Alfred Herbert Ltd

Hello Dreamtime. I had forgotten Elsie Allen and the window. Do you remember when they put a Perspex shield over half of it to try and stop the draughts? I remember snow flakes coming in over the top of the shield! I am sorry to say that Ada died with cancer when she was quite young. Another amazing coincidence - Ada's niece lives in our village and her daughter started school on the same day as my granddaughter who is in Australia. They have been close friends since then. Thanks for your good wishes.

Hi Whitefriars, I am sad to read about Ada, she gave me a lot of help when I started in the Corres and fresh out of s/hand and typing school. Did you know Elsie Allen used to cycle home every dinnertime to cook her hubby chips for his lunch. Just a bit of trivia, but we thought she was good to brave the elements year in and year out to do that - lucky hubby. Must have had a few complaints to have had the shield put in. Do you remember May on the tea trolley, she was there when I left and the tea was shocking, don't know how Mr. Norman or Mr. Hugo could drink it. It used to cost them 4 pence a cup, they were robbed!!!!! Bye.

Hello Dreamtime! How about that for a quick reply? No I did not know about the chips but she was such a character I would not be surprised at anything. I don't think I remember the tea trolley lady, did she used to come into the Corres? Do you remember how we "banged people in" when they got married. As you walked through the offices people banged on the filing cabinets, etc., such a din. I still have the blankets that the girls brought me 58 years ago and a rude poem that they wrote and put on my desk after they had decorated it with streamers. Yes, Ada was kind. She used to help me read my shorthand back from Mr Norman. He used to pace up and down the office when he dictated and it was a combination of the fact that I could not hear all he said and I had not a clue what he was talking about! Also I was so nervous. Happy days!

I did a brief stint at Herbert Associates as Assistant Company Secretary, they renovated and sold old AH machines, didn't last long as I decided it was time to travel and went to work on the copper mines in Zambia, after which I went down to Zimbabwe and almost bought an engineering company which was stocked with AH machines, when I finally returned to the UK I did a temp job creating an asset register at the old AP factory in Leamington and low and behold many of the machines had "Herbert associates" nameplates on them

Hi Dreamtime & Whitefriars, I think 'Elsie Allen' is Edna Allen. She was in charge of Corres when I was there 1966-1974. I remember she used to storm into the office, fling the windows wide open, and say the office smelt like a brothel. (We did wonder how she knew what a brothel smelt like)

Hi Tricia, you are absolutely right it was Edna, it was a toss up for me Elsie or Edna! I had left by then, and she did 'fling' the window open just as you say as if in a temper. Out of all the girls in there at the time she was the only woman I ever had an issue with. I hate to think what she was like being in charge.

Hello, my dad had these, does anyone know what/where they are from. I know they're from Herbert machines but that's it, also how much they are worth please.

Lisa. I find this interesting, what is the actual size of these, they look quite large. Also I am curious to know why they are curved like that.

They look like the nameplates from an Atritor Pulverisor/Dryer. There is a company in Coventry currently producing these machines and trading under the name Atritor Ltd. Their website gives details of what they were used for and includes illustrations.

Hi & thank you Greenman Atritor Website

I did a stint at Herbert's, Red Lane, and knew my time would be limited when on my first day there after a "rebranding" exercise of their letterheads and colour scheme, a deep purple red as I remember, I commented to John Searle, the then company secretary "Who the hell approved that colour?" and he answered "I did".

Lady Herbert's memorial at Lichfield

Thanks for that fabulous insight into Sir Alfred & Lady Herberts life, and all of the good things they did for our City.

Hi Dreamtime Was that Walter Coker? If so he was my grandfather. I think he worked in AH from when he arrived in Cov (1908 ? from Portsmouth) until he retired (and then he went to work for a company in Lcs). When him and my gran used to drive down to Portsmouth he would always stop at AH's grave and say a prayer. Cheers (also living in Perth) Julian

Hi Julian, It was indeed. Known to us as Wally Coker. Always had his pipe smoking even when dictating letters. His office was one big haze. I remember him so well, a very nice man always opened his office door for us girls when leaving. AH was well respected by all of his employees I believe. I was there late 50's early 60's and enjoyed working there at Red Lane. Kind regards Josie.