BELLISS

I have decided to include this page as a tribute to Belliss & Morcom in Ladywood

If you have any photographs of Belliss and Morcom and would like to see them on this website

These photographs are copyright and must not be used for any commercial purposes or exhibitions without permission

I can still remember the day my Father and I went there to sign those papers and when we walked out, I felt as if I had been given the biggest break of my young life.

Truth be told, I probably had, the company provided me with a foundation that has served me very well in life.

If the pictures are of interest for the website please feel free to use them, though I imagine that there are plenty of other similar documents around.

Stephen Salt

Regarding the pictures, I have no recollection of why I acquired them.

They were all taken in the Turbine Erection Shop in Icknield Square and I would guess that they date from the mid 1950's.They were official B&M pictures and were taken by a company called Associate Photo Engravers Ltd of Tintern House in Church Street.

The only person visible, in the last picture, is wearing a suit and looks rather dark complexioned for the Birmingham of those days, so I would assume that he is the customers representative or inspector.

Hope they prove of interest to some other of us old timers.

Regards

Stephen Salt

Response from Francis Jarratt

More great pictures, just have to get in touch in respect to latest additions. First two pictures Nos. 3133 and 3136 are of one of the two turbo alternators made in the mid 1950's for the Indian Railways situated just outside of Bombay at a place called Kalyan. The turbines are LD10's, numbers 1036 and 1037, rated at 10 to 15 magawatts. Picture 3505 with the Indian gentleman standing at the side of turbine - this was a picture taken after turbine was installed at Kalyan. The engineer who installed these machines was Jack Aldridge who was later to become General Manager at B & M in the early 1970's. Unfortunately, Jack was killed in a plane crash while on company business in the Greece area. Jack was followed by Harry Hill as G.M.

The other photographs 3435, 3436, 3437, 3438 are of a 6 megawatt pass-out, condensing turbo alternator which was made for Russia and went to Leningrad (now renamed St Petersburg). When the set was made a team of engineers came from Russia plus their minders (the cold war). The Russians had all the specifications for this machine. I suppose they are now mass-produced in Russia.

If you look at the photos supplied by Christine Price, the picture of the 6.1 megturbo alternator set is in fact not one of the machines supplied to the Bahamas but is one of the two 12 megawatt machines supplied to Kalyan, India, artistic licence.

If you look at picture 3136, hidden behind the steel stanchion you will see a man. This is not a ghost. It is George Price.

The two machines that originally went to the Bahamas were each of 6.1 megawatts at 600 p.s.i.g. at 850 degrees F. One pass out condensing at 12 p.s.i.a. and one back pressure at 12 p.s.i.a. The pass out steam was originally to be used to operate a desalination plant supplied by J. A. Weirs of Scotland but this did not work so the surplus steam just went to waste until a third ultra-low turbine No. 1236 was supplied to use this steam. This turbine was supplied in the mid 1960's. I enclose photos of the two original Bahamas machines.

LAST WEEK I WENT TO THE AUCTION HOUSE ON ICKNIELD SQUARE AND WAS UPSET TO SEE THE OLD PLACE HAD BEEN WIPED OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH. I RECALLED THE HAPPY FOUR YEARS FROM 1974 TO 78 I SPENT THERE WORKING IN THE CANTEEN. THEY WERE THE BEST DAYS OFF MY WORKING LIFE. EVERYONE WAS SO FRIENDLY. I KNEW EVERYONE FROM DIRECTORS TO THE FACTORY WORKERS. SOME OFF THE NAMES IN THE ARTICLES BOUGHT BACK VERY FOND MEMORIES. ONE NAME I CANT RECALL WAS THAT OF THE SHOP STEWARD FOR THE AUEW.

I JOINED THE UNION NEVER THINKING I WOULD NEED THEIR HELP. UNTIL ONE DAY MY AREA SUPERVISOR HAD A GO AT ME FOR SOMETHING. I SAID I WILL GET MY UNION REP TO COME TO GIVE ME ADVICE. SHE SAID “YOU DONT THINK HES GOING TO BOTHER WITH YOU, YOU DONT WORK IN THE FACTORY, YOU WORK IN THE CANTEEN ".

HE CAME OVER AND STOOD BY ME SAYING I WAS A FULLY PAID UP MEMBER OF THE UNION AND THE WHOLE FACTORY WOULD BE BEHIND ME. SHE LEFT RATHER QUICKLY.

I ALSO REMEMBER GOING TO WEMBLEY WITH THE TRAINING SCHOOL LADS IN 1977. I ONLY GOT THE TICKET BECAUSE THERE WAS A SPARE ONE GOING. THE FACTORY LADS DECIDED I SHOULD HAVE IT AS I HAD BEEN TO ALL THE GAMES BUT WAS UNABLE TO GET A TICKET. I REMEMBER THE DAY I WAS DUE TO LEAVE AND HARRY HILL CALLED ME INTO HIS OFFICE. HE OFFERED ME ANY JOB WITH THE COMPANY IF I WOULD STAY. UNFORTUNATELY I SADLY DECLINED AS I LIVED QUITE A DISTANCE AWAY.

ALSO REMEMBERED ARTHUR DOWNTON. A TRUE GENTLEMAN, ALWAYS WOULD TIP HIS TRILBY HAT TO YOU. THERE ARE SO MANY OTHERS THAT MADE COMING TO WORK A PLEASURE. SADLY A FEW MAY NOT BE WITH US ANYMORE BUT THEY AND THEIR MEMORIES WILL STAY WITH US ALL WHO REMEMBER BELLISS AND MORCOM.

CHRISTINE BUDDRIGE

HI ITS ME AGAIN. I COULD NOT SLEEP THE OTHER NIGHT AFTER CONTACTING YOU. MY MIND WAS FULL OF REMEMBERING FACES, NAMES AND THE FACTORY LAYOUT. HERE ARE A FEW OF THE PEOPLE I REMEMBER :- BERT LAVIS, JACK KIRBY, CHARLIE FITTER, DON VENN, KEN TAYLOR, DENNIS KNOTT, RAY JONES, JACK DAIS, RONNIE GEE, ARNOLD PATE, JACK? PRIEST, JACK RICHIE,GEORGE BOWEN, NED KELLY, PETE HEDGES, IVOR PRIEST, ALEC COURT, JOHN SMITH, STAN STANTON HARRY HILL, DENNIS BRETT, JIMMY KANE, ARTHUR DOWNTON. THERE ARE MANY FACES BUT SADLY NOT ANY NAMES. DOES ANYONE KNOW IF ANY OF THESE PEOPLE ARE IN TOUCH WITH EACH OTHER OR DO THEY STILL MEET UP? I REMEMBER A SCOTTISH MAN WHO USED TO DRIVE THE CRANE INSIDE THE FACTORY WORKSHOP. HE USED TO BRING DOWN THE HOOK BEHIND ME WHEN I WAS CLEANING THE VENDING MACHINE. I USED TO PUT A CUP OF HOT CHOCOLATE ON IT AND HE WOULD TAKE IT UP INTO THE CABIN HIGH UP IN THE CEILING. HEALTH AND SAFETY WOULD NOT ALLOW SUCH THINGS NOW. I ALSO REMEMBER THE RESCUE OF A PUPPY FROM THE CANAL. IT WAS CLINGING TO A ROOTED TREE ON THE CANTEEN SIDE IF THE CANAL, THERE WAS NOT A TOWPATH ON THAT SIDE, SO THE LADS FROM THE FACTORY GOT A LADDER AND PUT IT OVER THE SIDE. SOME BRAVE SOUL RISKED THEIR OWN SAFETY AND CAMBERED DOWN TO BRING IT TO SAFETY. THANKS FOR DOING THIS SITE IT HAS MADE ME RECALL HAPPIER TIMES.

CHRISTINE EDKINS [ BUDDRIGE]

I was prompted to write following Eric Smiths submission.

I served my apprenticeship at Icknield Square from 1966 to 1970, after which Eric hired me to work as an estimator under Dick Plevey in the Sales Department.

In 1974 I was offered a a position in London to work with Tim Crocker and after his retirement was made Regional Manager for Central London by Stan Stanton then Sales Manager, primarily serving the oil companies and contractors handling projects for onshore and offshore compressor packages.

In 1984 I was offered a temporary position, 6 months, by then, General Manager David Pangbourne to work in our offices outside Chicago, USA. There I teamed up with Frank Shrewsbury and later with Tony Evans. This temporary assignment lasted 22 years.

After 40 years and several mergers and acquisitions ( APE, NEI, Rolls Royce, Powell Duffryn/Hamworthy and Gardner Denver) I retired in 2006.

I reside in the Chicago area and visit the UK frequently.

Attached are 2 photographs which may be of interest. In the football photo I am seated front left. In the apprentice photo, same one submitted by Alan Jones, I am seated in the white coat (inspection dept. at the time)

Regards,

Noussy Nathan

I was delighted to have site of the Belliss & Morcom website recently, it gives the true and lasting image of a great engineering organisation with evidence of the achievements in progressive design still in existence in all the far reaches of the world.

Before joining W. H. Allen Sons & Co Ltd., in 1960 I held the position of London and South of England Manager for George Waller and Sons Ltd., who were based in Stroud, Gloucestershire. In this role I was responsible for project development with Roots type gas exhausters and blowers, vertical reciprocating gas compressors. One of my projects was the installation of three large vertical reciprocating gas compressors at the N.C.B. Avenue Plant at Chesterfield.

Joining Allen’s in 1960 I became involved in project development in power generation schemes involving steam turbines, diesel and dual fuel engines. In July of 1969 I was contacted by Mr Stanley Wood who had taken over as General Manager of Bellis and Morcom. Would I consider moving to Birmingham to take up the position of Sales Manager on the retirement Mr. Campbell.

I entered the gates of Belliss and Morcom on the 8th September 1969 to meet my Sales Team, Dennis Brett, Larry Dobson, Tim Crocker, Jim Hoyle, Len Warner and Harry Winter from Scotland. With years of experience in project development, I was ready and willing to apply all that experience to back up my sales team.

Later we had an enquiry with involved specification from B.P. in London which was processed as usual by my tendering personnel. The quotation came on to my desk on a Friday afternoon and I took it home with me to read over the weekend. On the Sunday morning I took my wife with me to the office in Icknield Square and she typed the much modified new tender. Then on the Monday morning I put my wife on the train to London with the new tender to hand it over to Tim Crocker for him to officially hand it over to B.P. Result, a substantial order for Bellis and Morcom compressors.

Such was the enthusiasm and long term plans for the future. Unfortunately, Mr Stanley Wood was replaced in 1972 and that proved to be the reason for my return to Allen’s without any explanations. Back at Allen’s, I accepted the offer of taking over as Regional Manager South East Asia responsible for Project Development in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines and Sri Lanka.

My final appointment was Business Development Manager for W. H. Allen a successful period involving a complete new standby power station for The Bank of England, a major power generation plant also supplying building air conditioning from waste heat recovery for National Westminster Bank Cheque Processing Establishment, Standby diesel engine driven alternator for the Lloyds then new office block.

It is so distressing to think that the plants at Bedford and Icknield Square are now completely replaced with new development

Eric E. Smith

Photographs courtesy of Simon Wadhams

Thought these photo’s may be of interest to you.

The photos of the unit was refurbished about 4 years prior for a sawmill (in a town called Tzaneen, South Africa), the sawmill was constructed we believe in the 30’s, and has been part of the plant when the kilns were installed, however was decommissioned about 30 years prior.

The unit runs well, however, the steam system had been amended over the years with the piping no longer complying to the original design and layout, hence, the back pressure is to great, with this unit only now being started occasionally just to ensure all is in working order and exhausted to atmosphere.

Another place that has 2 units (in states of various disrepair) is at a tea estate located in Zimbabwe, (when the units were supplied would have been Southern Rhodesia) in the mountainous area on the border between Mozambique and Zimbabwe at an Estate called Wamba in the Honde Valley area.

We are at the present moment looking at options of the unit in Tzaneen, re locating this to a small plant that is already geared up for a back pressure power generation unit, would you happen to have any technical details based on these units, (any technical details, foundation information, output parameters for example)?

Thank you and kind regards

Simon Wadhams

My name is John Newlands and I live in Ashburton, New Zealand.

I am a member of the Canterbury Steam and Preservation Society.

Currently we are building an extension on to our Museum that will be used as a lounge and cafe etc.

In that room will be a triple expansion Bellis & Morcom steam engine, yet to be restored and driven by a reduction drive electric motor as a feature display .

The engine is numbered 2086.

As far as we know this engine was at Toupo Totra Timber Co and on sold to a town called Gladston on the West Coast of the South Island and again used at a saw mill.

Here in Ashburton we have a Compound engine in rather a bad state but is numbered 5800.

Do you know if there is any historic records that will tell us when they were made , who they were sold to etc?

Kind regards

John

Stephen Price

I've found these photos showing my grandfather, Ernest Wall (1881-1963) of Harborne, at Belliss & Morcom.

In the first picture below he's standing in the middle row, fourth from the left. He is then identifiable in the other two.

I think he was an engineer and in charge of the drawing office, but I may well be mistaken. I ought to go through the company archive in the Central Library but life is too short!

I would think the date is the 1920s?

Thomas Smith

My name is Thomas Smith and I am 84 and I have lived in Canada since 1967.

I worked in the EMD upper machine shop from when I left the RAF in January 1948, until around 1955.

I worked on the large Kendall & Gent milling machines at that end of the machine shop overlooking the street that had Docker Paints in.

My foreman was Jack Parry. I also worked on the keyseating machine at the end overlooking the bottom machine shop. I also "kept my hand in" on the horizontal drilling machine, drilling the eccentric sheaves and straps, also the vertical profiling mill doing the ends of connecting rods.

I took over the milling from a man (Tom Tyler). I worked next to Bill Bagnall, who similarly worked a variety of machines, Kearns hor. borerers, and he also bored the oil holes through the oil-engine connecting rods.

Happy memories, I am interested in reading about anyone's memories of those years.

Best wishes from

Tom Smith

John Stevens

I was an apprentice at Belliss & Morcom Ltd from 1953 till 1959. I finished up in the Turbine Test house before going in the Royal Artillery, for my National. Service in January 1960, I rejoined the company in February 1962.

I then became an outwork engineer in the South of England. My nickname became Piggy No 2, Alan Wycherley was Piggy No 1, because we were 1st and 2nd in a Belching contest set up in the engine test house, Jack Price was the chief tester.

I worked with Roger Neal in the fitters gallery, I wonder if he remembers the rough times the senior apprentices gave us, trying to keep us back after all others had gone home.

I do remember the following, Frank Wilson, (Supt.) Arthur Downton and Norman Weaver (his charge hand). I also met him later when we both worked at the West Midlands Gas Board, George Bradley, George Rudge (a short very strong man), Ken Taylor, Don Peplow (one of the best fitters I ever worked with), Eric Wilcox, Wally Richmond and Peter Parker (I worked with Wally and Peter years later at General Foods Ltd. in Banbury).

I spent some time working down south with Jack Souden.

Does anyone remember what happened to Alan Wycherleys museum of small steam engines, including single cylinder Belliss, and Sissons, that he set up in his garden at his home? This was superb, every one polished and painted, together with the large shed they were in.

The photo is of one of two B&M Steam Engines that I overhauled and erected at the Chelmsford Timber Co., this company ran the boilers on waste wood and chippings from the mill, the two engines then took it in turn to supply the power to drive all the mill woodworking machines. I now live in Hook Norton, Oxfordshire. I would love to hear from anyone who remembers me or any other ex employee from Belliss's.

The only Belliss engine now on show is in the Think Tank and and is the very earliest one they had. The others are still in storage, I have complained to Think Tank, as I worked hard getting one of the engines up to museum standard when I was an apprentice.

Does any one remember the British Industries Fair at Castle Bromwich? One of the Morcom family was the President of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and in that year Belliss & Morcom decided to place an Eight Cylinder 22std. Oil Engine right in the centre of the indoor exhibition, that took some doing.

I had the pleasure during my apprenticeship of helping to erect this at the fair after polishing all the nuts and lacquering them. I then spent two weeks on the stand with the sales staff, mostly spent sliding down the handrails from the platform without touching the steps; this was to amuse all the onlookers. I did take great joy telling the public we started the engine by pulling the little lever on the auxiliary oil pump. I lived then in Ward End, so I assume I got the job because I lived the nearest to the site.

John Stevens

I've just found this site, and have attached a photo from therein of the engine type I am interested in. This is definitely the model of engine we had - I remember those knobs on the longish screws that held the cylinder head top and front covers (the biscuit tins) in place (and the hand lubrication of the rocker gear underneath with a 50/50 mixture of oil and kerosene, then having to wash the whole mess down every four hours.

In 1974 I joined the d.e.v. "John Wilson" in Wellington, NZ. The ship was a self-discharging bulk cement carrier built by Henry Robbs of Leith in 1959-60 for Wilson's Portland Cement Company of Auckland, New Zealand (but may have been financed by Blue Circle Cement Industries of London, as they owned Golden Bay Cement in NZ, of which Wilson's Cement was a subsidiary).

The old girl was propelled by three Bellis & Morcom 5 cylinder diesels, each fitted with one Brown Boveri Corporation (BBC) turbocharger. The ship had a diesel electric propulsion and cargo pumping system based on these 3 B&M gensets, and also had a Bellis & Morcom 3-cylinder, 80 kW genset (top left in photo). I spent the next 5 years on this ship, then went to one of our newest ships until June 1982 when I briefly returned to "The John" as chief engineer. I can still recall that any one of the three arrows on the end of the camshaft had to point at the arrow on the entablature for the engine to be started (3 air start valves for 5 cylinders - whose idea was that???), and that the engine output was around 585 bhp.

I have on my deck two of the pistons from one of these engines (12" bore x 15" stroke - would that be correct?), and they make very comfortable seats, plus will definitely not blow off my deck in a good storm. I also still have a couple of inlet valves (God knows I spent many hours lapping in valves/seats on these engines), and pulling/replacing valve cages. Our No.2 generator also had an annoying habit of throwing the cod pieces out of the governor casing whenever a governor spring broke! Also seem to recall the main journals were 7" or 7.1/4" diameter - many is the main and big end white metal bearing I have scraped in on these engines. All 3 of the "John's" engines had bad cracks across the rear of the entablatures that would open up and squirt oil at you when running on top notch, despite the heavy strong backs that were fitted across the entablature tops and screwed down into the bedplates at front and rear of the engines.

I have attached a photo of "The John's" engine room that I took as the vessel was being broken up in Auckland early in 1985 - the 3 cylinder 80 kW B&M can be seen on the left, with the 3 empty main generator bedplates in the middle.

Unfortunately, the wreckers had already stripped the cabins and disposed of any and all papers/manuals/charts/info by the time I got down to the ship - I had been hoping to grab the Bellis & Morcom engine manual as a momento, but was too late.

So, I was wondering if you might be able to point me in the right direction to where I may be able to obtain one of these roughly A5-sized manuals for these rather unique machines, or even a couple of good photos of the relevant engines.

Best regards,

Tony Skilton

Auckland

New Zealand

I was an apprentice at Belliss's from 1961 until 1966 and left the company six months after completion to join the Merchant Navy where I worked my way up to become Chief Engineer.

The company had a big intake of apprentices the year I started and they started me off for the first six months as a "Runner" in the heavy machine shop. This was followed by a short period at the Training School under the care of Walter Richmond in Ledsam Street, during which time Ledsam Street Works was closed down and we were moved over to a gallery at the back end of EMD.

From there I was quickly transferred to the Erecting Shop and worked with various fitters, Harold Hammond is the only name I remember but one of your contributors, John Jarret whose name is familiar but cannot place, mention Jack Panting and 'Piggy' Wycherley who I worked with in the Test House.

Frank Wilson retired as foreman during my time and Don Venn was promoted from "the bench". I remember Ned Kelly and Sid Earnshaw who, if I remember correctly, were on Sid's motorcycle when they were involved in a serious accident.

Before completing my time I was moved to the "Jig and Tool" drawing office and finished up in the "Sub-Contract" office.

During my last two years the management started giving annual prizes and I was awarded "Joint Runner Up to the Apprentice of the Year" 1964 & 1965. I still have the certificates, signed by Frank Whittall.

The attached photograph has me, if anyone is interested, in the second row from the back, just left of the middle, wearing a sports jacket, white shirt and tie. Again if my memory serves me correctly, Alan Key is on my right and Rod' Higgins is on the back row behind me.

I can honestly say that the years spent as an apprentice were by far the happiest years of my working career.

Best regards,

David Kyte

A web site for old Ladywood, Fantastic, fame at last. Bought back floods of memories, the streets the schools the factories and pubs, however my memories are quite new compared with the age of some. Born 11/11/1951 family moved into Ladywood when I was aged four. Note the address on the letter from Belliss and Morcom, Flat 4, Block 49 Ladywood Road. The block is still standing although now modernised, this was my home for many years. Mom and Dad moved from here to Great Barr in 1976, the year my first daughter was born.

Photograph of apprentices for 1967, I am there. Although this is a poor copy, I do have the original print somewhere, if I find it I will send you a copy.

Hopefully many of the people in the photograph are still with us and may recognise themselves.

Looking down Icknield Square towards the way bridge entrance. Look to the left of the picture, that’s one of my motorcycles, quite poignant really as I received a stripping down by management after being reported by security for riding my motorcycle at excessive speed over the way bridge, I thought it a bit harsh at the time as I had no brakes anyway. For those of you interested in motorcycles the machine was a BSA. C15.SS 250cc. Registration AOJ 698B.

Alan Jones

Hi my name is Gareth, I worked for Belliss from 2000-2008.

The only reason I left the company was to move to Australia to work.

I had the best 8 working years of my life with Belliss & Morcom. I am now 30, I was very lucky to have been trained by the likes of Stewart Gough, Roger Copper, and Bob Beavis.

I was also lucky enough to have been able to rebuild three M10 compressors at the Hot Mill at Port Talbot Steel Works, I also looked after and maintained 18 other compressors just on the steel work site alone ranging from a VH21NL to a WH100L.

I have really enjoyed reading and looking at the old photos.

I unfortunately had to leave all my stuff from my time there in the UK when I moved.

If anyone has any pictures or stories, or even if you know the great guys I worked with, I would love to hear off you.

Gareth

My name is Mike Heeley and I joined Belliss & Morcom in 1971, which is a few years ago now!!

My first bosses where Albert Palmer and Ivor Priest. What a lovely man Albert was, strict, but kind. Ivor was like your elder brother again a smashing person.

I did manage to win apprentice of the year in 1974 and was presented with a trophy from Harry Hill.

Things moved on and at the end of my apprenticeship I ended up in the estimating office working with Frank Shrewsbury, David Lumby, and good old Barry Moore.

In 1981 Stan Stanton the Sales Director then let me go out on the road, and since then my job as involved selling.

I left in 1988 to join Atlas Copco working there till 2000, when I left there I joined BOGE Compressors. BOGE is a German compressor manufacturer and in a way much like the old Belliss - family business - 100 years + old and make heavy-duty solid robust compressors. My position at BOGE is Northern Area Sales Manager.

Happy days where my Belliss days despite 3 nights a week college. I meet and worked with a lot of good people and still relate Belliss stories to people today.

A few old names from the past Mike Hodson, Steve Fox, Robert Pearce, Andy Court.

You can contact me through Mac, if any old colleagues would like to contact me.

Regards

Mike

Our father, William Humphreys (known as Bill) lost his left arm just below the elbow in 1945 due to a factory accident and, as a result, had to seek more sedentary work thereafter.

He was given an artificial left arm and hand and, luckily, he was still able to write with his right hand. We believe he started working at Belliss & Morcom in Ledsam Street around 1950, as a Watchman.

We often, as children, would take his lunch sandwiches round to him and recall his little office. When he left B&M he became a Car Park Attendant at the Ice Rink on Summer Hill and, thereafter, worked as the Ice Rink's Cloakroom Attendant.

We wonder if anyone out there remembers him.

Our biggest regret is that the advent of personal computers did not come into being in our parents' time. We can only imagine how thrilled he would have been to "see" someone he knew on the Belliss & Morcom site pictures.

Babs & Rog Humphreys

Paul Evans

Like so many readers found the website by just browsing, I did a six year apprenticeship, HND from 1979 to 1985 (a pup in comparison to some of the readers), originally started under Jeff Payne, who left half way through my term there, and my apprenticeship was extended.

Worked in the drawing office under Norman Carrodine and Burt Lavis, who used to flick cigarette ash all over the place I seem to remember, and finally ended up in the last 2 years with Alan Wycherley, that name pops up a lot, was assigned with Cliff Knight, who sadly died during my term there, went to Alan's house when he had a ‘steam’ day, you don’t appreciate those things so much then as I would now.

I found I had a great foundation for my career from Belliss and have had the opportunity to travel all over the world and had an absolute blast if I am honest.

The Monday club was set up by two gentlemen One was the personnel manager who had a replacement leg (can’t remember his name) and Charles Fitter, who I was good friends with, they started meeting in John Lewis in Birmingham after the redundancies and numbers grew and were asked eventually to find another venue! Never shopped at John Lewis since.

I was in Birmingham many years ago in Ladywood and went for a nosey, it was they were ripping out the old power station which was criminal to see, did a bout in there during the summer shutdown.

Well done with the web site

Regards

Paul Evans

Rotating Equipment Engineer

Memories of Derek Webb

I also don't know what prompted me to Google the old firm today. I'm glad I did!

I only wish I had photographs and could remember more names than I do.

I was apprenticed between 1951 and 1956 coming from King Edward V1 Grammar School just round the corner from Ledsam Street. I had not the slightest desire to be an engineer but my father was determined and signed me up for the 5 years.

I began in the fitter’s gallery, can't for the life of me remember the name of the grumpy old guy in charge, think it was Ernie something. He had a brother who worked in another department.

At one time, I was mate to a Bill...?... who was an avid snuff taker and who's nose ran continuously. I think this was in the erection shop. Can't even remember the names of the various departments I worked in, except the turbine drawing office under Bill?

Does anyone remember Garth Cockwill or Chuck Fellows? I do remember Alan Wycherley and Frank Wilson, also Bill Pessol and Ernie Mason. My time was pretty contemporary with Alan Wolton, who's name I do remember.

Also, where does the Monday Club meet?

I attach my coronation souvenir photo (I am 7 from the left back row) and a couple of photos taken during one of the 6 a side competitions at the sports club at Quinton.

Regards
Derek Webb
ps still playing match tennis and golf at 74

Memories of John Jarratt

Hi, I am an ex Belliss man. I started my apprenticeship in August 1960 starting in the apprentice school under the direction of Walter Richmond and Stan Freeman. From here I moved into the Arca shop, the foreman being Tony Whitherstone. I was put with Eddy Webster, Sid Colley (I was told both have passed on some years ago). From here I went into the boiler yard. The superintendant was Arthur Downton. The erectors were George Rudge, George Bradley, and Eric Wilcox. Ken Taylor was in charge of the test house. Belliss and Morcom fell on hard times and Ledsam Street works was moved to EMD. From here I worked in most departments. The test houses under Jack Panting (chief test engineer nicknamed Grandma by Alan Wycherley - he had a nick name for everyone but every one had one for him - Piggy Wycherley). I worked in the large Erecting Shop at that time. Frank Wilson was superintendant. Erectors Jack Kirby (he later became works superintendant), Frankey Boots, Don Peplow and Harold Hammond to name but a few.

Then onto the turbine shop. This is where my education in engineering started. The man in charge of this department was George Price. We had Bill Pessol (Bill was one of the finest engineers I have ever known. This man’s knowledge knew no bounds). The erectors at this time Jimmy Wilmot, Richard (Slim) Clark and Ernie Mason. Fitters Jack Holden, (Jack built all the turbine rotors - I have never met a man equal to Jack in the use of a file - he was magic), Peter Davies who did all the blading work, Cyril Wood was one of the bench fitters. I worked in the turbine test house with Albert Moore until I completed my time in 1964. During my Apprenticeship I did out- working, the first being Pyestock with George Price, Ernie Mason and Slim Clarke. This was the famous 1156T which replaced a gas turbine at the National Gas Turbine Establishment, Pyestock. Upon completion of my time, I was put into turbine shop as fitter, then erector, also doing outside work until I left at the beginning of January, 1976 to go to the Middle East to work for an oil company.

If there are any Ex-Belliss apprentices out there, please get in touch. I am still in contact with Bob Stanford who lives in South Africa and Bill McCarthy who lives in the same village as myself in the Highlands of Scotland! Bill is also in touch with Sid Ernshaw. Other names I remember were Tony Barber, David (nosey) Parker, David Wood, Ned Kelly, Barry (Bosch) Cother, Sid Ernshaw, Don Venn (Work Superintendent) and Bert Chew.

Best Regards,

John Jarratt

Memories of Vic Holloway

I too was a fitting apprentice at B & M starting on the gallery in 1934. On completion of my indentures at the outbreak of war in 1940, I was sent outworking to the fighter station at Biggin Hill and subsequently for the next three years all sorts of jobs all over the U.K. including the far north and Hebrides.

I joined R.E.M.E. when it was formed in 1944, in time for the Normandy landing and subsequently through to Germany and the Middle East. I have a few photographs, notes and instruction books relating to B & M.

I found your information very interesting and came across it whilst trying to find (without success) whether the B.& M steam engines that used to be in the old Science museum were now in the "Think Tank". Do you happen to know?

I'm too far away (Devon) and too old (90) to visit them anyway.

Regards
Vic Holloway

Memories of Alan Wolton

I don't know what prompted me to Google B & M today, but having arrived at your site I am delighted that I did.

I was an "Engineering" apprentice from 1949 to 1954, in the February of which I was promptly conscripted for National Service some days after my 21st birthday.

None of the 1953 photos that you have reproduced have the honour of showing my smiling and handsome features, which is probably just as well. Strangely my particular contemporaries as Engineering apprentices - John Sainsbury, Alan Parkinson and Peter Graham - have also escaped the photographer. We were not an unduly rebellious gang but we must have been up to something for all of us to have avoided washing our hands and faces. As an aside, I have often wondered whether it was pure coincidence, or the result of company policy, that all four of us - we started in the Fitters' Gallery EMD, on the same day - should have been the sons of widowed mothers.

I returned to the fold in 1956 after demob and spent a year in the Contract Department, mainly dealing with spare parts orders from overseas, the usual delivery times for major items rarely being less that 18 months (and we wonder why good old firms like Belliss faded away in the following years).

After that I spent about a year as an "Outworker" journeyman alongside some real old timer "Outside Engineers" and District Engineers doing overhauls, repairs and installations, in this country.

In 1957 I went to Iraq to install a 5 cylinder 22 Standard oil engine generator set and to overhaul two 18 standard and two 11 standard engines in an army garrison power station. These last having been put to work in 1939, run continuously turn and turn about, since then without having even had the valves reground. In the second Gulf war period this garrison - Al Musayib - was reported as a centre for missile manufacture; I wonder whether "my" gensets contributed?

By pure chance having completed the work, I came out the day before the rebellion in 1958 when the King, his uncle the Prince Regent and sundry courtiers were assassinated and the Europeans in particular those in or connected to government service had no fun at all.

Coincidentally, Reggie(?) Tongue - always pronounced "Tongoo" by the locals who did the 1939 installations had escaped in "his socks" at the outbreak of war, the Iraqis then being very pro-German.

After that I had a period back in the works as a refresher on steam turbines and then went to Nassau in the Bahamas (yes, the millionaires' playground) to install two 6MW generating sets, one a back pressure unit exhausting solely into a desalination plant by Weir of Glasgow and the other a pass-out/condensing set. The desalination unit was failure and was soon abandoned.

To the vast and everlasting amusement of friends and family my job-title in Nassau was "Erection Superintendent"!

Having said that it may be thought in poor taste but it has to be reported that I met and married my wife Margaret in Nassau, she being there as a Sister in the then Colonial Nursing Service. How the world has changed; under her contract the day she married she was immediately and automatically fired despite the UK government having gone to the expense of training her, transporting her to the hospital and the further expense of recruiting and installing a replacement.

When I got back to the works in 1960/1, I found sadly that things were not as they were, in particular the job that I had long been promised once the Nassau contract was finished was no longer on offer. So with mixed feelings I left following a bit of a shouting match.

The wheel did go round the circle, years later I started a specialist compressor rental company - "RENTAIR" and bought various Belliss machines, some of which played major parts in the construction, testing and commissioning of North Sea oil and gas pipelines.

I wonder whether you are aware of the "Monday Club", mainly dare I say, very old ex-employees amongst whom at 76, I am a kid, who meet on the first Monday of each month.

It is 18 months or so since I attended - Brum is a long way up and down the M5 from Taunton - when I visited the then partially demolished EMD works - what a shame, all that skill expertise and tradition gone for all time.

Alan Wolton

Memories of Roger Neal

I was an a fitting apprentice at Belliss and Morcom from April 1953 to March 1959, when I was sent outworking to South Wales where my first appointment was at Port Talbot gas plant installing a diesel driven gas compressor.

I have the instruction book of the installation of the oil engine, which was given to me prior to going to Port Talbot.

One other item that I have is a coronation photograph taken at the Ledsam street works, which is yet again different to the two that you are displaying, this particular photograph is of the apprentice machine shop under the foreman of Mr Richards.

I now live in mid Wales, but it was good to be reminded of the Belliss years, I have been following the events of the factory since its was first demolished.

Belliss & Morcom Staff and Apprentices

Coronation May 1953

The two photographs below, show the inside of the South Wales Gas Plant at Port Talbot in June 1959. Belliss & Morcom had the contract to supply five gas compressor units in the refurbished gas plant.

These two photographs below, show the on-going and final installation of the largest gas compressor unit inside of the South Wales Gas Plant at Port Talbot.

They were taken in June 1959, the completed unit was commissioned at the end of July 1959. There was no overhead crane to put the machinery in place, the lifting of the various components was contracted to a heavy lifting firm of "Wynn's", Newport

Regards

Roger Neal

The Heavy Machine Shop, 1927

The Heavy Machine Shop, 1964

Aerial view of Belliss & Morcom in Ledsam Street

Courtesy of Michael Kirk

Song sheet from the 1929 Annual Dinner

My granddad was John Franklin Raggett who lived in Bearwood and worked at B & M for many years retiring around 1948, I think.

He was an engineer.

I have enclosed a drawing and photo of the Explosion Chamber for Oil Motors, designed by him together with an amazing Menu and programme

for the staff ANNUAL DINNER 1929.

This includes the song sheet for the community singing   to the Chairman etc. It's all very touching and I hope it could be made available to old members of staff

as it is a wonderful reminder of how things were!

John Raggett's son, Ralph Alexander Raggett also worked at B&M

Does anyone remember them?

Michael Kirk

The Testing Department

The Pattern Shop

1923

The Machine Yard, 1923,

showing dressed castings ready for machining

The Erecting Shop, 1923, Boiler Yard

Belliss & Morcom, 1915

Engineers

Iron Foundry, 1823

J. Pain, A. Lock, W. H. Beet, E. L. J. Hetherington, T. E. Bellwood, G. A. Peckover, W. Colley, T. E. T. Taylor, B. D. Hogan, A. H. Witherstone, B. W. Deacon, G. Allis, D. J. Pressdee, R. B. Hubball, S. J. Salt, E. A Doe, B. V. Holberry, F. A. Marsh, D. Horton, E. G. Toogood, W. K. Bache, T. Lawrence, D. D. Venn, G. Bowker *Photograph courtesy of Graham Taylor* *Picture of his late brother Trevor Taylor*
W. W. Stephenson, E. E. Williams, F. G. Wilson, V. Andrews, H. Hammond, K. Sanford, A. Noakes, H. Hadley, L. C. Truman, E. Frazer, W. J. Jenkins, J. Ruth, J. Cox, C. Pagett, J. Nevitt, J. Lakin, F. H. Barnes, A. R. Martin, J. Birch, N. H. Fitter, F. Crowley, H. E. Purnell, W. Thompson, H. J. Williams, E. Gallagher, A. E. Stanton Photograph courtesy of Bob Williams Mr. E. Williams is Bob's grandfather
	Do you know any of the people in this photograph? It was taken Thursday, 28th April 1955. The trophy is the Silversmiths Cup (Works League), won Saturday, 23rd April v Birmingham Mint - 3 - 1 Back row:- J. Wilkinson (man), P. Green, B. Hewett, D. Stevens, J. Morrall, K. Taylor, D. Lamb, R. Gurley, M. Canning. Front row:- M. Stirk, T. Jeavons, T. Amos (sec) E. Hunt(cap) ??? S. Wilson B. Apperley. Roy Gurley and Mick Canning did not play in the final. Many thanks to John Morrall for the information
The Apprentices of Belliss and Morcom
	*These photographs were taken on* *19th May 2005* *Copyright Mac Joseph*

The inside of the Belliss and Morcom Factory, Ledsam Street, Ladywood. c.1920 Photograph courtesy of Birmingham Lives