Stories from The Work Furnace
Britton & Bannister - Norma Barton, Jill Gooding and Christine Crawford
"We were called the ‘office girls’ as the rest of the workers on the floor were men. We had a little corner of the factory floor as a ‘little office’. We used to sing while we worked."
Burton, Son and Sanders - Ken Nichols
"Whenever Mr Green said “Ken, these packs need to go to the Jam factory” my heart sunk...The large ladies mixing the conserves would advance on me with their wooden clogs and wide leather aprons dripping with jam, they knew I was very shy and would call out “Come on lad give us a kiss.” I could not wait to deliver my packages and exit the slippery cobbled path past the swarms of wasps onto the street once more."
Click here to read Ken's response to our callout for stories from Ipswich factories
Cliff Quay Power Station - Graham Clifford
"I never saw myself as a 'militant' shop steward only seeking to secure benefits that were part of the agreement negotiated by the Trade Unions at national level...I asked for sixpence (2.5p) per hour abnormal condition payment which was initially refused by management. The conditions were caused by very fine coal fuel dust leaking from a ducting above the area where work was to be carried out. Piles of this pulverised dust, almost as fine as talcum powder, had to be cleared from around the instruments before they could be repaired.The case was won eventually..."
Cocksedge - Patrick Boughey
"On a cold grey January morning in 1953 I face (with some anxiety) that first long, long day of work. Me, the miniscule cog, is about to be placed in the giant, unfamiliar, fast turning wheel of industry."
Click here to read Patrick's full account of working at Cocksedge
Workersy by Patrick Boughey
Cranes - Charles Moore
"I became an apprentice at Cranes in August 1969 – I believe I was one of the first black apprentices at Cranes...I don’t think I experienced racism – maybe I was naïve – but many different nationalities worked at the factory and I was able to progress through my career."
Click here to read about Charles' time as an Electrician at Cranes
C W Juby - Len Smith & Eduardo Paolozzi
"I remember my dad, Len Smith, a welder at C W Juby in Ipswich, coming home from work and telling us that he would be working with an artist sculptor assembling his metal sculptures. This was a strange working relationship – a Suffolk born and bred welder with an international renown artist."
Fisons Horticulture - Mervyn Russen
"Working conditions were not great for health and safety – it was very dusty, and I am deaf partly due to the noisy environment – ear defenders weren’t in use during the 70s, although these were later compulsory...I still meet up with my colleagues and chew the fat from time to time. We all say that we are glad that we were born when we were and worked when we did."
Click here to read Mervyn's account of his 35-year long career as a Chemist as Fisons Horticulture
Ipswich Steamship Company - Mike Farthing
"The office in which I worked appeared to be unchanged from the days of Dickens having two rooms heated in the winter by coal fires. Sitting on a high stool at a sloping desk I filled in the details of good moving in and out of the warehouse in large ledgers with a fountain pen, which I suppose was an improvement on a quill."
Phillips & Piper - Jenny Laughlin
"When the factory closed in October ’82 I was one of the last to walk out the door. I walked home crying my eyes out. If I had my life again I’d go back again. We all started together, my friends from the 50s. We’re still friends to this day. We all worked on the belt together. When I go past the flats now I wonder if the people in there can hear us singing."
Click here to read Jenny's memories of her time singing (and sewing) at Phillips & Piper
William Pretty's - Linda Grey
"I remember being completely petrified on my first day – I was only 14, but so many others were in the same boat. I remember our yellow overalls. For the first 6 weeks we just made little fabric squares that we had to drop a needle in to an ink mark – I started to regret my decision. However, 6 people in this intake were picked to train at Civic College that September – I was one of them. I did a basic 2-year course then went on to do the advanced. As soon as that started, I never looked back."
Click here to read about Linda's journey from starting at William Pretty's at 14 years old, to running her own company and sewing for royalty