Bank Holiday Bonanza
‘Now I really like that little car,’ said Irene Hawkins,
when she had got over the surprise of having won
the smart dark blue mini saloon in the recent
bonanza draw. Irene doesn’t drive but 7 think I
might learn now’ she told us. She works in
International Technical Communications in
Engineering Department. The £100 cheque went to
another member of Engineering staff— Brenda
Lewis, who works for Drawing Office Services
f\/lanager Jack Timms. Brenda is a real bonanza
fan now — she won £1 in the weekly draw only a
few weeks ago and was ‘shaken’ when she found
she had hit the jackpot. The winning numbers
were drawn by our Miss Rank Xerox, Janice
Andrews, on f\Aay 25 and General l^anager Peter
Salmon presented the prizes the following day.
Here Dick Frazier, a member of the draw subcommittee,
hands over the keys of the car, fully
taxed for 12 months, to Mrs Hawkins. Standing
beside the draw results is Tony Haynes, another
sub-committee member; the man in the
background is George Burndred, Sports B Social
Club treasurer.
We’re ready to welcome you
At this time of year a great many stately homes and
gardens are thrown open to the public. We can
now claim to known something of the problems
confronting the organisers I
In making arrangements for our own ‘Open Day’
at Mitcheldean on Saturday, June 10, we had to
start our preparations well in advance of the date,
not knowing just how many would accept our
invitations. However, by the time we went to
press, this problem had virtually resolved itself,
and all the indications were that we could expect
around 7,500 people— not only employees and
their families, but also our pensioners and the
residents of Mitcheldean itself.
As we have explained, the purpose of the Open
Day is two-fold. It marks the virtual end of the
construction programme and is designed to say
thank you to local residents for putting up with any
inconvenience, and to show them the reasons for
our expansion.
Secondly, it will provide an opportunity for all
those of you who work here to show your
families where you work and what the company
does outside your own specific sphere of
operations.
Organising our ‘at home’ has been the responsibility
of an Open Day Committee — Bob Baker, John
Court (who heads a sub-committee responsible
for the ‘nuts and bolts’ of the operation), Frank
Edwards, Don Elliott, Arthur Willitt and Derek
Wintle, with Jimmy Bake as chairman. They have
had to consider problems ranging from transport
to teas for the thousands expected, and to arrange
items of interest for all age groups.
On arrival people will be handed a programme
giving them a brief outline of the development of
the Plant, explaining what we do here and
providing a plan of the site. There will be plenty of
notices to show people which way to go, and
guides will be on duty in every open area to show
visitors round and to explain things in detail if
required.
All the assembly areas will be open but office
areas will only be open to those people who
actually work in them, and their families.
The Medical Centre will be open throughout the
afternoon and they are all set to keep any lost
children happy until their parents turn up.
Rank Xerox minibuses will be making circular
tours of the Plant all afternoon so if the weather is
damp or, hopefully, very warm, or if anyone gets
tired, they need not cut their tour short.
A salad tea will be available from 3 pm in the
large marquee which is being set up on the central
car park, and we expect brisk business at the vans
dispensing free ice cream cornets to the kids.
The Band of the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers will
be quartered in the area adjoining the tea marquee
and will play for us during the afternoon ; we plan
to provide quite a few seats so that if anyone
wants to rest their feet and listen to the band, they
can do so.
Closed circuit TV is being set up and our candid
camera shots will be screened under the canopy of
Building 40, opposite the IDC Building. If you’ve
never seen yourself on television, this may be
your opportunity!
A highlight will be the ascent of a hot-air balloon
which will be inflated during the afternoon and is
due for release at 5 pm. Every child will be given a
balloon to take home too — the ordinary kind, of
course !
The Directors and Management at Mitcheldean
look forward to seeing you and wish you a happy
day.
General Manager, Mitcheldean Plant
2
FAMILY OF
FRIENDS
Just back from Japan, and shortly to leave for
Helsinki, J. Maldwyn Thomas Managing
Director and Chief Executive of Rank Xerox Ltd,
made a special effort to attend the 19th annual
dinner of the Mitcheldean Long Service Association,
held at the Chase Hotel, Ross-on-Wye, on
May 5.
With his commitments here and abroad,
Mr Thomas said he was constantly made aware of
the multi-national nature of the company’s
operations. There were 22,000 of us in Rank
Xerox, located all over the world; we in turn were
part of the whole Xerox operation, which added
another 50,000 — a pretty large family, he
remarked.
Proposing the toast of the LSA, Mr Thomas said
‘I think it is a mark of great distinction that Xerox
Corporation recognised the immense contribution
made by Mitcheldean and by Fred Wickstead
when they invited him to go to the USA to
become Vice-President, Manufacturing and
Logistics. That was one of the best exports this
company ever made!’
With statistics still in mind, Mr Thomas noted that
among the LSA members, 200 of whom were
present, there were three members with over
40 years’ service, three with 35 to 40, 21 with 30
to 35, 38 with 25 to 30 and ‘around a half
century’ with 20 to 25 years’ service. I’m glad to
have joined a company where people are
perennially youthful and live a long time,’ he said.
Another welcome guest was Mr Wickstead who
remarked ‘It’s the first time I’ve ever addressed
Bob Baker as president.’ The association could
not have chosen more wisely, he said. ‘I
remember him working very hard and very
forthrightly for the LSA ; I also remember the
difficult days in the late 1940s and early 1950s
when Bob was a tower of strength to me
personally and to many of you who have received
your 25-year awards this evening.’
I// Holder of Rank Audio Visual, Brentford,
presented Fred Wickstead with a rose bowl on
behalf of long-serving employees in London.
l\Ar Wickstead also made a presentation — of an
inscribed ‘mallet’— to Henry Phillips for use by
him as chairman of the LSA
President Bob Baker toasts the guests. Pictured
with him (from left) are Henry Phillips, J. Maldwyn
Thomas, Peter Salmon, Kate Matthews and
Bernard Smith.
Checking up on his duties as president, Mr Baker
saw to it that the guests were ‘toasted’, though
whether they liked to be under, medium or
overdone he wasn’t quite sure I
continued on p. 5
Five hundred years of service
Twenty 25-year service awards — the biggest number of such awards in the history of the
LSA — were presented by IVIr J. M. Thomas at the dinner.
Ivor Ward
4
Bert Bailee, Bruce Essex Margaret Hale
He extended a welcome to all, the retired
old-timers, the first-timers such as Mr Thomas,
Mr Lionel Lyes and Mr Len Peacock, the
representatives from other branches of the LSA.
Anxious to use his term of office to ‘get things
moving’, he reminded people of three of the
association’s objectives : 1. To promote and
encourage good fellowship between members and
all employees of the company and companies
within the organisation: 2. To give assistance
when needed to sick and retired members;
3. To promote the growth of the association and
foster good relations between the members and
the company. ‘Are we as an association doing as
much as we could do ?’ he asked. ‘I think we
ought to do a little more and not leave it to the
one or two to get things done.’
In his reply to the toast, Mr Peter Salmon,
General Manager, offered a word of thanks to
those who had helped him, a very ‘new boy’, and
had given freely of their advice in his first year of
joining the company.
Bearing in mind that the number of members
of the LSA is increasing rapidly, one realised
that this ‘strong family of friends’ represented a
tremendous amount of past achievement which
would stand us in good stead in years to come.
•
Kate Matthews broke her own record as a seller
of raffle tickets once again by raising the total sum
of £146 66 to pay for a summer outing for
retired LSA members (£62-60 of this was collected
earlier this year).
On June 21 the veterans with wives and husbands
will tour the Cotswolds, take tea at Cirencester
and something stronger at a venue in the Forest,
the whereabouts of which is a strongly guarded
secret. The company are meeting the cost of tea
and transport.
Apart from the prizes generously donated for this
draw there was a further prize to be won in a
free draw for members — a mini weekend for two
in London, or dinner for four at a local hotel, or a
£20 voucher to be spent at Bon Marche in
Gloucester.
Winner was George Turner, who heads our Wages
Department. Seventeen years with the company,
George told us he’d decided to opt for the voucher
and buy his wife something at the Bon. This,
plus another draw prize of a bottle of sherry, no
doubt helped George to explain why he didn’t
arrive home until 2.45 am !
LSA officers re-elected
At a meeting of the LSA committee held in May
the officers were all re-elected — chairman
Henry Phillips, secretary Doris Barker, assistant
secretary Jackie Smith, treasurer Don Peates.
Kate Matthews, who is due to retire at the end of
August, was co-opted on to the committee and
continues as vice-chairman.
With the Venray plant’s expansion, getting from
building to building can be quite a dampening
process in wet weather. So a number of man-size
umbrellas are now stocked at the entrance to each
building and employees can pick one up when
leaving. House service sees to it that each building
is restocked with sufficient supply. Our picture
shows Colin Peters, Controller, Information Systems,
making use of the so-called ‘white umbrella plan’
during an April shower.
Keeping in touch
We recently received a delightful letter from
Mrs Helen Cooper, who is 86 years young. She
writes; ‘I cannot tell you how much I enjoy and
appreciate receiving VISION. I love it and I see
many names I know, but cannot recognise many
of the owners who were children when I left
Mitcheldean.
‘I left in 1958 when my husband died. We were
among the first to arrive with our furniture from
Shepherd’s Bush on December 13, 1940. What
an enormous change now — I think it is very
wonderful what you are all doing.’
‘My only son is now Rector here (St Peter’s,
Woodmansterne, Banstead, Surrey) and we have
such a lovely church and a full congregation
nearly every service . .
Mrs Cooper, who says she has ‘loving memories of
Mitcheldean’ sends her best wishes to ‘any who
may remember me.’ She and her husband Bert,
who was our Transport Manager, lived for 18
years opposite the Rectory.
5
The author.
As diving officer of the North Gloucestershire
branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club, Charles
Dobbin of Group Accounting is responsible
for dive organisation, training methods and
standards and examinations.
Apart from the obvious kicks, he likes the
community service aspect of diving. The club is on
call by the authorities for assistance in recovery
or search under water for people, boats — even
cameras. When the Blue Peter team lost their
camera while filming the Severn Bore they asked
the club to help retrieve it. The camera
was eventually washed up on shore, but
four members of the club, including Charles,
appeared on the Blue Peter TV programme.
Last year Charles and a fellow diver, Dave Knibbs,
set up a world record in an inland water snorkel
swim of 5 hours 46 minutes for 16 miles – a
sponsored swim which raised £220 in aid of the
Royal National Life-Boat Institution. They
appeared twice on national television nnd had
considerable press coverage, but what pleased
them particularly was the inclusion of this effort in
the Guinness Book of Records.
Come on in, the dlying’s good!
‘OK then, in you go,’ said the diving officer.
I pulled down my face mask, bit hard on the
mouthpiece, and rolled backwards off the side of
the boat into the sea.
My heart was beating fast as I descended below
the surface to my buddy diver, who was waiting
for me 25 metres down on the sea bed. He gave
me the signal to follow him and off we swam.
This was my first real dive, and I found myself in
the tranquil world of the fish, exploring the sea
bottom, where perhaps no man had ever been
before. The surface was Invisible from that depth
and the visibility at the bottom was only five
metres, but I was really enjoying myself.
I remember how at the time I related the wonderful
feeling of adventure and excitement to that of the
early explorers of the world, seeing undiscovered
territory for the first time.
That was three years ago. But how did I first
become interested in sub-aqua diving ? It all
began as a result of a visit to my doctor, who had
been treating me for dislocated hips. He firmly
pronounced ‘You have got to give it up, no more
for you, my lad.’
He was, I should explain, referring to badminton,
the sport in which I indulged at the time. ‘Try
swimming,’ he added, as I left the surgery.
Swimming I At my age I I was too old for
competitive swimming, and not interested in water
polo. This really did seem the end of any further
sporting activity.
At the time I worked in PED, and one of my
colleagues in that department was Dave Harris.
6
He commiserated with me on my misfortune, and
suggested that I accompany him on a Thursday
evening to the local Sub-Aqua Club at Gloucester
swimming pool.
Several weeks later I reluctantly agreed to join
him, and had my first insight into the world of
sub-aqua diving. Dave introduced me to the other
members of the North Gloucestershire branch of
the British Sub-Aqua Club.
I could not have guessed that this vague interest
with which I had started would lead to a state of
total absorption in this fascinating sport, nor that,
today, I would be a national instructor and diving
officer of my branch.
John Barratt, field liaison engineer in Change
Co-ordination, with his sons Kevin (12) and
John (15). John jnr is fully qualified to dive at
sea and did his first 40 ft dive the other week. On
dry land he is accomplished too — he is leader of
the North Gloucestershire Schools Orchestra.
The BSAC is the largest diving club in the world,
and sets the standard for all amateur diving. Since
joining the club, I have made many close friends,
and have introduced two other members of the
Rank Xerox Mitcheldean Plant to the sport.
Tony Gibbs of TED joined 18 months ago. He was
looking for an exciting sport in which to participate,
having spent several years in the Guards
Independent Parachute Company. Tony is now
our branch secretary.
More recently John Barratt of Change
Co-ordination became a member, and he has
since been joined in the sport by his two sons.
John became interested in diving after hearing
John Jennings (Rank Xerox House) and myself
talking of the joys of diving. After many years
afloat (he is ex-Merchant Navy), it seemed only
natural that he should want to investigate life
below the surface.
From my experience, it would appear that, once
the diving bug has got hold of a person, it
dominates their life. This is very true in my case;
the family holiday revolves round the best dive,
and every other weekend of the summer is spent
at the coast. My wife is very understanding, and of
course the children love going to the seaside.
The diving season starts in April and extends to
August and, weather permitting, sometimes to
Christmas. Most of the club members take their
families for the weekend, and a lot of us camp.
Diving is a fairly expensive hobby, but for about
£30 one can at least get started. Age is no
deterrent to the beginner, but you must be pretty
fit to get through the training.
Next month I will tell you more about this
training, and how you can participate in one of the
most exciting sports in the world.
7
THE DANCING MEN
From around Easter onwards, the Royal Forest of
Dean Morris Men can be expected to come
dancing out of their winter hibernation — so you
are warned of possible sightings I
The side has a good strength for the start of this
summer, and the number will be swelled sevenfold
in early June when our local side play host to
other sides from all over England and Wales who
have expressed the wish to dance around the
Forest and the Cotswolds area.
Upwards of a hundred morris men will attend the
Morris Festival to be held on June 10 and 11.
On the Saturday there will be three separate tours
of the Forest, starting from Blakeney, Bream and
Cinderford.
The Blakeney tour starts at 10.15 am, going via
Lydney to reach Speech House at noon, then on
to Lydbrook; the Bream tour, starting at 10.30 am,
takes in St Briavels, Clearwell and Newland; while
the tour starting at Cinderford at 10.15 am goes
via Ruardean, Ross and Symonds Yat West. All
three meet at Coleford at 3.30 pm for a massed
dance display, with a ceilidh at the Community
Centre in the evening.
Sunday will be devoted to two staggered tours
(no reflection on the traditional habit of morris
men to down a pint or two after their very
thirst-making dances); one will follow the other
to finish at Kingham, taking in Broadway,
Bourton-on-the-Water and Stow-on-the-Wold.
Ever wonder why they do morris dancing at all ?
Don’t ask us, ask any one of the following :
THE DRIVING MEN
Having serviced for colleague Stuart Harrold when
the latter competed in the 1970 RAC Round
Britain Rally, ex-apprentice Alec Davis of Design
D.O. decided to have a shot himself at the Welsh
International Car Rally on May 1 2, 13 and 14.
His co-driver was Andrew Brambell, nephew of
TV actor Wilfred Brambell of Steptoe fame. In
Alec’s Lotus Cortina, entered as group 1 (almost
as per showroom, with a few mods done specially
for the weekend), they covered 1,000 miles in
36 hours’ driving, to finish third in their class.
Servicing for them were apprentice Gary Rogers
and John Lewis (4000 Assembly Inspection). As
it turned out, the only time Gary and John had to
dirty their hands was when they put in a pint of
oil. They never had to open the tool box, the run
was so trouble-free, said Alec, apart from a loose
spotlight at the end of the first stage at Speech
House.
Bob Bowers (Group Staff), Sam Buffin (4000
Assembly), Dave Byett (Accounts), Richard Davies
(Production), Ben Davis (4000 Assembly),
Nick Evans (Production Control), Doug Isles
(Small Batch), Derek Porter (Purchase), Pete Rutsch
(Works Laboratory), Pete Symonds (Machine
Shop Inspection), Mike Wilding (Group Staff).
That doesn’t mean the rally was without
excitement. They did ten laps of Landow racing
circuit, which was ‘hair-raising’. And there were
those two 1 in 3 hills, one after the other, where
they dropped 300 ft in 50 yards.
Alec reckoned the route had been specially picked
for sightseeing. The views round Snowdonia were
breathtaking — so were some of the stages where
navigator Andrew looked over a sheer drop at the
side of the road and said : ‘Hey, I can’t see the
bottom !’
Also taking part in the rally was another
ex-apprentice, Richard Matthews, now a design
engineer, who was navigating for a Coleford
driver in a rapid Escort 1600 GT.
There were 240 entrants and nine classes
altogether. The winner? Roger Clark, the
well-known Leicestershire rally and Ford works
driver, who led from start to finish in an Escort.
By the way. Alec is now looking out for a buyer
as he wants to change his car. For a GT 40
perhaps ?
8
HOME MARKET
For Sale
Black and white baby’s pram in good condition.
Apply Alfred Parker, Donesta, High Street,
Drybrook, or phone Deanward 293.
Set of Carmen rollers, 7 x 7 , £3. Contact Sue
Smyth, Design, tel. 559 int.
Qualcast Superlite Panther roller mower, £4 or
near offer. Replies t o : Keith Rea, Pre-Production
Control, tel. 387 int.
Newmatic car radio/speaker/aerial. Contact
Phil Minchom, Design, tel. 503 int.
1964 Mini, red, £200. Apply J . Vines, Reliability,
Makings Building 3, tel. 375 int.
Car roof rack. Contact W. H. Gosling, Avondale,
Morse Road, Drybrook, or phone RX Cinderford,
9—17 int.
Slide projector, Aldis Tutor 750 watt, with 20cm
lens, complete with wooden case. Would suit club
or school, £20. Replies to Palmer, tel. 752 int.
Frame tent, four-berth, as new. Offers to Barrie
Goodall, tel. 318 int.
All steel trailer, £20. Badminton racquet. £ 1 .
Half set golf clubs, bag and trolley, £25. ‘Phone
C. Dobbin, tel. 597 int.
Wanted
Lawn mower, light-weight model. Replies to
Mrs Stembridge, tel. 750 int.
Embroidery stand. Contact Mrs E. Thomas,
Design Print Room.
Child’s garden swing. ‘Phone Mrs E. Pegler,
4000 Assembly, tel. 433 int.
Theygaveapinta
Some 300 people went along to the blood donor
unit when it visited the plant last April, and
Sister Collins has asked VISION to say thank you
to them for donating a pint for general circulation.
•
Which young lady in Production Control
‘graduated’ from a large teddy bear to a husband
and then advertised the teddy bear for sale ?
Watch out, the husband !
Who in the Machine Shop has got to get his hair
cut — his little boy keeps calling him ‘Mammy’.
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 41 5.
Myrtle Fowler, Editor
Keeping in Touch
Jim Mackin, who joined the Gauge Engineering
section of PED some 20 months ago, happened to
mention to Stan Cherry of Finishing Planning that
he came from Barra in the Western Isles of
Scotland. The place triggered off a memory for
Stan of one Neil Angus MacDonald whom he had
known during the war but had lost track of since.
Neil was a school teacher in Barra and a wellknown
piper: there was just a chance that Jim
might have come across him, so . . . .
‘Know him?’ replied Jim, ‘Why, he piped at our
wedding. He’s an old friend of the family.’
Needless to say, Stan and his wartime friend have
now met up again by letter.
Les Hill had the idea, John Hutchins did the
drawing. Both work in Production Control.
9
SP®RTS & SmaiAL
CLUB
Chess, Mate ?
Thoughts are turning once more to the organising
of another interdepartmental KO competition for
the Wickstead Chess Shield, so if you have any
potential champions in your department, now is
the time to goad them into polishing up their
master strokes. Watch the noticeboards for
announcements.
Knock-out News
By the time this issue appears, the Interdepartmental
Skittles Competition will be down
to the last eight, reckons Des Haines. His
co-organiser, John Mould, had been on sick leave
for some weeks when we talked to Des. ‘I’d like
to see him back for the finals,’ he said. ‘He’s
good at making speeches I’
The Rank Xerox ‘B’ skittles team have won the
Turland cup in the Ross league knock-out,
playing against the Horse & Jockey at Ross.
Exciting Season for Cine
This next season of the Cine & Photographic Club
promises to be its most important ever, for
around March 1973 it will, for the first time, act as
host club for the Gloucester County Cine
Competition. This means that several hundred
people, members of clubs entering the competition,
will come to Mitcheldean to see the film entries
and hear the adjudication.
The office of club chairman for the ensuing season
is therefore a more than usually responsible one
and it is right that the honour and prestige should
go to a person who has been the mainstay of the
club over the years. Robin Berks, who has been
secretary and programme secretary in the past and
has on occasion acted unofficially as chairman,
will combine this office with that of secretary,
assisted by committee member Angela Powell.
At the recent annual general meeting, another
long-serving officer, Larry Sterrett, treasurer for
nine years, handed over the keeping of the
accounts to Pat Jordan. Jack Seal was elected
vice-chairman, and the retiring chairman, Doris
Barker, was made vice-president. Robin King,
Ted Lewis, and Dennis Robbins make up the rest
of the committee.
Robin Berks has yet another role to play for the
club this coming season. He is to appear
opposite Margaret Winch in the club’s entry for
the competition, ‘First Impressions are not always
so Dangerous’. The film is based on an original
story by Jack Seal which tells of a young
woman’s holiday encounter with a young man: he
forgets his boarding house address, she forgets
her handbag and, with it, the address where she is
booked in ; the aid of the police is enlisted and the
story concludes in a happy holiday for both —
with a pay-off at the end.
Outdoor scenes will be shot at Symonds Yat or
Ross-on-Wye. And, in fact as in fiction, the help
of the police has been enlisted, for police scenes
are being shot at Coleford police station, the Chief
Constable’s approval having been obtained largely
through the good offices of Sergeant Miller of
Security.
In the more immediate future, the club have an
outing planned for June 25, when together with
friends and families, they are going for a canal
cruise from Abergavenny to Brecon.
GolSers go out to Play
The day dawned bright and sunny for the golf
section’s outing to Ross-on-Wye Golf Club on
May 9. Despite the downpour the day earlier,
conditions were very good and 17 people turned
up to play.
The morning competition was a Stapleford (note
for non-golfers: that’s a system of scoring) : the
prize of three golf balls was won by Vernon
Williams, Rank Xerox service engineer, who scored
a total of 29 points.
Revived by a good lunch, the golfers embarked on
a Medal play competition (another method of
scoring). Ray Mann (PED) returned a net 67 to
win the prize putter, which he exchanged later for
one of those gay golf umbrellas, while Vernon
Williams made a net 70 to come in second.
Next issue we hope to let you have a full report
on a match with Welwyn which was due to take
place at Burford as we went to press.
10
he Dicture
Linda Rudge (4000
Assembly) married
Derick Burns (Machine
Shop) at Lydney
Register Office on
April 8.
Celia Jones (Progress
Office) and her
bridegroom Brian
Dunn at St Ethelberfs
Church, Littledean,
on April 15
Births
Steven, a son for Colin Lewis (Machine Shop
Inspection), in February.
Helen, a daughter for George Meek (Machine
Shop Inspection) on March 7.
Luke, a son for Terry Williams (Machine Shop
Inspection), on March 2 1 .
Julie Amanda, a daughter for David Morman
(Remodelling) and his wife Teresa, on April 20.
Nicola Jane, a daughter for David Moore (Design
D.O.) and his wife Carol, on April 25.
James David, a son for Dave Read (Design D.O.)
and his wife Valerie, on April 28.
Ceri Jane, a daughter for Larry Williams (4000
Assembly) and his wife Dorothy, on May 4.
Engagement
Carole Jones to Barrie Goodall (both of Machine
Shop, Mitcheldean) on May 27.
Stewart retains Title
That the lunchtime practices of our table tennis
enthusiasts really paid off was shown in the
results of the Forest of Dean Table Tennis
Championships. In the doubles, Brian and Barry
Smith, Ken Townsend and Ted Wenderlish reached
the semi-finals, only losing on the odd game. In
the singles, Ken and Ted were knocked out in the
quarter-finals, but the defending ‘champeen’
Stewart Jones battled through, and after a dour,
tense struggle with Graham Bonser of Cinderford,
successfully retained his title amid the tumultuous
applause of his fellow Rank Xerox competitors.
D. J . Roberts
Andrew Davis
(Accounts) and his
bride Toni Wargent at
Brampton Abbots
Church on May 6.
Bob Colwell (Design
D.O.) married
Jacqueline Belcher at
St Mary’s Church,
Lydney, on May 20.
Dean Forest Studios
A iVIiss Rani< Xerox
becomes a IVIrs.
Christine Ingram
(Accounts), our
Miss Rank Xerox for
1969/70, and Michael
GWilliam at their
wedding at St John’s
Church, Cinderford, on
April 22. Photographer
was her father, John
Ingram of Standards
Room.
Retirements
Best wishes for the future to Doris Roberts
(cleaner) and Eileen De Mattos (IDC) who both
retire this month. Doris has been with us for five
years; Eileen, who joined in May 1955, has
completed 17 years’ service.
Silver Wedding
Congratulations to Evan Harris, forklift truck
driver in Internal Transport, and his wife Nancy
who celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary
on May 17.
21st Birthday
Ex-apprentice Roger Byett, now in Finishing
Planning, PED, on May 23. • Who in Maintenance thought he would make
himself a fortune by betting, unknowingly, on the
previous week’s races — and still ended up
backing losers ?
11
SENIOR CITIZENS
COME TO LUNCH
The company did them proud. There were
cocktails followed by a turkey luncheon with all
the trimmings, wine and liqueurs (‘the best meal
I’ve had out for a long time ‘ said one). Flowers
on individual tables, decorated name cards and
printed menus all helped to make a real occasion of
the Pensioners’ Reunion & Luncheon on May 20
in the Social Centre.
The turnout was excellent too, as Personnel
Manager Len Peacock said when introducing the
speakers. He considered a fair way of sizing up a
company was to see how it treated its long service
employees and pensioners, and ‘I believe this
company treats them extraordinarily well.’
Mr Portman welcomed everyone and gave a
thumbnail sketch of the company’s progress
‘towards which you have collectively and
individually contributed.’
Ken Bunn thanked the hosts and said he hoped
the occasion would be the first of many — a hope
echoed by many present.
The official entertainer failed to appear, but an
impromptu concert party including Sadie Pritchard,
Doris Barker, your editor, Frank Edwards and ‘the
two Taffs’ (Jenkin Morgan and Bill Knapgate)
with George Douglas at the piano kept everyone
in party mood until teatime.
Seeing Jenkin Morgan and Gene Lark flourishing
a colourful brochure, we asked what it was all
about. They told us they’re planning to make up a
party of our senior citizens to spend a month in
January/February on the Costa Brava. A packaged
holiday by air will cost £27-50 per person for bed,
breakfast and dinner. They will be gauging
people’s interest during the LSA outing on June 2 1 ,
or you can contact them in Mitcheldean at 57 Parks
Road (Jenkin) or 57 Eastern Avenue (Gene).
i 1
^#
Derek Portman, Director, Manufacturing Group,
sfiares a joke witfi Albert Wing (seated), and
Charlie Baker: on the right is Mrs Wing
Cyril Woodward, paying his first visit here for
12 years, came all the way from Devon with his
wife for the lunch. Here he chats with Ted Wells
(second from right) and General Manager
Peter Salmon
Among the guests was Doug Green, Manager of
the Pensions Department in London. He’s in the
icture below, second from left.
12
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