If anyone had a relative who worked at either factory up to 1975, if you give me their name it may jog my memory and ahelp me tace a relevant photograph. The Burndept as I knew it in my time traded under 3 names....Burndept, Vidor Batteries and Crompton Parkinson.
They had two factories. One on Station Road and the other on River Drive next to the Tyne Chemical Co. (see my earlier posting of photos for a c1970 view). The factory in River drive was known as No1 and the other No 2. By the mid 196os when I left the forces, the Station Rd
site was cleared leaving the River Drive factory as the main one.
The main product was of course batteries mainly for the government and battery making machinary for export. They had a research and design lab and a chemical lab. They also dabbled in mercury compounds. The factory is still trading today under another name though.
Some of the names I remember starting from the 1940s are:
Queenie Fowles, Joe Sanderson, Jenny Fawlkes, Doris Slater, Winnie Tinnion, Nora Leithhead, Ella Whitfield, Jimmy Street, Louis Hartman, Jimmy Fairweather, Mary Harris, Peggy Brown, M Alexander, Derek Brown,Derek Thompson, Billy Sloane and his brother ? Pat Paisland, Arthur Shotton & Janet Frazer, I will add more names as they come to mind.
Below:
c1968 ish. Looks like a retirement do for the lady in the middle. All the white coats are supervisors. On the left..Peggy Brown. On the right..Winnie Tinnion. A few of the faces in the girls behind I recognise but cannot name.
I worked at River Drive from 1970 to 1974. I was in the battery making machinery section working under Calder Lewis and alongside Gordon Avery and Charlie Ford. I don't dwell much on that time in my life 'cos I was a bit of a waste of space.....I've grown out of it now, thankfully!
I remember Jimmy Street, Louis Hartman and Arthur Shotton. I'm struggling with more names, though. I'll have to have a bit think about this.
I found some of my photos of when i worked there , like i said in an earlier post i wasnt there long , but the girls i worked with had been there a while ...
a good bunch of lasses they were .. had some good laughs we did ...
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I did not notice who had posted those photo I just looked at them briefly as I scrolled down and when I came to the black and white photo my first thought that looks like Anna and then I noticed you had posted those photos Anna. How do you like that old global recognised you straight away. and good photos and I had a laugh at the first one with the lady getting caught on camera with her mouth full.
How was a totally inorganic world able to create organic life? Answer it couldn't and didn't
So you would reconise me if i was to walk down your street Global..thats very good .. =D>
yes the girl in the photo with her mouth full , was a scream , she laughed from start of day ,till end.. She had an invectouse laugh, so when she laughed ,everybody else did aswell ,,she was good friend , they were all nice lasses ..
I just knew that it was you. But yes I think if I saw you in a crowded street I would be able to recognise. I am even good at picking people out when they show me there primary school photos.
How was a totally inorganic world able to create organic life? Answer it couldn't and didn't
baldy.smith wrote:I've just managed to pick you out Anna
I got a little confused
I thought it was Dolly Parton.
I'm off to the air raid shelter.
I laughed ,but i realy didnt get it ,,i dont think , ?
Dolly Parton ..? defo carnt mean me ..
and where does air raid come in to it ??
now you got me a little confused ..
hartman045 wrote:If anyone had a relative who worked at either factory up to 1975, if you give me their name it may jog my memory and ahelp me tace a relevant photograph. The Burndept as I knew it in my time traded under 3 names....Burndept, Vidor Batteries and Crompton Parkinson.
They had two factories. One on Station Road and the other on River Drive next to the Tyne Chemical Co. (see my earlier posting of photos for a c1970 view). The factory in River drive was known as No1 and the other No 2. By the mid 196os when I left the forces, the Station Rd
site was cleared leaving the River Drive factory as the main one.
The main product was of course batteries mainly for the government and battery making machinary for export. They had a research and design lab and a chemical lab. They also dabbled in mercury compounds. The factory is still trading today under another name though.
Some of the names I remember starting from the 1940s are:
Queenie Fowles, Joe Sanderson, Jenny Fawlkes, Doris Slater, Winnie Tinnion, Nora Leithhead, Ella Whitfield, Jimmy Street, Louis Hartman, Jimmy Fairweather, Mary Harris, Peggy Brown, M Alexander, Derek Brown,Derek Thompson, Billy Sloane and his brother ? Pat Paisland, Arthur Shotton & Janet Frazer, I will add more names as they come to mind.
Below:
c1968 ish. Looks like a retirement do for the lady in the middle. All the white coats are supervisors. On the left..Peggy Brown. On the right..Winnie Tinnion. A few of the faces in the girls behind I recognise but cannot name.
hi anna i have just come across your photos of the burndept and vidor i wounder if you can help me my nanna francis shell and my mam iris shell then now newman and my self all worked there but what i am looking for anna is my mam iris presented kathy kirby the first pocket radio at the burndept toher she had a photo but has been miss placed would you have any info on this as my mam reckons it was around 1956/57 would be a nice surprise if i could find something thank
I did not notice who had posted those photo I just looked at them briefly as I scrolled down and when I came to the black and white photo my first thought that looks like Anna and then I noticed you had posted those photos Anna. How do you like that old global recognised you straight away. and good photos and I had a laugh at the first one with the lady getting caught on camera with her mouth full.
my name was jean kidd and les knowles was our boss