It took me back also Maria to just before Christmas 1944 when I started as an apprentice. A mix of ancient machinery and very modern, I worked right next to the office on the ground floor in what had been a shop, Mrs Brown Arthur Ernie and Dick, I shudder to think how they all got in at once. I think Arthur was trying to keep an eye on me to stop any bullying, I was the posh bloke from Norton Green who took the job they thought had been promised to one of them. It did not work, four bare knuckle fights and a rage that found me throwing angle bars down the shop like spears did work they left me alone there after.
I loved it, they had some brilliant Boiler makers and Sheet Iron Workers, my mentor Old Pa Forrester, Norma Browns Father had been brought out of retirement during the war, he taught me how to develop the Templates for shaping the steel.
The ground floor was the Boiler Shop Middle floor Wire Works and top floor the template floor. some fantastic shapes were developed on that floor.
Good management, good workmates, i loved every minute of it, “Oh” and they introduced me to Dancing at the Palais, a long story and an eye opener for a sixteen year old.
Frank.
Photo 1, is a good record of what was there before it became a car park.
Photo 2, shows the corner of Prince Regent St. & Ramsgate, the building with the Francis Brown sign is currently the Looking Glass micro pub. Apart from now being rendered and a few changes to doors/windows at ground level, it’s pretty much the same.
In photo 1 I’d like to know what the building is with the unusual shaped windows, I feel like I recognise it but don’t know if I’m mixing it up with somewhere else….
Prince Regent Street in Stockton c1983.
Picture Stockton Archive 
Took me back a few years, my first full time job in 1962 with Francis Browns, offices.
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It took me back also Maria to just before Christmas 1944 when I started as an apprentice. A mix of ancient machinery and very modern, I worked right next to the office on the ground floor in what had been a shop, Mrs Brown Arthur Ernie and Dick, I shudder to think how they all got in at once. I think Arthur was trying to keep an eye on me to stop any bullying, I was the posh bloke from Norton Green who took the job they thought had been promised to one of them. It did not work, four bare knuckle fights and a rage that found me throwing angle bars down the shop like spears did work they left me alone there after.
I loved it, they had some brilliant Boiler makers and Sheet Iron Workers, my mentor Old Pa Forrester, Norma Browns Father had been brought out of retirement during the war, he taught me how to develop the Templates for shaping the steel.
The ground floor was the Boiler Shop Middle floor Wire Works and top floor the template floor. some fantastic shapes were developed on that floor.
Good management, good workmates, i loved every minute of it, “Oh” and they introduced me to Dancing at the Palais, a long story and an eye opener for a sixteen year old.
Frank.
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Photo 1, is a good record of what was there before it became a car park.
Photo 2, shows the corner of Prince Regent St. & Ramsgate, the building with the Francis Brown sign is currently the Looking Glass micro pub. Apart from now being rendered and a few changes to doors/windows at ground level, it’s pretty much the same.
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In photo 1 I’d like to know what the building is with the unusual shaped windows, I feel like I recognise it but don’t know if I’m mixing it up with somewhere else….
LikeLike