Forties photos from inside the electric works
Post-war pictures recently came to light
OUR thanks to Norman Aldhous of Shawbury near Shrewsbury for sending us these two images.
They may be a bit grainy, but they offer a rare view inside a once well-known Black Country factory. Mr Aldhous writes:
“I enclose copies of two photographs I found in an old album belonging to my late father, Mr John Aldhous.
“They are both dated 1949, and titled ‘M60 Line (Pick Up Screws), Terminal Block Assembly, Simplex Electric, Broadwell Works, Oldbury.’
“I thought some of your readers would be interested in seeing them.”
Simplex Electric was formed in 1932, by a merger of two firms, Simplex Conduits and Credenda Conduit. Both were part of the huge Tube Investments group, and the new company continued with its conduits, while adding lighting equipment, water heaters, electric fires and household cookers, under the Creda name.
Future products from the Simplex stable includied tubular heaters, irons, kettles and toasters, but there were also less domestic items such as industrial lighting, heavy duty lanterns for use in industry, and floodlights.
Did you work at Simplex? We’d love to hear your memories: email us or write to us at the address on page 2.