Proud of our long-established businesses

JOHN RACE, Staincross Common

It was a while ago, when reading a short report in the Chronicle, that Redferns Glass had been celebrating being on its site in Monk Bretton for 100 years.

It turned my thoughts to my first employer.

It was January 1955 when I began a five-year apprenticeship in steel work fabrication with a company in Barnsley, a company which in 1910 celebrated its 100 years of existence and today, 69 years later it is still open for business and making steelwork products.

In Barnsley and South Yorkshire, many engineering companies no longer exist so what an achievement for its past, and today’s management, and shop floor workforce, to have such a long history in providing good employment in Barnsley.

The company in my time was owned and managed by members of the Hall family, and called Qualter Hall and Co, with a never to be forgotten logo, QH, ‘The Hallmark of Quality’, words all employees were proud of.

Correct me, should I be wrong, but is there another company in Barnsley, with such a long historic past and for many people good memories?

On supporting the local economy, which frequently the council leader and cabinet colleagues do, they urge the public to come into their new built town centre, how much of the steelwork used in building it was made and erected by a Barnsley company, and the same with the new £10m footbridge over the railway track, will this be made in Barnsley?

Would any of those councillors be able to say what amount of work did Barnsley get from their £200m project?