mk 8 and a Manx Norton. Ron would also have raced these. The Velo was burnt in the great storage fire at Tinsley during the 80s and last I heard the Manx Norton was still going strong, but that was ages ago.

[Saturn 23 10]

I remember Bill Marriot very well. He was a chargehand and a nice bloke.

[lbgradwell 10]

Hello All!

 

I am a tool collector residing on the outskirts of Toronto, Canada and was lucky enough yesterday to find a vintage set of Gordon tools on a local Classifieds site.

 

I collect mechanics tools and British tools have been missing from my collection. Additionally, since I have been playing with the idea of buying an old British project motorcycle (maybe a Triumph, BSA or Norton) I have been on the lookout for some Whitworth tools for quite some time.

 

Imagine my delight, then, when I spotted an ad for the following:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 1/2"-drive socket set includes both AF and Whitworth sockets. There are also two complete sets of both deep-offset ring spanners and open-end spanners in both AF & W! Thirteen AF wrenches and eleven Whitworth wrenches for 24 wrenches in total!!!

 

There is slight surface rust on a couple of the wrenches - easy to clean - but the sockets & drive tools are spotless.

 

A pretty nice buy for C$50 and I am well-pleased...

 

As you can see, this set was from the time the company was situated on Rockingham Street (sometime after WWII, I'm informed), and the seller told me his father owned the set when they arrived from England 40 years ago. So I guess this means it dates from sometime after WWII to 1970.

 

Can any of you help to further refine the date of these tools? Perhaps the inclusion of 19/32" and 25/32" sockets suggests a period. How about a 5-digit English phone number for Sheffield?

 

 

 

 

 

Many thanks in advance for any help in answering these specific questions. And please feel free to add any other history regarding this company!

 

Best,

 

LG

[bullerboY 10]

when I started work in 1957 as a mechanic I didnt possess a spanner but two weeks later i had a full kit every tool you could think off including all the ba,s in little wallets and ive still got most of em left after 53yrs although I did sell a few whitworths a couple of years ago.Does anyone remember the trips to the motor shows and blackpool?

[1942mick 10]

Hi wasn't that place Wm Marples before it was Gordons ?

As my dad (John Ward known as Jack) worked for Marples as a machine toolmaker and I remember when I was about 10 years old (now 68 years old) going there to a Christmas party !

[dhaywood 10]

Hi,

Its nice to hear so many happy memories and stories about Gordon's Tools. Gordon was my Grandfather who I, unfortunately, never had the chance to meet. I'll ask my father, Tom, to visit this thread - I'm sure it will make him smile.

Joshua

 

Does your dad remember my grandad Jack Wood who worked at Gordon Tools as well as my mum Barbara?