Vision
May 72 No 77 House Magazine of Rank Xerox Mitcheldean Plant
You might say it was all part of being prepared’
for adult working life. In the care of their leader
Akela (that’s her Jungle Book name but you
probably know her as Margo Fellows of Central
Records), the 1st Mitcheldean Cub-Scouts spent
the morning of Saturday, March 4, on an
educational scout round a section of the Plant.
They were met by John Pinniger, Production
Engineering Manager, 3600 and 4000, who told
them about work at the Plant and showed them
over Production Engineering. They had brought
pictures with them for copying and Jack Osborne
obliged by operating the 4000 machine; the Ozalid
machine for printing tool drawings was an equal
hit with the boys. Tony Kibble, who trains them in
football and whose sons were among the party,
had arranged for them to tour 4000 Assembly,
while another cub-scout father, foreman Tony
Sharpe, took them over the Machine Shop where
he works. After much appreciated refreshments in
the Canteen they returned to PED, and said thank
you by cheering lustily. Our picture shows Mrs
Fellows’ son John, a Longhope scout who helps
his mother with cub-scout activities, operating a
3600 in Central Records under the watchful eye of
Mary Smart.
When Mr Mai Thomas, Managing Director and
Chief Executive of Rank Xerox Limited, accepted
on behalf of the Company the Queen’s Award to
Industry 1971, awarded for export achievement, he
said : ‘I have no hesitation in revealing that it is
our ambition to seek its perpetual renewal.’
We have once again ‘renewed our tenure’ — for
the third time, the award has been won by our
Company for export achievement.
Exports for the year ended June 1971 amounted to
£48-2 million, an increase of 24-5 per cent over
the export figure of £38-7 million which won us
the award last year.
It is an appropriate moment to remind ourselves of
the extent to which the Company has developed.
We have our own operating companies and
branches in 25 main markets, covering 36 countries.
Sales to Eastern Europe are the responsibility of
the East European Operations unit, based at our
London headquarters; only a few months ago it
was announced that an order worth £3 million had
OUR
THIRD
QUEEN’S AWARD
been signed in Moscow by Rank Xerox with
Technopromimport, the Russian State Trading
Organisation. Under the agreement, we are
supplying over 600 copiers, duplicators and
microfilm printers together with spares and
supplies.
This is the third major order which Rank Xerox has
obtained from Russia ; a similar contract for
£2 million was obtained the previous year.
In the Far East, Fuji Xerox Co. Limited, jointly
owned by Rank Xerox and Fuji Photo Film Co.
Limited, held its tenth anniversary celebrations in
April. The company manufactures xerographic
equipment and markets it in Japan and six
neighbouring countries.
Much of our achievement has been due to the
great contribution that Mitcheldean has made and
we can all feel proud of doing our share towards
winning this award for the third time.
Now let’s look forward to the fourth !
General Manager, Mitcheldean Plant
2
A ROYAL OCCASION
Janice Andrews tells of her prize t r i p t o London
t o attend a premiere
Janice lool(s out on London from an upper floor
of Rank Xerox House
It seemed a long time since I had been elected
‘Miss Rank Xerox’ at Mitcheldean, but the
promised trip proved well worth waiting for.
Niall and I arrived in London around 10.30 am on
March 27, and were met by Lesley Rees from
Rank Xerox Headquarters. She escorted us to our
hotel, the Cumberland, and we called in at Moss
Bros on the way to select an evening suit for
Niall.
We went for lunch to the Barque & Bite, which is
a converted barge moored on Regents Canal.
Here we were met by Information Officer Murray
Watson who took (I almost said piped I) us on
board. I had a hair appointment at the hotel’s own
salon so I had to get back immediately afterwards.
It’s a busy life being a socialite!
Dressed for the theatre, we were joined later by
Senior Information Officer Paul Shambrook and his
secretary Ann, our escorts for the evening, in the
hotel lounge where we drank to our good luck
in champagne.
We felt rather like royalty when we arrived at the
Odeon, Leicester Square, to be met by crowds of
people struggling to get the best view of the
celebrities in all their splendour — plus the odd
weirdie or two ! We rubbed shoulders with people
such as Susan George, Claudia Cardinale and
Reg Varney of ‘On the Buses’ fame, and saw
Glen Campbell, David Frost and others on stage.
At around 8 pm we took our seats and watched
the stars being interviewed and the arrival of the
Queen Mother and Princess Margaret by means
of closed circuit television.
A synopsis of the story on stage preceded the
actual premiere of the film ‘Mary, Queen of Scots’.
Vanessa Redgrave was lovely in the name part,
and Glenda Jackson made a hot-tempered
Elizabeth I. The cast included Patrick McGoohan
and many other good actors.
After the premiere we hailed a cab and went to a
nightclub called the Dolce Notte in Jermyn Street
where we had another celebratory meal and
danced until after 2 am.
A shower helped revive us next morning and,
having checked out, we spent the morning at
Rank Xerox House where we toured the various
departments and were introduced to members of
top management— Mr Mai Thomas, Mr Alfonso
Bordone, Mr Derek Portman (whom we had met
before at Mitcheldean) — and other executives and
staff. Then it was time to eat again, this time at
The Snooty Fox, accompanied by Manager,
Corporate Communications Philip Currah. t-
After lunch we browsed through the antique shops
of Shepherds Market, looked at clothes shops, etc.
I had been given a generous £50 on arrival and
some of this went on t w o dresses, but the res^ I
put by to swell our savings for a house.
Back at Rank Xerox House we said goodbye to all
our new friends, then we squeezed in a bit more
shopping in London before leaving for the station
and home. It was certainly an ‘Easter outing’ to
remember.
It’s a squeeze for Janice and Niall in tfie crowded
fnvpr nf thp Odeon. Leicester Square I
Our Man In Japan
Mk II
Design engineer Stuart Harrold is a man who
thrives on adventure. A couple of years back we
published an account of his shot at the 1970
RAC Round Britain Rally; now he is going
halfway round the world and won’t be back for a
year or so. For Stuart, who has been with us for
four years, is to succeed Eddie Shermer as ‘our man
in Japan’.
Rally driving has taught him that careful and
thorough preparation for a challenging trip to new
territory pays off, and he has been absorbing all
the advice and information he can get to equip him
for his new post and help him settle in a new
country.
For the last 12 months Stuart has been getting to
know the Mitcheldean Plant from top to toe.
covering all aspects of our work both in and
outside the engineering sphere of activity. He has
also spent three weeks at Welwyn and two at
Venray.
En route for Japan, he is stopping off at Rochester,
NY, for a fortnight to take a good look at Xerox
Corporation, so that he can get the whole picture.
The aim has been to get to know personalities so
that, when installed as resident Rank Xerox
engineer, he will be able to save time and trouble
by knowing exactly which key person to contact
when queries arise.
He will be working at the main Fuji Xerox plant,
newly built at Ebina which is some 30 miles south
of Tokyo. Xerox machines made in Japan have to
be modified to operate off both 50 and 60 cycles
since both frequencies are used in the country.
In addition, designs have to be altered since the
Japanese standard paper size is B3 (approx.
10^ in. X 1 4 | in.) which is larger than that
commonly used in the western world.
As part of equipping himself for his new
assignment, Stuart has been getting used to the
language, the food and the customs of Japan. In
this he has been helped very much by
Mr Shimadate, the Fuji Xerox engineering
representative at Mitcheldean, and of course by
Eddie Shermer himself. In demand ever since
Bell & Howell days as liaison engineer, guide and
general assistant in language difficulties in our
dealings with the Japanese company, Eddie has
been able to pass on some valuable advice.
As far as food is concerned, Stuart doesn’t expect
any problems. He has experimented with Japanese
food, finds raw fish and eggs very tasty and quite
likes green tea. He hadn’t tried sake when we
talked with him, but had discovered Japanese beer
was like lager, only not so gassy.
He could manage chopsticks quite well before he
left, and had managed to sit Japanese style on
tatami (matting) for no less than 30 minutes at
one ‘sitting’. ‘I hope to increase this,’ he told us.
‘I don’t think it’s an essential skill, but it is nice to
be able to behave correctly.’ And doubtless the
Japanese, who are very hospitable, will appreciate
his attitude.
Stuart takes up his post on 46.5.22. In case you
think that’s a printing error we should explain that,
like Japanese books, the date is written backwards.
It is in fact the 22nd day of May (the months are
numbered only and don’t have names) in the
46th year of the reign of the Emperor Hirohito.
There are three different ways of writing the
Japanese language. The original Kana with
Chinese characters, each representing a word : and
Hiragana or Katakana — phonetic alphabets
which are the modern way of writing and can be
applied more easily to Western words, Stuart has
been busy mastering all three.
Nearly all Japanese words end with a vowel and
there are no r’s, so ‘Harrold’ sounds more like
‘hallo’ to English ears.
As soon as he arrives Stuart is going to be
‘totally immersed’ — in the language. He is to
attend a Berlitz School of Languages in Tokyo
five days a week for four weeks. Study includes
one hour for lunch with a teacher and one
40-minute session in the afternoons with two
teachers who will both drill him at the same time I
Helping him from drowning will be Eddie and his
Japanese wife Kiyoko who incidentally, studied
English at Cinderford college while she was in this
country. Stuart will be staying with them for the
first three months so, as he put it, ‘I will have
another western shoulder to lean on I’
Kiyoko learned to cook, make preserves, ice cakes,
etc, in the good old English way from Eddie’s
mother and is very good at it, reports Eddie.
The Times and our local papers have been sent
out to him regularly so he has been able to keep up
with developments.
The Shermers have moved into a house rented for
them by the company in Kamakura, about
30 minutes from the Fuji Xerox plant, which is a
popular seaside resort abounding in famous
temples.
Stuart will take over occupation when Eddie and
his wife return to England round about August,
and arrangements have been made for someone to
clean, cook and generally housekeep for him. He’s
promised to let us know how he gets on.
There are plenty of Europeans living in the
Kamakura district and Stuart has a few contacts
there already who are interested in motor sports.
He is looking forward to meeting them — even if
he can’t drive, he can always talk cars over a beer.
4
Swart Harrold, chosen liom 40 applicants lo De
resident Rank Xerox engineer at Fuji Xerox, with
Writing to Stuart, Eddie says Kamakura is quiet
and peaceful and steeped in tradition. ‘We are
fortunate to live here.’
A highlight of his stay has been a visit to his
wife’s home in Kyushu about 850 miles south of
Tokyo. Sub-tropical and beautiful, it had an
added interest for Eddie, who is a train enthusiast.
‘Kyushu still has some steam trains and I was able
to spend several hours in a local locomotive yard
talking to one of the engine drivers and ‘crawling’
around the locos.’ Standing on the lip of
tddie Shermer takes a bath, Japanese, grasshopper
style — one of the little things Stuart will have to
get used to. The head cloth is presumably to help
Eddie keep his cool.
the Japanese company s representative at
Mitcheldean, Mr T. Shimadate.
Mount Aso volcanic crater looking down into its
bubbling contents was another memorable
experience.
More like hard work was a walk round four
factories of the Toyota Motor Co. one day, and
the next touring a further four plants which
supply Toyota with the necessary pressings.
One thing Eddie has missed is having his own
private workshop facilities. That, and English
cheese and the home brew that goes with it I
Eddie and his wife dining at the home of
Mr and Mrs Ozawa. A good friend of Eddie’s,
Mr Ozawa has been to Mitcheldean and knows
Harry Helm and Stan Scott. The food is ‘Tushi’ —
raw fish and vegetable on a bed of cold rice.
Beyond the flowering trees and shrubs, spring 5 1 . , i . , and scaffolamy tuyeinci icnd d tieiiis etiecl lu
the walls of the new office block.
In the spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to
thoughts of love, so Tennyson has i t ; his dad,
more likely, starts thinking about the garden. So do
those in Works Engineering whose responsibilities
include the upkeep of the Plant’s extensive
garden areas.
A visitor once remarked that the site would soon
be noted for its beauty as well as its efficiency; it
may never be included in the National Gardens
Scheme but it bids fair to become a garden
factory of note, and it is thanks to the efforts of the
Site Cleaning force, headed by Brian Lampshire,
that it is so tidy, clean and colourful.
There isn’t a home gardener who will need to be
reminded that grass-cutting can be a non-stop job
throughout the summer. Chargehand Duff Bennett
sees to it that our 1 2 or 14 lawns get a short back
and sides, that our steep banks are close-cropped,
and that edges are clipped regularly by the team
of skilled and semi-skilled gardeners, plus a bit of
help from contractors.
There are the many and varied shrubs and trees
which have to be trimmed, mulched, and even
occasionally cut down. An 85ft conifer by the
Stenders Court flats, whose surroundings are
also our responsibility, recently had to be felled for
safety’s sake.
Then there are the thousands of plants which bring
splashes of colour to the flower-beds, and the
ever-growing number of indoor plants providing
living pictures in the office areas.
At one time we used to have to buy all our plants.
Now, with the aid of t w o greenhouses, a couple
of frames, and some green fingers, we sow our own
petunias, antirrhinums, marigolds, sweet Williams,
wallflowers and many other varieties.
We have even started to propagate our own
indoor plants, and it is reckoned that by 1974 we
should be self-sufficient in this respect — a useful
venture when one considers that a flamingo plant,
for example, costs around £2 these days.
Gardener Henry Preedy has been busy getting
some interesting new plants from old in the hot
greenhouse — he’s got cuttings of poinsettia, baby
rubber plants, and leaf cuttings of the sword-shaped
sansevieria (mother-in-law’s tongue), although,
says Henry, you don’t get the beautiful markings
unless you propagate by division of the rootstock.
In the cool greenhouse last April we saw a host
of healthy geraniums (there are hundreds of
varieties, says Henry, but we can’t recall them
offhand), standard fuchsias, chrysanthemum
cuttings and seedlings hardening off. The frames
too were full to bursting point with youthful
6
Splashed with the mauves ut heatnci <,,iu uuuiciia, this well-stocked rockery curves around a corner of
the Machine Shop. Here the road is getting a brush-up from one of our new roadsweepers, with
^vril Cox at the wheel.
.. .AND SITE CLEANING
antirrhinums, petunias, marigolds and sweet peas.
Unfortunately, even the toughest hardening off
doesn’t prepare them for survival under all
conditions.
A nicely maturing bed, for example, had to be
uprooted for the unforeseen siting of a generator
during the recent power cuts.
This was a necessary disruption, if heartbreaking
from a gardening point of view. But there are
other unnecessary ones. A lorry cuts across the
corner of a bed, or someone sitting on a wall snaps
the branches of the edging plants, and hours of
work, months of careful tending, are wasted in one
fell swoop.
It is not only the growing things which require the
gardening team’s attention; from time to time, the
clay soil has to be dressed with peat and manure
(yes, the real thing, though you may not have
noticed it because it is dug in quickly before it
makes its presence too obvious). ‘We’d like to
make our own compost if we could find the
space,’ said Duff.
continued on p.8
A wounded rubber plant, getting first aid from
gardener Henry Preedy ? No, it’s being prepared
for yet another happy event — or as the gardening
fraternity have it, being layered. By cutting into
the stem, surrounding the cut with compost
bound to the parent plant, a side-shoot can be
persuaded to put down roots of its own. This
prolific plant has already presented us with a dozen
baby rubber plants.
7
of tier 56-strong team of cleaners. For them,
spring cleaning goes on all the year round.
From 8 am to 9 pm, working three shifts a day,
they are busy keeping the ‘house’ part of the
Plant clean. Some, like Doris Boseley. Lottie
Meek and Ada Waite, have been with us for many
years. Mrs Stephens herself has worked at the
Plant for 13 years and two of her six children are
also employees.
Right: Stillages located on shop floors collect
waste: the all-paper ones go direct to the mills, but
the mixed waste comes first to this corner of
Building 40 where Fred Matthews sorts out the
paper, card, etc, and feeds it into the baling machine.
continued from p.7
As it is, tine grass cuttings and the dead leaves are
disposed of with the rubbish, in the incinerator, or
tal refuse wagon which calls twice a day at the Plant.
Which reminds us of the many other vital aspects
of site cleaning : the disposal of effluent and swarf,
drainage, pest control, and cleaning of shop floors,
offices and roadways.
To assist with the latter, two mechanical road
sweepers have just been acquired after careful
study of the equipment on the market. One is
pedestrian- and one rider-operated, and they
should prove a great help with the cleaning of our
recently extended site roadways, gangways and
car parks.
Talking of rubbish, you may have noticed the
litter bins which have been ‘posted’ around the
site. It is hoped that the odd paper crisp packet
and cigarette butt which are occasionally found
flourishing among the flowers will be planted in
these in future.
‘If we can collect 80 per cent of this kind of
rubbish, we won’t be doing badly,’ said Duff.
Maybe we could make it an even higher
percentage.
Pollution Control
Pollution is a subject very much in the public’s
mind at the moment — which is why we were
very pleased to welcome a group of some 24
members of the Institute of Water Pollution Control
a professional body, to our Plant on April 12.
We work closely in this context with the Severn
River Board’s pollution prevention officer,
Mr Parker, and in fact it was through him that the
visit came about.
The group spent an afternoon studying our
effluent treatment and waste disposal procedures.
They visited the Works Laboratory, seeing our
analytical procedures and systems of recording
effluent control; they also looked round the
finishing departments which deliver effluent for
treatment, such as the Paint and Automatic
Plating Shops.
They were looked after by Les Davies, Works
Laboratory Manager: Geoff Howard, Chief
Chemist: and John Court, Manager, Finishing
Operations. Works Manager Don Elliott joined the
party later for refreshments and a chat, and our
visitors made it plain they were very favourably
impressed with the way in which we are dealing
with this important aspect of pollution control.
8
GOOD NEWS FOR PENSIONERS
No one needs telling about the sharp increase in
the cost of living experienced in the last two years,
least of all those managing on a pension which,
although adequate at retirement, has been buying
less and less as each year goes by.
Since February this year, the Pension Department
at Rank Xerox House has been carrying out a
review of pensions paid to all ex-Rank Xerox staff,
and also the manual workers’ pensions, taking into
account the original pension at retirement, length
of retirement and any subsequent pension
increases that may have been given.
A few weeks ago it was agreed by Mr Mai Thomas,
Managing Director and Chief Executive, that the
original value of the pension be restored by the
award of an ex-gratia increment.
Another bit of cheer for pensioners — for the first
time it has been decided to hold a Pensioners’
Reunion and Luncheon at Mitcheldean Plant. It
will take place in the Social Centre on Saturday,
May 20.
Cocktails at 12.30 pm will be followed by a
three-course luncheon; there will be some light
entertainment and tea before breaking up at about
5 pm.
Mr D. R. Portman, Mr L. V. Lyes and Mr P. M.
Salmon have been invited and a number of
long-serving members of the Company will be
acting as hosts.
The pensioners will be bringing along their wives
and husbands and around 100 people are
expected.
DRAG AT MITCHELDEAN
Spares &• Sub-Assembly held another of their
successful buffet-dances with cabaret in the Social
Centre on March 17. The cabaret artistes were the
popular entertainers, the Chalsonts and the female
impersonator Ricky Duveax. This was the first
time we have seen ‘drag’ at Mitcheldean and it
proved the highlight of the evening. Dancing was
to the Frank Proud Showband, and Ira Griffin
acted as MC. The stage was a picture, thanks to
Margaret Jenkins’ gift for flower-arrangement.
She, together with Daisy Barnard, Sandra Bradley,
Mary Brooks, Evelyn George, Betty Hart,
Margaret Clements, Rene Phelps, plus Bob
Davies, put in a lot of hard work to give the 310
people attending a really good time. The
department were particularly pleased to welcome
Frank Whinyates, Bob Baker, David Sanderson and
Ron Pearce among those present.
Ricky Duveax in working clothes
ANY NEWS FOR V I S I O N?
If you have, then please —
• let your departmental correspondent know,
• or leave it at either Gate House for collection by me,
• or post it to me at Tree Tops, Plump Hill, Mitcheldean,
• or ring me — it’s Drybrook 415.
Myrtle Fowler, Editor
9
HOME MARKET
For Sale
100-watt stereo amplifier, cost over £80, will sell
for £35; Linguaphone German course on records,
£8 o.n.o; 1968 Spitfire Mk III, red, tonneau,
ZX tyres, in good condition, £576. Tel. Drybrook
349 or 197 int.
Large teddy bear. Offers to Sue Fields, Supply
Planning, tel. 435 int.
Frame tent, sleep three, with inner tent. Used
once only, cost £48, going for £28. Apply
13 Pembroke Street, Cinderford.
Belling electric fire, coal effect, combined
convector/radiant, separate controls for convector
and radiant heat. Will fit any standard fireplace.
Contact A. Caldwell, Design Office, tel. 573 int.
1960 Volkswagen, new engine, tested, £110.
1959 Triumph Herald, £25. ‘Phone Lydney 2716.
One pair wooden sliding doors complete with rail
and runners, 9ft. Sin. long, 6ft. Sin. high, suitable
garage or barn. Locally made, 1970. Apply
Doris Barker, Design, tel. 532 int.
Stainless steel sink unit with one tap and drainage
pipes. Offers to Mrs June Sherwood, 4000
Assembly, tel. 433 int.
Fortic water heater, almost new. ‘Phone
Drybrook 636.
Pair of Parker Knoll fireside chairs, grey but new
yellow stretch covers, £15 the pair. One other
fireside chair, £3. Contact Mrs H. M. Holifield,
tel. 701 int.
Wanted
Cheap second-hand typewriter, portable or table
model. Replies to David Cox, 3600 Production
Control, or Mrs Wendy Cox, 3 Newtown (Steam
Mills), nr Cinderford.
Old postcards, Christmas cards and greeting cards.
J. E. Powell, Data Processing Department.
Embroidery stand. Contact Mrs E. Thomas,
Design Print Room.
Water skis, wet-suits, life jackets. ‘Phone Mrs E. J.
Marshall, Lydbrook 424, after 6 pm.
Cricketers— Ross-on-Wye Cricket Club, with a
fine square and excellent facilities, is always
interested in new players in the area. Further
details from secretary, Derek Wintle, Personnel
Department, tel. 137 int.
For Hire
Caravans 18 and 22 ft, sited near Saundersfoot,
Tenby. Most dates vacant. Contact Derek Bluett,
tel. 413 or 466 int. or Cinderford 2105.
Who at Cinderford took his old banger to a car
mart and was paid to take it back home ?
Who in Purchase decided to do a bit of
gardening when he got home, took off his office
suit, and absent-mindedly got into bed — at
6 pm 1 It must have been thinking about flowerbeds
that did it.
Easter Cake for Charity
A raffle organised by Mike Powell among night
shift colleagues at Rank Xerox, Cinderford, raised
£5 in aid of the old people at Littledean. The
winner, Ivor Kibble, kindly donated the prize of a
cake to the Oak House Trust of Newland, near
Coleford, which provides home, work and lifelong
security for mentally handicapped young men. It
arrived at the right time to be enjoyed at their
Easter Sunday tea.
Youngest Grandad?
On April 13 Eric Faulkner, Inspection Supervisor in
Spares & Sub-Assembly, was presented with a
grand-daughter. Does that make him the youngest
grandad in the Plant ?
Children take Parents
to Church
Mr Glyn Morgan, full-time evangelist, gave a very
interesting and encouraging talk to about 25
Christian Fellowship members on April 1 1 ,
outlining the success of his tent campaigns in
South Wales over the past three years. He made
the point that the majority of visitors who packed
out his 500-person capacity tent to overflowing
were teenagers. In fact, he said, it was
commonplace for the youngsters to take their
parents to the meetings — an unusual switch I
The following week, April 18, Mr Ron Smith of
the Fishers Fellowship outlined the origin of the
movement and its intention, teaching the art of
personal evangelism. He makes his message
known worldwide with his regular Saturday
morning and evening radio programmes.
Calendar for the rest of May is : May 9 — guest
speaker Mr G. E. Lawrence, retired minister,
missionary and author; May 16 — prayer meeting ;
May 23 — ‘Christian Questions’, answered by
Mr T. Cracknell. Questions are invited from
Christians and non-Christians alike — just come
along to the meeting.
Future Fellowship activities will include a visit to
Northwick Park rehabilitation centre for drug
addicts on June 24. Please contact Bruce
Hubbard (tel. 209 int.) if you are interested.
10
mme oicture
spring Brides
1972 Left: Jackie Sherwood (Design
D. O.) and Bill Hall {PED) at St Michael &
All Angels, Mitcheldean, on March 18.
Flight: Linda Worsfold (secretary to
Mr J. Outhwaite, Data Processing) and
Clive Evans at St Mary’s Church,
Ross-on-‘Wye, on March 25. Linda
came second in our last Miss Rank
Xerox contest.
1947
Three surprised but delighted brides of 25 years ago .veie recently presented with bouquets of spring
flowers. All workers in 4000 Assembly, they celebrated their silver weddings within a few weeks of one
another and their colleagues felt the occasion called for a triple presentation. Pictured left to right are
Lilian Lucas (her husband Ted works in Stores), Barbara Davis (Joe Davis is in the Machine Shop), and
Joan Gregory (her bridegroom of yesteryear works for ICI). Two more Machine Shop men have
achieved silver wedding status recently: there’s Bob Gladwin, whose wife Eileen works in Spares Et
Sub–‘—^’ ‘ •”ostyn Rogers and his wife D • •,
ft
New Arrivals
Julian Martin, a son for Keith Rea (Pre-Production
Control) and his wife Angela (formerly Personnel),
on March 24.
Robert John, a son for Margaret Drew (formerly
Purchase Office) and her husband David, on
April 3.
Engagements
Jane Board (Comps, Accounts) to Brian Price on
March 18.
Myra Earl (Purchase) to Terry Winman on
March 26.
Joy Marshall to John Boyle (both of Spares &
Sub-assembly) on April 3.
Susan Barnard (secretary to Mr A. E. Burke) to
Mike Green (Design Office) on April 14.
21st Birthdays
Linda Biggadike (Stationery Stores) on April 22.
Apprentice Graham Parker on May 14.
Retirements
Best wishes to those retiring in M a y— Mrs Ivy
McLaren (Goods Inwards Inspection) who started
with us in 1961 ; Wilfred Whatley (Reliability
Engineering) who came to Mitcheldean in 1967,-
and Maurice Hartley (Maintenance Planning
Engineer) who has been with us ten years.
Maurice has been in hospital recently and we wish
him a steady return to good health.
Obituary
We are sorry to have to record the deaths of two
LSA members – Geoffrey Phipps on April 5 at
the age of 45. Geoffrey, who worked in Model
Shop Planning, came to the Plant in 1950. He was
a keen musician and played in the Rank Xerox
Showband at one time; Bob Holliday on April 23
aged 63. Having worked for the Company before.
Bob joined in November 1957 to work in
Production Control. He moved to Security and
was Sergeant until poor health obliged him to
take up less onerous duties in the Mail Room.
11
sp®RTS & sm:iAL
CLUB
First Performance
During a dance interval, the band usually take it
easy. But not Sid Phillips, whose top-line band
played for the dance at the Social Centre on
March 24. He used it to re-arrange a tune — for
the night, on the night. After a brief study of the
single piece of manuscript, the band went back
and played it as if it had been in their repertoire
for years!
Highlights of the dance were the superb clarinet
playing of Sid Phillips, and the artistry on the
drums of his son Simon. We learned that Simon
had been offered a vast sum to appear on the
Ed Sullivan show in America, but his dad turned
it down in view of Simon’s age — he’s only
15 years old.
The 200 or so people who went along thoroughly
enjoyed the evening and voted it a great social
success.
Second Performance
Anyone passing by the Social Centre on the
evening of Saturday, April 8, might have wondered
whether they had suddenly been transported to
the ‘land of song’ when they heard the superb
sound made by the 80 voices of the Caerphilly
Male Voice Choir, under their conductor R. F.
Appleby.
The choir, who had the audience applauding
loudly at the end of each selection, were joined by
two soloists whose performances were also of a
very high standard. It was felt that the tenor, with
his subtle wit, would make a fine comedian into
the bargain !
The concert closed officially with the singing of
the Welsh National Anthem. Then came the
second performance. Tables and chairs were
arranged, the bar was opened, and impromptu
singing led by the choir began. The majority of
the audience soon found themselves outclassed
and decided to sit back and listen, and it was
11.30 pm before the evening was reluctantly
brought to an end.
It is hoped that the choir enjoyed their visit to
Mitcheldean as much as we enjoyed having them,
and that they will come again in the not too
distant future to let us hear their fine singing
once more.
We wish them all the best for the concert later
this year when, together with other choirs from
Wales, they will be singing at the Albert Hall.
Des Haines
As the winner of the very first bonanza prize,
Maurice Marshall of the Machine Shop goes
down in Sports & Social Club history. He opted
for a cheque for £235 in lieu of a colour
television, and club president Peter Salmon
presented him with the money on April 7 (see
picture below). Maurice has been with us for
eight years, and his mother and brother also work
at Mitcheldean. There to see the lucky man get
his prize were club chairman Henry Phillips, and
Bonanza Draw sub-committee members Dick
Frazier and Tony Haines (centre). The draw offers
13 major prizes each year, three of them cars. In
addition there is a prize of £100 each month and
weekly cash prizes amounting to £65. Winner of
the first £100 was Lena Adams of Design Print
Room (see bottom picture); she and rtjr husband
Ron, who works in the Paint Shop, plan an extra
holiday this year on the strength of it. They’re not
going abroad — I haven’t got tired of England
yet’, she told us. As we went to press we heard
the April bonanza prize had gone to Arthur Barnett,
Machine Shop leading hand. Fred Halifax of
Accounts won the £100 prize.
12
Printed in England by Taylor, Young (Printers) Ltd.
