Wickman Machine Tools

Workers travelled there by many means, walking, push bike, scooter, motor bike, car or van and with quite a big workforce, there were 3 or 4 car parks at Banner Lane. Nothing strange about that, until one day the shout went out to "come and look at this" and there coming up the drive was a guy called John Habberley on his horse. He parked it around the back tethered to the fence, with a feed bag and bucket of water. Don't know what was said to him, but he never rode it to work again. I think that John went on to keep an antique shop?

Just come across this - a reprint from the early 1950s

Posted today on Facebook

Image taken from my A C Wickman book by Lexa Dudley

Some info taken from my book by Lexa Dudley (daughter of A C Wickman). I did not realise that Wickman machines had played a big part in the cycle industry. Wickman's first customer for its Multi Spindle Automatic was Raleigh, Nottingham. By 1974 Raleigh's factory was running 67 five spindle machines and 48 six spindle machines, all dedicated to a single component. One of the five spindle machines was the oldest multi in service, being built by John Lang in 1938. Some 40 years later, it was producing parts for the Sturmey Archer three speed hub.

John Lang and Sons is a name I'd forgotten from my time at Wickman. Thanks, Mick

Thanks MR. The "Gear Cutting" price list in that link is amazing!!!! Teeth quoted by the dozen.

I'm fascinated reading these posts. A company that is still trading worldwide. Thank you. Big changes in my lifetime was in 1984, when the FT (Financial Times) reported the sale of the company. That's a very common outcome in our free enterprise business society. I would almost run out of forum posting space to list the number of Coventry-based industries, leave alone national companies, where ownership has gone overseas, but where manufacturing continues. Even if I could remember them. In other words, it's not a redundant product like a steam engine. ps. I don't want to appear totally negative regards "overseas takeovers", some are not only inevitable, but work well with damage limitations, but some are a disaster. Nestle sits high on that, takeovers just to move jobs overseas where state influence may be at work. That works both ways, the UK enticing skilled from overseas.

Found in my loft over the weekend. Wickman apprentice intake for 1966, the photograph was taken on 6th September 1966 in front of the training school building. The four on the back row LH side of the picture were older graduates, but the remaining 38 were first year intake apprentices who came from group firms like Wickman Scrivener, Webster & Bennett, Hard Metals Tools. The three instructors are Colin Tipson (training school manager under Joe Williams) in the middle of Jack Trigg (fitting ins) and Bill Shaw (grinding ins). I'm sat next to Jack Trigg.

I have been able to find some information on this mobile unit. Devised in 1946, the "Mobile Exhibition Unit" was built on a Foden six wheel chassis. The unit housed three machines, a 1.3/8", 5 spindle automatic, an Optical Profile Grinder and a Wickman 7/16" SS Sliding Head Automatic. All machines were powered and tooled to produce components. Bar materials were stored in the floorboards of the vehicle. The project captured the imagination of the Government for export and was given a launch ceremony by the then Minister of Supply, George Strauss.

This is my copy of "Machinery's Handbook" that I was presented with upon completion of my apprenticeship. All apprentices who completed got a copy. It is a gold mine for any engineer and still gets used today. It is currently in its 31st edition.

I guess it happened in most factories, but Wickman was a hive of practical jokes. On leaving the training school, my first post in the factory was the gear cutting section, this was run by Charlie Maspero and Gordon Loader who were two great blokes. After about a week, Gordon asked me if I had sorted out my free boots. Being 17, the word free really attracted my attention. Telling him I did not know what he was talking about, he explained that due to working in cutting oil we were allowed a pair of free boots with special soles. He advised me to go up to the foreman's (Stan Styles) office and enquire about them. The office was at the end of the line and up in the roof so that they could look out of the window and view the whole line. Anyway, to cut a long story short, after explaining to Stan why I was there, he asked, "Did Gordon send you?" On saying yes, he put his arm around me and took me to the window, the whole line was looking up at the window and clapping!! Just one of the many pranks.