‘Article brought back memories of working for Worthington’s’

MY COUSIN has kindly sent me a copy of Cathryn Walton’s informative history of Worthington’s published on August 15.

My father, Noel Bowcock, would have been delighted to see his name in print and the article brought back many memories for me.

My father was born in 1913 and left Britannia Street School in 1926 and was employed by Worthington’s until he retired in 1978; he and my mother are shown in one of the photographs.

The 1939 Register describes him as a braid under manager. In 1943, his military service was deferred because his testing of parachute cords was thought to be more important to the war effort than actual military service.

In the 1950s he had the perk of a company car, second hand Standard Vanguards.

He travelled on business to Leicester, Northampton, London, Kendal, Dumfries and Glasgow. He and my mother occasionally socialised with other directors and Mr and Mrs Milward were very kind and generous to me.

As soon as I was old enough to work during the school summer holidays, my father, or other directors, found me something to do in the mill.

I remember clocking on, the terrible noise in the braid shed, ‘Music While You Work’ on the tannoy, strong tea with milk and sugar already added (even if you didn’t want them) poured from the same vast enamel teapot, one hour and 15 minutes for lunch, and Friday afternoons when Frank from the accounts section came round with the wage packets.

Other names that spring to mind are: Rhona Bennion (who showed me how to pull parachute cords from the machine), George Booth (company driver), Ronnie Foster (my father’s assistant), Gordon Holden (another director), Miss Joyce (secretary), Harry Malkin (handyman), and Harry Tomlinson (from Mr Pace’s department).

Finally, as a retired archivist, may I compliment you on your excellent use of archives.