GEC Copsewood (Telephone Works, Stoke)

My first job was in the Production Control Dept and Mr Clements was my boss. I started as a junior making tea and washing up for the Progress Chasers; and on a Wednesday afternoon I went to the Brooklands (Technical College) at Coundon. This was in 1959. Unfortunately I can't remember any names of my colleagues, although Ann Yates rings a bell. I was later transferred to the Goods Receiving at Helen Street and then returned to the Stores and Internal Transport at Copsewood, Mr Stacey was my boss.

I have just joined the site. I used to work at GEC Telephone Works, STOKE, UXBRIDGE AVENUE, COVENTRY. I am trying to find out if anyone remembers me, my name is Mary Stennett. I was tall, I had long brown hair. I worked there between the years of 1979-1997. I worked in the Typing Pool for 10yrs, Peter Kimberley was in charge of the Pool Later I worked as a Clerk in the big open plan office. I remember a Scottish lady was in charge of the section, called Kathy, a nice person. I remember doing Power Point. They cooked some nice lunches in the Canteen, we were lucky to have that there then. The GEC Ballroom was lovely. I have a photo of some of the ladies from the Typing Pool with Peter Kimberley. Hoping to hear from someone.

Welcome, Mary, to our friendly forum and thanks for your post - let's hope you get plenty of responses and perhaps make contact with people you've not heard from for some time

Thanks very much, Mary

I have added 2 photos from when I worked at GEC, I am the woman with long brown hair. Mr Peter Kimberley is in the photo next to me, he has a white jumper on, the lady in front of me, with dark hair with a dark dress on, I think her name was Beverley? The lady at the side of me, with a black dress on, I think her name was Sheila, this was taken Christmas time. Does anyone recognise me, the other pic is from the open plan offices?

Hello, I am lucky to still have these photos from when I worked at GEC. I remember the name of another lady who worked in the typing pool, Sally, she had blonde hair. Yes the Canteen was very nice, looking back we were lucky to have that then, and we had a Surgery, I remember we were called to have our eyes tested regularly, because we were typing on the computers all day.

My family lived in Crescent Avenue, and my mother worked for quite a few years in the canteen at the GEC. It was run by a firm called Sutcliffe Catering, and I have to agree that quite a lot of hard work and skill went into the preparation of what was good basic tasty food. There was also a small dining room for the managers (known as the supervisory), where black-and-white uniformed waitresses operated a silver service for the bigwigs. The chef was named Walter, a Polish gentleman of the old school. I even did a couple of spells of casual work there in school holidays, so I know how hard everyone worked, and how proud they were that people lapped up the food they served. It really was a nice atmosphere in the dining room, as I recall. Of course, they never let me anywhere near the food preparation areas! I trolleyed the deliveries from the loading bay into stores, and I cleaned anything that didn't run away as I approached with steaming bucket and mop! I also loaded the dirty plates onto the machine that washed them. It was a valuable source of extra pocket money, and it certainly kept me out of mischief. Nice to hear some positive comments about the canteen; I had almost forgotten about it after all these years!

When I was there between 1997 and 2001 the 'canteen' was called the Staff Restaurant (people got annoyed if you called it a canteen, which it really wasn't) and it was pretty good apart from the Friday fish which was horrible. It was cheap as well with a choice of batches, hot food, pizzas and other stuff. They had a coffee bar installed just before I left. It paled into insignificance compared to a business trip to a Bosch site in Germany a few years ago, though. Their food was something else!

The canteen at GEC Stoke Works was brilliant during the time I worked for the company (1975-1988). An excellent roast dinner could be purchased most days of the week. I used to load my plate up as high as possible and the girl on the till would give me a knowing wink and never charge me more than 50p! Quite how I managed to stay awake during the afternoon, sitting at an office desk, I'll never know.

Your were lucky. From what I am told it's all prepacked 'elf' food now. (I really must get out more).

Ha, when I was there they charged you extra if there was too much! I used to get a cappuccino from the fresh coffee machine and put in a sly extra shot of espresso that I was never charged for. Maybe it's why Marconi got into trouble? I remember the day GEC bought out Siemens' share of GPT and renamed it Marconi Communications (before the whole GEC group was renamed as Marconi) they had entertainers walking around the canteen dressed as robots with guns. We tied balloons to their guns. It was quite odd. All that's left of GEC is Telent now.

I worked in the cable making shop at the GEC Stoke during the mid 60's, I do remember as a very self-conscious youth of about 16, having to walk though a shop full of ladies to get to the gents was a very daunting thing to do alone, it was always easier to do with one of my peers. I remember the canteen for serving very good meals, also the ballroom where they ran a disco at lunchtime maybe a couple of times a week.

I started a Student Apprenticeship with GEC-AEI Telecommunications in 1970, I did a thin sandwich degree at Lanchester Polytechnic. The Training Department in those days was "Bunny" Austin, FA Motture (Tony) and JD Edwards. One of the placements I remember was Transmission Sub-Contracts with Les Sawyer, George Hill and Eric Soutar. When I completed the training I took a job with E600 "Test Equipment Engineers", the Manager was DVE Lowe (Dennis). There was HB Baker (Howard), DJ Gee (Dave), FB Mundean (Barry), ME Shearer (Mike), RE Hodge (Bob), RD Keill (Dick), JA Cockrill (John), PW Gray (Peter), JA Moran (John), Aubrey Bicknell, RE Irwin (Ron), Peter Brown, CJ Gladman (Chris), WE Torrance (Bill), HS Dhillon (Matt). I took voluntary severance in 2001 at which point I was with Optical Networks in the Project Management Team. I have many memories, some good and some not so good.

Hello & good morning to you Golden Tonsils, Welcome to our forum. Thank you for your post. I had a school holiday job at the GEC 1962/3. Best wishes Philip.

I think Ron Irwin taught at Cov' Tech during the late 70s