I had great times working at tubular furniture factory

I write with regard to your recent article ‘Bilston firm made chairs from Tubes’, referring to Hostess Tubular Equipment Ltd., of Vulcan Road, Bilston, taken from a Biston Handbook of local information, dating from 1964 [November 15, page 3].

I join this story in 1976, when fresh out of school I started as an office junior for a company called Hostess Furniture Ltd., in Vulcan Road. They were manufacturers of furniture for schools, offices, hospitals and kitchens, managed by Mr Wells.

I recall the popular P/pro chairs (polypropylene), the various colours of shells, and the choice of metal finish.

I started in the Commercial Department, and I remember Edith, Dot (a really enthusiastic speedway fan with an extensive knowledge of it), Yvonne, Diana, twins Pam and Jo, Marge in the Post Room and Mr Walker.

I eventually moved to the Buying Office with Chief Buyer Charles Johnson and Janet/janice? who left the company and was replaced by Rose Abbiss.

I recall those days of my youth to be very happy, and a host of fond memories stay with me.

Colleagues I will never forget – the Transport Manager Colin Cherrington, receptionist Vicky, Doreen who delivered our wage packets on a Thursday – best day of the week! Well, it was a close-run thing with Fridays for the obvious reason, and the day my packed lunch got disregarded when Rose and I would have a cheese salad sandwich collected from the local transport cafe for us, and others, by a chap off the factory floor, whose name I think was Harold. It was a real treat, I still rate these doorstep sarnies as the best I ever tasted – top nosh!

Our cleaner was the amazing Gladys Gough, who arrived mid-morning with hot drinks for us all, and took us juniors under her wing. She was the queen of jolly chat.

There was lovely Annie from Sales, and a host of others I spent these wonderful days with. Sadly it’s just impossible to recall all the names.

Mr Blount had interviewed me for the job, and was my manager in the Commercial Office. He arranged for me to attend Bilston College on a day release and once a week night school class.

A busy year of day release left me with catch-up-the-next-day, and my evening class left me exhausted after a full day’s work and early start the next morning.

However, I gained my RSAS, for which I would always be grateful to Hostess and Mr Blount.

Some years back I strolled down Vulcan Road for old times’ sake. I could still see a Hostess Furniture sign from the side road, I think it used to be the loading bay area.

The front of the building was by then a domestic furniture shop (no connection to Hostess). I entered and explained my history with the building, and they very kindly offered me a look around.

Sadly the building had been divided and the Buying Office no longer existed, but others did, and upstairs the Commercial Office was still there, though it appeared so much smaller than I recalled it. The only remnant of the office I remembered was a stamp carousel on a window sill.

I conveyed my gratitude for being able to peruse my past, and made my exit awash with nostalgia. I thought of the young girl making her way home to Coseley, and my mom. And, most of all, the people I had been fortunate to share those days with.

Finally our director, Mr Tony Summers, was reputed to be the brother of Andy Summers, guitarist of the pop group The Police. I never had the nerve to ask him, they could well have been pulling my leg ... I’ll probably never know the answer, unless any of your readers share a background with Hostess and can add to my story?