Hello to all
We are researching Jan's family at the moment. We have hit a bit of a problem on the timeline of her aunt, who sadly passed away only a few weeks ago. We know quiet a bit about her but are a bit puzzled with her early employment. This is what we have so far:
She was born in 1920 at Acton Scott near Church Stretton in Shropshire. On leaving school she had various jobs as a young girl including working at Dr. Barnado’s home and another in a factory soldering electrical circuit boards for vehicles and aircraft deployed in the Second World War, We understand that the factory was in Bridgnorth. We also know from a conversation Jan had with her a few years ago that she worked for Decca. Sadly with the onset of dementia it was hard to get much more information from her over her later years.
We do know she moved to Kidderminster and are currently trying to find out when but while living there she got married, that was 1949 and the same year moved to London.
So here's the puzzle. If she was "soldering electrical circuit-boards for vehicles and aircraft deployed in the Second World War" we are guessing it must have been between 1939 and 1945. We know that Decca did have a premises in Bridgnorth, Pale Meadow Works in we believe hospital Street. That the Pale Meadow Works was once a printers ... Wardle? That it may have been used after the printers left by the Automatic Telephone & Electric Co and also the Radio Gramophone Development Co (RGD), who moved there in we think 1939/40 after being bombed out of their premises in Birmingham. However Decca didn't move there until the 1950’s, as we understand it.
So was the work she did soldering circuit boards done while the premises were with Automatic Telephone & Electric Co or RGD? or was there somewhere else she may have done this work given RGD's entertainment products. Also, given that she moved to London in 1949 is the Decca connection just coincidence? We are looking into Decca having factory premises in London at the moment in case she worked there after 1949 given the experience she had in Bridgnorth.
So has anyone information on the timeline and tenants of the Pale Meadow Works?
I hope I haven't rambled too much, if so except my apologies. I hope I have kept as close as possible to the posting advice outlined.
Thanks in advance
Ron & Jan
Hi Gwynne,
Thank you for taking the time to get back to us and more importantly for your time and effort going to Bridgnorth Library and copying some of the late Tony's research. If this has incurred any financial outlay please let us know and we will reimburse you.
As matter of interest, since our post yesterday we have found out that Jan's aunty moved from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster in 1942 which helps narrow the timeline.
Again, many thanks Gwynne, we look forward to hearing from you.
Ron & Jan
Hi Ron & Jan,
Having now read Tony Minton's very interesting book, we can chronologically list the various companies that used the Hospital Street site.
He writes;
"up until 1939 the block printing of fabrics by a Staffordshire company called Wardles"
He confirms that the Radio Gramophone Development Company (RGD) moved to Bridgnorth in 1940.
Tony writes that during the war (when he joined the company)
"It employed about 450 various people as metal workers, coil winders, assemblers, office staff, laboratory engineers and maintenance staff ......"
"the factory was almost entirely contracted to the Ministry of Aircraft Production and the Admiralty making many varied pieces of radio equipment ....."
It was 1952/53 when the Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Company (later known as AT & E) took over the site until approx. 1964 when it merged with Plessey.
Decca acquired the Bridgnorth factory in 1968.
You mention;
"she had various jobs as a young girl including working at Dr. Barnado’s home"
Unless you know otherwise, I assume that would be Corris House in Much Wenlock that opened in 1928.
If you care to email me the ladies name, I could check the registered voters list and other local resources.
Gwynne
Hi Gwynne,
The RGD timeline fits well as does the vacation of Wardles with the bombing of the RGD Birmingham premises. It seems to fit in with one of the many moves the whole family seem to have made, clearly following where they could get work or where they had work but needed to follow the employer.
Regarding email ... you have new mail
Many thanks Gwynne
Ron & jan
Hi all,
Just a quick update on what we have found out so far regarding this post.
We can now confirm that it was RGD that the lady in question, Jan's aunty, Joan, worked at. The Decca link seems to have been Brixton in London where she lived with her new husband. Decca had a facility there at that time. We can also confirm that the Dr. Barnado’s home she worked at was indeed Corris House in Much Wenlock.
So thanks Gwynne for the information which gave us something to go with.
Ron & Jan
Hi Ron & Jan,
I'm unable to find the lady in Bridgnorth in the early 1940's. I had forgotten that the Registered Voters List was not compiled between 1940 until 1945.
You mentioned that prior to approx. 1940 she worked at the Dr. Barnardo’s home, Corris House in Much Wenlock.
Whilst researching my third book, I came across eight mentions in The Bridgnorth Journal newspaper of the Home including a photograph from 1938 of a large group of children and 6 Staff.
Other articles published between 1979 and 1995 include;
Memories of a man who was at Corris House in Much Wenlock during WW2 when it was a Dr Barnardo's Home.
Plans for a reunion of former Dr Barnardo's boys who were at Corris House, built in 1928.
Photo of Fred Barnes a former Dr Barnardo's boy who was at Corris House. He has compiled a history of Corris House.
Article about Corris House that opened in 1928 as a Dr Barnardo's Home. About to reopen as an old people's home. Also see 26 Aug 1994 article.
Photo of boys in 1952 and 1957 at Corris House in Much Wenlock.
Photo in 1931 of Much Wenlock Scouts outside the Dr Barnardo's Home. In total the home housed a thousand children between 1929 to 1979.
I've photographed all the articles in case any are of interest.
Gwynne
Hi Gwynne
Sorry for the delay in replying, but Ron has had me helping him flush out the central heating system among other things!
It seems you have been busy again, thankyou.
I know that Joan lived at a Bytack (re 'Does anyone know or heard of Byetake?' thread) wih my dad and the rest of the family until she left school in1934 I am not certain of the dates when she would have started work at Corris House. In 1934 their address was Harley, Much Wenlock.
We have now confirmed she worked at RGD in Bridgnorth in 1940.
It would be interesting to read some of the articles you have photocopied in particular the 1938 article with children and members of staff, who knows, the picture may include my aunt.
Thanks for your help
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Hi Ron & Jan,
In 2010 Tony Minton, now deceased, researched the local history of the various electrical companies that you mention in Hospital Street, Bridgnorth. The result was a 30 page booklet. Although never published, Tony presented a copy to the reference section of Bridgnorth Library.
In view of your enquiry, I went and copied some pages of the booklet today and I'll see if they provide anything useful to you. Please give me a few days.
Gwynne