I used to work in the building on the right, well I’m pretty sure it was the building on the right, as a Flexiwriter (typing onto a tape) bit like the old fashioned telexes – Dave Dawson did you used to have a yellow Lotus Elan?
I worked in the process offices in 1941 and there was a mr Yeoman there then,I think he was a civil engineer.I also remember the dental dept. and the dentist nicknamed “Butcher”, he put me through a lot of pain.
I remember the process offices. Was there in 1945 worked for a Mr Yoeman. The old farm building housed the medical services. So sorry to see it all go.
I really do have to contribute to the subject of Dentistry at ICI. The Grange was indeed part of the fine conditions set up by ICI for the free treatment of staff on site. In 1948 after a bad spell of illness I was accepted by Mr.C.V.Armitage as a Dental Apprentice. Mr Armitage was the Head of his Practice at 186 Norton Road. His partner was Mr Athol Sholto Douglas who, when I commenced, was a high ranking officer in the RAF. Mr J. Riddell also joined the practice post war. C.V. as he was known, was one of the first qualified Dentists in the country to obtain the qualification of FDS. It was this practice that supplied all Dental Work for ICI under contract. Certain days of the week were allocated for the Surgeons to attend the surgery at the Grange. It is also of importance to know that ICI invented and produced Kallodent Acrylic Resin, the material that superceded Vulcanite Rubber used for dentures. Mr Artmitage”s Chief Technician, Mr Ernie Taylorson of Keithlands Avenue had carried out early experimental work in ICI Labs before joining Mr Armitage”s practice. He had a valuable knowledge of the correct working of acrylic resins and their use in the mouth. Among other valuable members of laboratory staff were Mr John Atkinson (cast metals) and Mr —- Roper who worked only on ICI dental prosthetic work. All other laboratory members were engaged on Private Practice work. I completed my apprentiship in 1951 and went to work at Leeds Dental School and Hospital, a move which made my life after a very difficult start. My wage as an apprentice was 15/- less 2/6d stamp money. In other words 12/6 per week at 18 years old. Mum and Dad deserved a medal for keeping me. I still have my Indenture listing all the Conditions. It should go to a museum. I am sad to report the excellent Dental Museum at Leeds Dental School initiated by Professor T.Talmage Read, has been done away with together with its valuable contents which showed many of the historic changes in Dentistry along with totally unique film of supplying an artificial voice which I made for a patient with Poliomyelitis. Also lost is a film of the surgery and techniques of constructing full implants in 1956, now a popular private practice treatment. So much for progress today! I must also pay tribute to the Dental Receptionists now Dental Nurses. Marjory was the equivalent of Practice Manager. Ruth — and Margaret Garbutt were also receptionists in my time there. Both were good looking lasses. Happy days.
Mr Douglas was definitely not the dentist known as “Butcher” he was a quiet gentle man and was my dentist from 1946 until he retired a long time later.
Walter Spence. Walter, I worked in the Research labs 1957-64 and we knew the dentist as “Butcher” Douglas. Were we, ten years later, just calling any ICI dentist “Butcher” or was it the same guy? Cheers, John Smith.
I worked in the Process Offices mid to late 60″s, one girl in our office always remarked on how the gas holders, which were next to the works canteen, were always much lower in the afternoon than they were first thing in the morning, she believed us when we told her they were full of soup, therefore, being empty after lunches were over.
I joined ICI in the research Dept.in 1947(20,000 employees in those days!) We did much work all over the site but I remember the old farmhouse very well as the works dentist was based there. He had the nickname “butcher Buckly” if I remember correctly. It was probably unjustified but we were young at the time. Very sad to see the state of ICI now. Once the biggest chemical giant in the British Empire. What went wrong.
By chance I found this website! I was the Production Area Engineer for the commisioning of Ammonia 4 and of course know it well. I was also not long before I took early retirement responsible for the demolition of the old farmhouse. Living now in Oakham, Rutland, I gave a talk to our local Probus club on the subject of the Heysham Aviation Fuel factory later part of ICI Agricultural Division. When I asked our local museum for some help I found that one of the staff was the grandson of the last occupant of the farm, a consultant at Newcastle General Hospital.
We are trying to locate anyone who would know about a precision clock that was handmade by apprentices in the Engineering School at ICI-Billingham in 1952 and presented to J.W. Bansall. The clock has turned up in Arizona (USA) and is presently being restored. If you know of anyone who might have been in this group, or indeed, have any suggestions, please email me at dstevenson17@cox.net or phone me at + 623 815 7102. Thank you! Best regards, Doug Stevenson
This road I see most days changed a lot though. The Building extreme left is the old process officers the one which stands today is shutdown and locked up when ICI left and was built in the late 60s.The white building was the old Grange farmhouse where it all started in the 20s pulled down late 80″s vandelism. Where the cars are there is still a carpark with Terra N2 UK offices portacabins now stand. The old cooling towers are gone and today Ammonia 4 plants cooling tower stands there and opposite across this road at the end of the old process officers is the main Ammonia4 plant where I work. In between the Grange and the old cooling towers used to a main canteen again pulled down when ICI pulled out sad, sad, sad.
I used to work in the building on the right, well I’m pretty sure it was the building on the right, as a Flexiwriter (typing onto a tape) bit like the old fashioned telexes – Dave Dawson did you used to have a yellow Lotus Elan?
I worked in the process offices in 1941 and there was a mr Yeoman there then,I think he was a civil engineer.I also remember the dental dept. and the dentist nicknamed “Butcher”, he put me through a lot of pain.
I remember the process offices. Was there in 1945 worked for a Mr Yoeman. The old farm building housed the medical services. So sorry to see it all go.
I really do have to contribute to the subject of Dentistry at ICI. The Grange was indeed part of the fine conditions set up by ICI for the free treatment of staff on site. In 1948 after a bad spell of illness I was accepted by Mr.C.V.Armitage as a Dental Apprentice. Mr Armitage was the Head of his Practice at 186 Norton Road. His partner was Mr Athol Sholto Douglas who, when I commenced, was a high ranking officer in the RAF. Mr J. Riddell also joined the practice post war. C.V. as he was known, was one of the first qualified Dentists in the country to obtain the qualification of FDS. It was this practice that supplied all Dental Work for ICI under contract. Certain days of the week were allocated for the Surgeons to attend the surgery at the Grange. It is also of importance to know that ICI invented and produced Kallodent Acrylic Resin, the material that superceded Vulcanite Rubber used for dentures. Mr Artmitage”s Chief Technician, Mr Ernie Taylorson of Keithlands Avenue had carried out early experimental work in ICI Labs before joining Mr Armitage”s practice. He had a valuable knowledge of the correct working of acrylic resins and their use in the mouth. Among other valuable members of laboratory staff were Mr John Atkinson (cast metals) and Mr —- Roper who worked only on ICI dental prosthetic work. All other laboratory members were engaged on Private Practice work. I completed my apprentiship in 1951 and went to work at Leeds Dental School and Hospital, a move which made my life after a very difficult start. My wage as an apprentice was 15/- less 2/6d stamp money. In other words 12/6 per week at 18 years old. Mum and Dad deserved a medal for keeping me. I still have my Indenture listing all the Conditions. It should go to a museum. I am sad to report the excellent Dental Museum at Leeds Dental School initiated by Professor T.Talmage Read, has been done away with together with its valuable contents which showed many of the historic changes in Dentistry along with totally unique film of supplying an artificial voice which I made for a patient with Poliomyelitis. Also lost is a film of the surgery and techniques of constructing full implants in 1956, now a popular private practice treatment. So much for progress today! I must also pay tribute to the Dental Receptionists now Dental Nurses. Marjory was the equivalent of Practice Manager. Ruth — and Margaret Garbutt were also receptionists in my time there. Both were good looking lasses. Happy days.
John, yes it was “Butcher” Douglas. I went out with his daughter Kate for a while.
Mr Douglas was definitely not the dentist known as “Butcher” he was a quiet gentle man and was my dentist from 1946 until he retired a long time later.
Walter Spence. Walter, I worked in the Research labs 1957-64 and we knew the dentist as “Butcher” Douglas. Were we, ten years later, just calling any ICI dentist “Butcher” or was it the same guy? Cheers, John Smith.
I worked in the Process Offices mid to late 60″s, one girl in our office always remarked on how the gas holders, which were next to the works canteen, were always much lower in the afternoon than they were first thing in the morning, she believed us when we told her they were full of soup, therefore, being empty after lunches were over.
I joined ICI in the research Dept.in 1947(20,000 employees in those days!) We did much work all over the site but I remember the old farmhouse very well as the works dentist was based there. He had the nickname “butcher Buckly” if I remember correctly. It was probably unjustified but we were young at the time. Very sad to see the state of ICI now. Once the biggest chemical giant in the British Empire. What went wrong.
Yes definitely the dentist known as “Butcher” was named Buckley,
He was a large man and looked quite fearsome.
By chance I found this website! I was the Production Area Engineer for the commisioning of Ammonia 4 and of course know it well. I was also not long before I took early retirement responsible for the demolition of the old farmhouse. Living now in Oakham, Rutland, I gave a talk to our local Probus club on the subject of the Heysham Aviation Fuel factory later part of ICI Agricultural Division. When I asked our local museum for some help I found that one of the staff was the grandson of the last occupant of the farm, a consultant at Newcastle General Hospital.
We are trying to locate anyone who would know about a precision clock that was handmade by apprentices in the Engineering School at ICI-Billingham in 1952 and presented to J.W. Bansall. The clock has turned up in Arizona (USA) and is presently being restored. If you know of anyone who might have been in this group, or indeed, have any suggestions, please email me at dstevenson17@cox.net or phone me at + 623 815 7102. Thank you! Best regards, Doug Stevenson
Top of this picture runs Ammonia Av and where the picture is taken from is the pipebridge Nitrates Av looks like the 40s to me
This road I see most days changed a lot though. The Building extreme left is the old process officers the one which stands today is shutdown and locked up when ICI left and was built in the late 60s.The white building was the old Grange farmhouse where it all started in the 20s pulled down late 80″s vandelism. Where the cars are there is still a carpark with Terra N2 UK offices portacabins now stand. The old cooling towers are gone and today Ammonia 4 plants cooling tower stands there and opposite across this road at the end of the old process officers is the main Ammonia4 plant where I work. In between the Grange and the old cooling towers used to a main canteen again pulled down when ICI pulled out sad, sad, sad.