Avery Scales history & models

[allanemartin]

I'm a ex-Avery service engineer - did my apprenticeship in West Wales from '63-69, and then transferred to an industrial branch in the midlands, so I've worked on most of the pre-electronic scales right from chemist's beam balances through to 40 ton weighbridges.

What sort of info are you looking for?

 

Hello Sir Ben. I have some scales which I hope you can identify.

It's a table top model of 24" high and 18" long on a wooden base with 4 stainless steel adjustable feet and a round spirit level. There is a brass weighing level which on the swivel end in inscribed "W T Avery Birmingham England capacity 5lb ratio 10-1". Beneath this is a small aluminium cup inscribed ratio 10-1. The other end of this lever is inscribed "ratio 100-1" and it points to a calibration scale inscribed "over & "under". The aluminium cup here is missing. This is all supported on a solid steel frame and there is a "balance adjuster" in the middle. Can you tell me what these scales were used for & if they're worth keeping? thankyou. allanemartin

[Al Sithee]

Hi Serelle, Dont come on here very often at the moment but you mention your uncle Keith. Well I worked there at that time, and just wondered if he was Keith Eyre. If so then I worked with him on numerous occasions.

[serelle]

hi...yes his name was Keith Eyre, do you remember much about him because he was quite a reserved man, I'm so glad you remember him x

[Al Sithee]

Hi Serelle, Yes as I said, I worked with your uncle Keith on numerous occasions, and we always got on well. He was, as you say a quiet and reserved man who was very good at his job. As I recall, he used to drive a Reliant Supervan, and I have travelled with him in this vehicle to various job locations throughout Sheffield. All the guys at Avery's were shocked to hear of his early death, and there must be others out there somewhere who have memories of working with him. With regards.

[serelle]

hi.....thank you for sharing your memories of him, he did have a Reliant van as you say - I don't know why, he must have really liked them, because before that he drove an Averys van. He was just a nice guy and it was terrible for him to die like that x

[Al Sithee]

Hi Serelle and amen to that. As I said we were all shocked and saddened by his death. I forgot to mention that possibly one reason why we got on was that my name is also Keith. Regards.

[serelle]

hi Keith....I remember the 'shop' next door to Averys which had supermarket baskets in the window! Did you also know someone at Averys called Frank because he was a friend of my uncles and they used to go fishing sometimes - he also used to come to the house to see him, my uncle lived at Wharncliffe Side so I don't know if Frank lived near there....x

[Al Sithee]

Hi Serelle, The shop next door was called Parnells, and they were in fact an Avery group company. As for the name Frank, There were two that I remember. One was Frank Stansfield who lived on Paulet Rd, on the manor. He would have been quite a bit younger than your uncle. The other one, who I think would have been closer in age was Frank Loveday. He lived at Charnock (near Gleadless town end). Keith.

[serelle]

hi Keith, yes you are probably right about the 2 Franks - I think the friend of my uncles was around the same age as him, so it was probably the 2nd one you mention, and I think he came to the funeral, it just seems so long ago when it all happened and I think Uncle Keith was in his mid 40s, which seemed really old to me then, as I was about 24 !!

Did you stay at Averys till you retired or have you had lots of jobs since then? kind regards, frieda x (Serelle)

[Al Sithee]

Hi Serelle, yes it would be Frank Loveday, as Frank Stansfield was only in his late 20s at that time. No I didnt stay with Avery,s I was made redundant in 1981. Since then I have had numerous jobs, but am now retired due to health issues. Regards Keith.