GEC Copsewood (Telephone Works, Stoke)

Although I worked at GEC, Spon Street in the 1980s, then Helen Street in the 90s, a few of these names are familiar. Barry Mundean became our Test Manager at Helen St, and earned the nickname of "HIG" from his regular question "how's it going?'. Peter Brown, if it's the same person, became overall chief of the Transmission group, and oversaw the thousands of redundancies in the early 90s - although with hindsight it was probably necessary to keep GPT alive at that stage. I briefly came across others too, although I didn't actually know them to talk to, like Mike Shearer & Bill Torrance, and I think one of my apprentice placements in the early 80s was with Ron Irwin - not exactly one of my favourites if I've remembered correctly! I didn't see Cliff Titterall (not sure of the spelling) mentioned, but I know he had a connection with the Test Equipment department.

My first post here, so apologies if I'm breaking any etiquette rules (then again, I am originally from Leicester, so I guess it's to be expected ) Cliff Titterall was indeed connected to Test Equipment, as when I was a fresh-faced Technician Engineer in 1984, he was the team leader for the Test Equipment team for the Ghz Radio and Multiplexer department, up on the 5th floor of Spon Street. It was still very 'traditional' up there - we sat in rows of benches, facing Cliff at the front of the workshop. As a 19-year-old, this was my first placement doing 'real' work and I was incredibly nervous. As it was, everyone was really friendly and made a lot of allowances - even the grumpy chap who ran the stores and wanted to know chapter and verse of why I wanted (e.g.) a twist drill bit. I was assigned to work for Brian Wathen, who was a lovely bloke and helped along a lot. I was amazed that we were allowed to smoke in the workshop and so brought my own ashtray in - felt very 'grown up'! Keeping with the traditional workshop feel, we had a lady come down from the canteen every day with a tea urn and some bacon batches kept warm on top of the urn. As the training school was at Spon Street (Ken Marshall and Dave Jackson in charge of us Tech. Engs), I have fond memories of the place.

Super photo Prof. At the very end of that roadway (called Telephone Road - offices on the left, workshops & wiring rooms on the right), if you turned left at the end, you went past a security hut, through an exit gateway into Crescent Avenue, and could turn first right into Uxbridge Avenue to go towards Binley Road.

I worked at GEC/GPT/Marconi for quite a number of years and during that time moved around jobs throughout most of the company. I started as an apprentice with Derek Webb as our Training Officer - he was a great bloke. I remember a sort of 'outward bounds' sort of trip to Hebden Bridge he took our year on and it was a fantastic experience for a group of youngsters, including evening visits to the pub - brilliant. As an apprentice I moved all over the Stoke Works factory, as well as Helen Street, working on just about every department or section that existed. My memory isn't great and I've forgotten far more than I can remember, so names I am struggling with, but I remember Production Control, Quality Control, most of the shop floor sections, Drawing Office, Purchasing, there were lots of them. I specifically remember visiting a store room that was in a cellar somewhere at Stoke Works and was ran by this bloke who was a bit odd to be fair, but what I remember most was that his small office was plastered from floor to ceiling with posters and photos of topless and naked women, there wasn't any space on any wall (or ceiling I think) left without it displaying smiling face attached to a protruding boob or bum. It's hard to imagine that this was allowed even back then, but is totally unimaginable today. I had a great apprenticeship, I enjoyed it a lot and have very fond memories. It was just a shame that it all got a bit serious towards the end of it as I had to decide and then concentrate on a real job at the end of it all. LOL.

I do hope I'm not breaking any rules, I'm not trying to sell anything, just give them away rather than destroying, I'll even pay the postage. I have the following that I don't want and would like to donate to anyone who's interested. 1 x Large book dated July 1936 entitled 'The General Electric Company' 4 x Company Magazines 'The Loudspeaker' Christmas 1962, Spring 1963, Spring 1964 & Autumn 1964 1 x Pamphlet '50 Years of Progress in Telecommunications' Dated October 1958 1 x GEC Gala Programme June 1974 Is there a GEC museum or local collector who would like them? I hate throwing historic things like this away, but in the bin they must go if there are no takers.

The editor of the mag was a chap called Skinnsley, or Skingsly. I knew him well, pity I cannot spell his name!

Indeed, I've just checked and it's on the back cover Editor: L. Skingley M.A.I.E. (no idea what M.A.I.E. stands for)

Hey, that's brill. He was an acupuncture expert, I'm told. He never fixed my bike tyres though! Like most folk, I either knew them from band playing, trainspotting, astronomy or I was doing their books. He often took pictures of the Saturday night dance meetings in the GEC ballroom. He had a half hunch-back disability, but I remember him loving our band. He told me of the house being for sale where I live now. He used to live at No 1. Isn't that a pip.

What year are we talking about, Phil? My dad worked at the GEC from leaving the army in 1947 until he retired in 1989. He used to run/DJ the lunchtime dances in the ballroom at Stoke and I believe some evening dances. He was a part-time member of the works fire brigade and helped out at every kids Christmas party until the day he retired. Sadly he passed in 2019 but having worked there as long as he did he was extremely well known. We lived in Second Avenue which was inside the Stoke factory boundary. I remember having 'fun' getting home a few times when workers were on strike blockading the site in the 1970's

I had a school holiday job there during 1962/3, but I played in the band Minimusic for over six years. Take out my uni-away years, there was hardly a month where we didn't do a Saturday or Friday dance accompaniment. Piano was either Archie Layton (my best tutor) or me.

As an ex GEC man myself I think it would be a shame if these items were lost. You could try contacting the webmaster of this site.

Langtonian, thank you for that. I've dropped them a message.

So many parallels here, Rob58uk! My dad - Arthur Walker - also worked at the GEC Stoke works from 1947 to retirement in 1989. My relatives, Bicknells and Wilkinsons, lived in Second Avenue. And even your reference to the works fire brigade. Here's a true story about them! Reg Binns was the Manager of the Computer Centre - I will always remember him as a good guy to work for! Factory Drama I'd got six months - No! I don't mean THAT! I wasn't going to prison! I'd finished school, six months "til Uni - a vacancy arisen. The factory where my dad worked needs computer operators, So there I was, being interviewed by the works administrators. I guess I had the inside lane, with the influence of my dad, And the interviewers' Chair declared "Let's employ the lad!" So there I was, eighteen years old, computers the new high tech, An eight-hour shift, a five-day week; at the end a nice fat cheque! Computer rooms in those days were like great assembly halls, They had to be, since mag tape readers lined the outer walls. In these great boxes, big as fridges, magnetic tapes were mounted, Each half a mile of plastic tape, on which data were accounted. These days we'd laugh at those machines - our phones are so much smarter, But twelve of these magnetic tapes just held the payroll data. Another twelve were needed for the factory's stock control, And we operators ran them from an ICT console. From time to time this teletype asked us to intervene, Like "Rewind Tape on Unit 7, take it off the tape machine", Or "Mount Tape X on Unit 2; Hit enter when it's done", For me, it wasn't just a job - it actually was fun! One day while I was working, the big boss came around. I thought I was in trouble - on his face he wore a frown. But no - "I've got a problem with the night-shift staff right now, I'm two men down and have to fill the vacancies somehow. You've shown yourself as capable - are you willing to transfer? I can make it very much worthwhile if you would now concur." It's double pay, a four-night week - you'll have your Fridays free, It's 10 P.M. til 6 A.M. - please say that you'll agree!" So 10 P.M. next Monday my shift-leader - Fred - and I Took over from the evening shift and waved them both goodbye. Our duties on the night-shift were much like those I'd known, But quiet and spooky in that factory at night there all alone! We teamed up well, old Fred and I, though he always had a smoke, Hot coffee kept us wide awake, and we'd often share a joke. Then one night, when we came to work, the room was piled high With some forty new magnetic tapes to replenish the supply. Now each mag tape was packaged in expanded polystyrene Which had to be removed before the mag tape could be seen. On top of normal duties, we were to go right through this stack, Unpack each of these forty tapes and place them on the rack. Now that proved to be easy, but we had to then dispose Of the polystyrene packagings that were piled up "round our toes. We broke them into little pieces, threw them in the bin, But with 40 to be dealt with, we were never going to win. So Fred sat back and had a smoke, and tossed his match away. It fell, still lit, down in the bin he used as his ashtray. What happened next - amazing - it just caught us by surprise! The polystyrene in that bin disappeared before our eyes! A slightly smoky smell was all it left where it had been, And a tiny patch of brown stuff at the bottom of the bin. Well, this seemed like the answer, and it seemed like lots of fun So we finished off the rest before the rising of the sun. Next day when we arrived at work, the daytime staff complained The dreadful day they'd suffered - and in detail they explained. "We all could smell a hint of smoke - electrical maybe. We called the factory fire brigade to see what they could see. They pulled the tiles up off the floor, went crawling through the roof, They said it's strange, this building was designed as fireproof. They then gave up, brought experts in, the Fire Brigade from Town, So with flashing lights and sirens on they all came racing down. They went right through the place again, and left us in a mess", "We've no idea just what it was", they had to then confess. Those guys went home, and Fred and I were left to contemplate The chance that we had caused it all was open to debate! The big boss came and once again we heard about the fuss, But, with a smile, he kicked the bin and then he said to us, "I think I've worked it out just now, it drove us all insane. But keep the good work going, lads, I know it won't occur again.