English Electric Company (Clayton-le-moors).

[wadey]

With War in Europe looming, EE was instructed by the Air Ministry to construct a "shadow factory" at Samlesbury Aerodrome in Lancashire to build Handley Page Hampden bombers. Starting with Flight Shed Number 1, the first Hampden built by EE made its maiden flight on 22 February 1940 and by 1942 770 Hampdens had been delivered; more than half of all the Hampdens produced. In 1940 a second factory was built on the site and the runway was extended to allow for construction of the Handley Page Halifax four-engined heavy bomber to begin. By 1945, five main hangars and three runways had been built at the site, which was also home to No. 9 Group RAF. By the end of the war over 2,000 Halifaxes had been built and flown from Samlesbury.
Wikipedia

[johnenglish]

Originally Posted by miners boy

Started my apprenticeship in 1964 and what a good one it was served me well last 45 years.Remember Ted Potter and think Bimpson was in charge.Worked in A shop Q line and Hydrotell mills among other sections.Sad when you think of all those lost jobs and skills.

hi I ALSOserved my time at English ElectriC in 1970 and also remember Ted POTTER AND Albert bibsom ,strict that is not the word .But they gave you a prper Apprenticeship there in them days.
I moved in 1978 to wait for it Bae systems and i AM STILL THERE

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by Atarah

Found this old photo from 1945 era. Dont know how I acquired it, but, here it is. Someone MAY recognise a relative?

Just seen this picture.
I do recognise one of the people in that photo.
The tall one back row was known as Big Abe.
I have a group photo of 1/2 doz men my father took outside Bristol and Big Abe is on it.
His hands were so big he could pick up 3 ball bearings, the size of billiard balls with one hand.

Retlaw.

Attached Thumbnails

[John45378]

Pennylynn - asking about a possible missing pension.
The people to ask are the pension tracing service, part of Dept for Work and Pensions. Contact details via DWP Homepage - Department for Work and Pensions
Good luck

Rgds John45378

[PorkyPie]

Originally Posted by SoulManic

In the mid to late 60's I was in the Data Processing Department in the top left corner of the building behind the front office block. Our boss was David Holden and he was the only one to have much contact with other departments. I do remember Keith Salisbury in the Cashiers Office - I think he lived in Barnes Street in Clayton.

Initially the data processing was done via punched card machines in which the cards were sorted, collated and reports printed primarily for stores ledger. The data processing was then transferred to an English Electric KDF6 computer at their Computer Bureau at Huyton just off the East Lancs Road.

We used to travel there regularly to test programmes and run the computer to process the data, sometimes working through the night if that was the only time slot available. It was seriously interesting work but we also had some fun.

Excuse me for butting in, but I worked as an operator at English Electric Huyton for a year or two in the mid 60's.

Bill Foster, skinny ginger nerd, that was me.

[davidf]

Originally Posted by Retlaw

That factory was purpose built in 1939, for the production of the Bristol Radial Engine, some people knew then, that there would be a war with Germany, even though Chamberlain thought there would be peace in our time.
My father went to Bristol at Clayton as a machine setter in late 1939.

Other factory's up and down the country were built for the production of war materials at the same time, otherwise we would'nt have had the battle of Britain when Spitfires and Hurricanes beat off the Luftwaffe. Rolls Royce were producing the Merlin Engines in great quantities.

Retlaw.

My father worked at Bristol for a time, I think, in 1945 (he worked at several engineering firms during the war). He was a (tool) turner. I have a BAC lapel badge (his?) stamped with the number 4979 on the back.

[Boxingbob]

Originally Posted by erniebaker

I know time has ticked on, but does anyone there remember my grandfather, Tom Baker? He arrived from Bristol in about 1941, and stayed on after the War. He was eventually a superintendent for English Electric and died in 1962 aged just 47.

My dad was best friends with Tom Baker, he was always round our house when I was younger. My dad was called Jack Birtwistle and was also a superintendent. I also served my apprenticeship at English Electric as an Aircraft Fitter and worked on the Machine Tool Overall (MTO). When he died he left his engineering technical manual to my dad which he passed on to me. They use to go drinking in the Grey Horse pub and the Marlbourgh club and I think they played cricket together for English Electric.

[optimist]

Great to read all this. I can remember the hooter going and waiting for my grandad ( Bob Catlow) to come out of the Charles Street gate. The tsunami of folk coming down the street was awesome. Then was the added fun ( and some may remember it). There was a massive hump in the road in the middle of Charles Street... and if you encouraged Dad, the driver ,you got the Big Dipper experience ( Obviously not at hooter time!)! Bob retired in 1975 I beleive , got his watch, and cancer got him in 1976. Worked in the toolmaking shop I beleive.
It was a bit saddening when I bought one of the new houses on the old playing fields.
Come and Welcome Club for a pint anyone? I wish.

[compsgirl]

I worked on Comps from the early 60s to 1976. My dad was Harry Burrell who worked in 'A' shop for many years

[Gremlin]

I did a very short spell driving Accrington buses ( three weeks, a man can only stand so much of a bell ringing in his ear all day) and one job I did was the works service from English Electric to Accrington. There was a small bus stand outside of the gates and Blackburn, Ribble and Accrington buses all waited for finishing time when all hell let loose with all the workers rushing out to catch their respective bus. The bus park is still there to this day but it is now a car park.

[accysam]

What about Tom Dooley, he kept us on our toes.
I worked on Q line also then on that big rigid mill opposite
Great days and nights, not forgetting the night shift, bit of fun there with the security guys

[Stumped]

Wedding Presentation being made to a colleague on the 'Machine Tool Overall' Section during my apprenticeship days in the early 1960's. I'm second from the right, front row, standing with my arms folded.

[Stumped]

Sorry for my cock up in the previous message. There was supposed to be a photograph with the message, but apparently it has failed to show up. Anyone can advise me how to post pictures?

[jack preston]

My late mother Evelyn Keenan worked there for a while during ww2,anyone remember her.?

[Stumped]

http://www.accringtonweb.com/gallery...e=13057&size=1

Click on the above and then click open to view photograph taken on the Machine Tool Overhaul (MTO) section at English Electric, Clayton le moors in the early 1960's. I'm third from the right standing with arms folded. Picture shows wedding gift presentation to Jack Woods by Albert Bimpson.