Here’s to you, Mrs Robinson ... MTD memories in pictures
LAST week reader Bob Kettle took us back to his days working at the Oldbury branch of Midland Tar Distillers.
As well as his fond memories Bob also has some old company magazines from before his own time there, and this week we bring you some photographs we’ve selected from them.
Some of the pictures we’ve selected date from the spring of 1959, and the company’s annual do. The magazine’s editor explained how even back then, everyone was well aware of being in changing times:
“This annual function held at the Tube Investments Social Club, Oldbury, on Friday 10th April 1959, was well supported and again proved its popularity.
“Proposing the Toast of ‘The Company’, Mr E Brett Davies stated Mr Stanley Robinson found it impossible to be present due to his recent indisposition, but hoped it would not be long before we again saw Mr Stanley at the office.
Eloquence
“With his usual eloquence Mr Brett Davies traced through the Company Sales organisation and stressed how essential it was for representatives to know all customers intimately. New uses were being found for standard products and new products were also being developed.
“As a company we had not changed beyond all recognition, change being inevitable, progress not. Our sales staff included specialists in their own sphere and section, and Sales Department could truly be regarded as the ‘Company Shop Window’. ”
Other pictures are taken from a later magazine, seven years further on, during the annual Staff Dinner:
“The Midland Tar Distillers
Limited and Associated Companies held a Staff Dinner and Dance at the Gala Suite, West Bromwich, on Friday 4th March 1966, 352 people attending the dinner, presided over by the Company Chairman, Mr R.B. Robinson.
Bouquet
“Miss Janet Bridgewater (Head Office) junior member of the staff, presented Mrs Robinson with a bouquet of flowers before the Chairman made a short address of welcome to the gathering.
“He referred to the change of venue for this function and recollected that in 1924, MTD held their first ever dinner for staff and employees at the Town Hall, West Bromwich, and thought it most appropriate that we had returned for this gathering.
“Mr Robinson said the Company were well served by staff members, from the highest to the lowest, and welcomed them all, their wives, their husbands, and also their girl and boy friends.
“400 people attended the dance which followed, dancing to The Norman Dovey Orchestra and The Orions Rhythm Group.”
And finally, the top two photographs, right and centre, are from the days when most big
firms had their own fire brigades. As Bob said last week, there was fierce rivalry between the Oldbury and Four Ashes works in terms of football teams, and it seems that the same applied to their respective firefighting teams. The magazine explained: “It’s the seconds that count. “By a narrow margin of 2.8 seconds the Oldbury Fire Brigade regained the W.F. Diens Trophy from the Four Ashes Works Brigade on 14 October, 1967.
Exciting
“The competition this year was held at Oldbury Works and it proved to be a most exciting match for members of both teams and the few spectators who supported them.
“The One Man Hydrant Drill once again proved to be the key to the competition, Oldbury gaining a lead of three seconds which they never lost.
“The individual winner was A Davies with a time of 12.4 seconds, although A Hadley was unfortunate when penalised one second after achieving an 11.9 seconds run.”