Alfred Herbert Ltd

I worked at Herbert's in Red Lane and always went for the pineapple creams on the occasion of someone's birthday or wedding - yum - slurp. Too bad if you were the last one to choose from the basket!! Were you there when I was Tricia? Late 50's early 60's?

I worked in the Correspondence Office from 1966 to 1974. During this time the department moved to Lutterworth and then to Edgwick (Cross Road).

Hello Tricia, You must be younger than me then (everybody is) !! as I left in '62 to start a family. I too worked in the "corres". Ann Goosey was the boss and Mrs Whitehead used to watch over us in the office. I worked for the Order and Shipping Dept. - Loved working there. Wow, 74 was the year we came out to OZ.

Whoops! Got that wrong - her name was Mrs Whittaker. I think that is how you spell it.

Hi, I also worked for the O&S. I'm trying to remember the names of some of the staff, I can picture them all, but can't recall their names. I can remember Wilf Eaton, George ???, and Ann ???. In corres Edna Allen was in charge. Maybe you remember Rose Kenny, Jean Smith or Margaret Grindley, they had worked there a long time. I don't know how many worked in Corres when I started there, maybe there were 30, but by the time I left it was down to 8. It was very sad to see the place go down and people being made redundant.

Hello again Tricia, Yes I remember Edna, she always like the window open even in winter and we sat alongside the canal so it was rather chilly then. I recall she always used to 'bike' it home at lunch time to cook chips for her husband. Dennis, David Beardmore, quite a few first names from Bedworth I remember but a few of the girls married and so I you tend to stick to a first name basis. When I left we had a full contingent in the corres., I remember the two Norman brothers and Mr Hugo was the 'big' boss in the front office. Miss Pearsall was their secretary. Bill the handyman used to go round in the offices in the winter spraying everything in his path to ward off cold viruses and germs. I have just remembered Bernard Shaw and Mr Willison and Mr Coker who was over the Secondhand Dept., You must remember Bob Pitcher too, he was quite old then so he may have left when you were there. These are supposed to be our good old days, however I did enjoy working there despite the cranky old tea urn!!!! The best to you Tricia.

Hi, I laughed out loud when you said about Edna Allen and the windows. We used to freeze when she opened them all. Her husband Dennis died just after I started and her daughter went to Australia but returned after a few years. She drove a car when I was there. You mentioned the cranky urn, it was still old when I was there. We used to have 10 minutes to make and drink our tea before Mrs Allen used to shout 'times up and over ladies' and we would all start tapping our typewriters again. I vaguely remember Bernard Shaw. As you say they were the good old days.

Sorry about Edna's husband and a little surprised but then he did eat a lot of chips ! I remember a Jean in the O&S her maiden name was Gotham and some of the names are coming back the more I think of them like Lilly Allet I think that is how you spell it. Anyway she used to sit at the back on the dictaphones. Oh, that sounds like something out of the ark! Also Frank ? worked in the O&S and Norrie Jones I think they sat at the same desk. Then there was Phyllis Butler and Marjorie and Mrs Stringer in Postal & Filing. I had better stop or I will go on for ever. Will catch up again Tricia

Hello Dreamtime - I'm pretty sure we used to work together at Red Lane and that your name begins with J. I have read your 'memories' on another site. Like so many of us, I was on the sec. training scheme and worked at Red Lane for about a year. Small world, and here we are again! There was a girl who sat in front of you whose boyfriend was in the Guards I think, and he used to do Royal Sentry duty. I used to sit in front of you on the other side of the gangway c1957. Eric Gale was another person out in the offices, he was something to do with the Service Department I think. And Ernie Robinson who played rugger for Coventry and England was in the outer office on Sales I think. He became a great friend later in life. I remember Mrs Goosey and Mrs Whittaker well, they sat up front like Tweedledum and Tweedledee. After my stint at Red Lane I went back to Edgewick and the drawing office. My friend worked for Mr Hugo there, and I had to stand in for her if she was away, which used to terrify me, as did having to take the daily sales figures into Sir Alfred Herbert in his office at 3.30 prompt daily. With hindsight I am proud to have known him. Happy for you to contact me privately for more reminiscences.

Hi Foleshill Kid, that would have been Miss Pearsall who worked for the directors in the front offices ie: Mr. Hugo and the two Norman brothers K.W and W.T. Mr Hugo was not so bad, he gave me a lift a couple of times up Red Lane when it was raining. Did a couple of days out in the reception area when the commissionaire was off once, now that was terrifying. All I had was a phone, no notepad, no pencil, no nothing and I prayed the phone wouldn't ring. Happy days

Ernie Robinson, now there is a name from the past. A good traditional 'hooker'.

Yes, Ernie was a lovely man and a gentleman. I attended his 25th wedding anniversary bash c.1976. They hired a canal boat for the party, and took their own food including jellies and blancmanges, the lot!

As the Beech Tree Cafe topic drifted onto this one, I hope you don't mind me moving the relevant posts across to here... it'll make it easier for future readers to find Herbert's - I'll bet they'd never think to check the Beech Tree Cafe topic to find out about our illustrious toolmaker!!! Cheers, Rob

I remember the little park o/p the Navi, we used to play in there while my dad had a drink in the pub, it had a sandpit and the workers from Alfred Herbert's had an entrance to the works at the end of it.

I think Herbert's was up Red Lane, Bernie (I used to walk it every morning to work), the old Navi was a lot further along Stoney Stanton Road. Unless you are talking about Edgwick.