Firth Vickers stainless steel, Staybrite works, Weedon Street Tinsley

[stuartw]

Doe's anyone remember firth-vickers stainless steels, staybrite works, weedon street, i worked there starting a clerical trainee from august 1966 to may 1972, would be great to hear from anyone who wofked there.

 

---------- Post added 04-05-2015 at 13:02 ----------

 

Hi there, jeff edwards was joint managing director of firth-vickers and shepcote lane rolling mills together with john elliot. They were still in this position when i left 1n 1972. Other notable people there were wh-wentworth ping-sales director, eric brown director and cheif engieer and i think eric drabble who was cheif accountant (stand to be corrected on this one) anyone else who has memories of this great company would bewould be appreciared.

[mikeG]

Doe's anyone remember firth-vickers stainless steels, staybrite works, weedon street, i worked there starting a clerical trainee from august 1966 to may 1972, would be great to hear from anyone who wofked there.

 

---------- Post added 04-05-2015 at 13:02 ----------

 

Hi there, jeff edwards was joint managing director of firth-vickers and shepcote lane rolling mills together with john elliot. They were still in this position when i left 1n 1972. Other notable people there were wh-wentworth ping-sales director, eric brown director and cheif engieer and i think eric drabble who was cheif accountant (stand to be corrected on this one) anyone else who has memories of this great company would bewould be appreciared.

Jeff Edwards is still going strong. He's 96 and currently holidaying in Madeira. He's lived in Stranraer for 30+ years.

[crossland86]

Hello, I currently work at President Buildings on the former Firth-Brown site. My great granddad (John Longden) used to work here too and I recently found his long service certificate dated September 1939!

 

I'd like to buy some cutlery for the office (knives/forks/spoons) made by Firth-Brown. There’s lots of cutlery on the internet which says it’s “Firth Staybrite” cutlery, but it often also has another different company’s name on it too. I’m assuming this is when Firth-Brown/Firth-Vickers made their 18/8 stainless steel at the Weedon Street “Staybrite Works” and sold the raw material to other cutlery manufacturers. I’ve seen “Atlas Firth Staybrite” cutlery (red writing, cream boxes, red inserts), which sounds like it might be a Firth own brand, but I’ve also seen these boxes marked “Arthur Price”, so I’m still confused.

 

Does anyone know what cutlery, if any, Firth-Brown/Firth-Vickers actually made themselves?

Edited May 28, 2015 by crossland86

[doubleg]

As far as I know Firth Vickers made the steel and pressed out the cutlery which were then sent out as blanks to other Companies for finishing.

[pat545]

Hi, A bit late replying but noticed your comment when researching my father. He and his mate Reggie drove the engine at Firth Vickers until his retirement. His name was Jimmy O'Connor. Trying to find photo of him and the engine from British steel magazine early '70's.

[pat545]

Does anyone have copies of the British Steel magazine produced in the 70's.

[johnpm]

My dad Jim Moore worked at Firth Vickers from 1930 - 1980 (apart from war service). He started as office boy at Weedon St & moved on to installation of Hot Mill (at Shepcote Lane) where he became assistant mill manager. Then he bacame Stores Manager but after a period of ill health in the late 1950's went into Purchasing until 1978 when he moved into Engineers records .Anyone knew him?

[PeterR]

Hello, I currently work at President Buildings on the former Firth-Brown site. My great granddad (John Longden) used to work here too and I recently found his long service certificate dated September 1939!

 

I'd like to buy some cutlery for the office (knives/forks/spoons) made by Firth-Brown. There’s lots of cutlery on the internet which says it’s “Firth Staybrite” cutlery, but it often also has another different company’s name on it too. I’m assuming this is when Firth-Brown/Firth-Vickers made their 18/8 stainless steel at the Weedon Street “Staybrite Works” and sold the raw material to other cutlery manufacturers. I’ve seen “Atlas Firth Staybrite” cutlery (red writing, cream boxes, red inserts), which sounds like it might be a Firth own brand, but I’ve also seen these boxes marked “Arthur Price”, so I’m still confused.

 

Does anyone know what cutlery, if any, Firth-Brown/Firth-Vickers actually made themselves?

 

Hello crossland86,

 

Coincidentally, in 1961/3 I worked in what are now 'The President Buildings' and which was the Head Office at the former massive Firth Brown's site.

 

Sorry but I can't recall any connection with cutlery. Most items were massive and weighed many tons. There was a light machine shop in the building next to you with the big stainless steel spider on the wall, but even the items machined there were much bigger items than the blanks the size of cutlery which were supplied by steelmakers to the cutlery trade and were finished by the 'Little Mesters'. My Grandfather was one.

 

I was as a clerk in Forgings Sales Dept. in 1961/3. The office was on the top floor just left of the still existing number 36 gate when facing 'The President Buildings' from Saville Street East. Prior to that in 1959/61 I was in Progress and Planning Dept. which was in a now demolished higher block of offices and is now a car park just behind 'The President Buildings'. The two blocks were connected by an overhead covered passageway from the still existing wooden structure attached to the back of the building, on the top floor. I finally left the Company in 1966 and often look around the old area remembering the old times and friends.

 

Here are a couple of photos I snapped in 1990. The first is 36 gate where I had worked in the offices first floor left.

The second one is the main entrance, under the canopy, which is now demolished. The remainder of the building to the right remains.(36 gate in far distance):-

 

 

 

Have you looked on the thread 'Anyone worked at Firth Browns ?' ??

 

Regards, Peter.

Edited August 15, 2015 by PeterR

[mikeG]

My dad Jim Moore worked at Firth Vickers from 1930 - 1980 (apart from war service). He started as office boy at Weedon St & moved on to installation of Hot Mill (at Shepcote Lane) where he became assistant mill manager. Then he bacame Stores Manager but after a period of ill health in the late 1950's went into Purchasing until 1978 when he moved into Engineers records .Anyone knew him?

My Dad, Eric George, was Hot & Cold Rolling Mill Manager at Shepcote Lane in the 50's and I definitely heard him refer to Jimmy Moore who was no doubt, your Dad.

[PeterR]

Hi crossland86,

 

Have you checked your pm box ??