Return to 1970-1974

Vision 095

January 74 No. 95
THE HOUSE MAGAZINE OF RANK XEROX MITGHELDEAN
DIDN’T THEY DO WELL!
The girls pictured above were among
those who were recently presented
with financial awards for successfully
completing a course of studies during
the past year. In fact, the t w o biggest
cheques of £44-30 each went to
girl students Luciana Marangon
(Development Laboratory) and Jane
Reed (Design Engineering).
Altogether some £630, w h i c h included
payment of examination fees and cost
of books, was handed out just before
Christmas to a total of 40 industrious
people (see story on page 5).
In our gay group are (from the
left) Ruth Davis (Design
Reception), Denise Rawiings
(Production Control), Pam
Douglas ( P E D ) , Diane Stratford,
J a n i c e Roberts and Karen
Rogers (all Purchase), and
Luciana Marangon.
General Manager’s
New Year Message
It i s c u s t o m a r y at t h i s t i m e of
t h e year f o r the General
Manager to w r i t e to w i s h all
Mitcheldean people a happy and
p r o s p e r o u s N e w Year.
However, t h i s year, a s I w r i te
t h i s , t h e Government m e a s u r es
to deal w i t h the energy c r i s is
are having t h e i r e f f e c t , and
w h i l e I do hope that you and
your f a m i l i e s w i l l s t i l l have had
a good C h r i s t m a s , t h e p r o s p e c ts
for t h e s t a r t of 1974 look bleak,
for both t h e Company a n d i ts
employees.
It s e e m s a s if the economy, and
our o p e r a t i o n s , w i l l be almost
on a w a r t i m e b a s i s . We shall
be planning to get a s c l o s e as
we c a n , in t h e f a m o u s w a r t i me
phrase, to ‘ b u s i n e s s a s u s u a l ‘.
One major f a c t o r in s u c c e s s f u l ly
achieving t h i s w i l l be the
w i l l i n g n e s s of all of u s to put
up w i t h inconvenience a nd
d i s c o m f o r t , s o a s to get out as
much production a s p o s s i b l e .
T h i s in t u r n will help to
s a f e g u a r d j o b s in the difficult
w e e k s and months ahead.
In t h e s e c i r c u m s t a n c e s , I
w o u l d like to a s k everybody to
t ry to c o n c e n t r a t e on t h e t h i n gs
that unite u s , a n d to spend as
l i t t le t i m e a s p o s s i b l e o n the
many i s s u e s , often minor ones,
that c a n u s e unproductively so
much t i m e and effort, if w e let
them.
Perhaps, in t h i s w a y , the time
that w e spend a t w o r k s u f f e r i ng
s h o r t a g e s of light, heat and
power w i l l be a l i t t le happier,
and t h e New Year w i l l t u r n out
to be, if not exactly p r o s p e r o u s ,
at l e a s t not d i s a s t r o u s e i t h e r I
RON M O R F EE
Wyedean Tourist Board
Must industrial p r o g r e s s mean
pollution ? C a n w e d i s p o s e of
our liquid w a s t e s and c o n s e r ve
the countryside at the same
t i m e ? We believe w e have
found the right s o l u t i o n to our
own disposal problem.
It has taken months of discussion,
planning, testing and evaluation.
We’ve obtained approval from the
Chief Public Health Inspector, the
Department of the Environment,
and the Severn River Authority.
We’ve given presentations on the
subject to union representatives at
RX Cinderford and Mitcheldean
Plants; we’ve also given a
presentation to representatives of
East Dean RDC and other interested
parties in order to clear up any
misunderstandings about our
proposals.
And now we await final planning
authority for the erection of a
streamlined plant which is going to
cost in the region of £80,000.
To produce a new model ? No,
simply to get rid of our pre-treated
effluent — liquid waste — in a safe
and acceptable way.
The advance of technology and
industrialisation has brought in its
train some damage to the
environment, and the Government
have taken steps, in the form of the
Deposit of Poisonous Waste Act
1972, (a) to make it an offence to
deposit dangerous waste and (b) to
enforce the notification of the
production of such waste.
At present we employ t w o methods
at the Plant to dispose of pre-treated
effluent not acceptable by the
Severn River Board Authorities or
sewer drainage.
The main bulk is of the order of
12,000 gallons per week, and is
picked up by our own tanker and
transported to Fetter Hill Quarry,
some six miles away, where it is
dumped.
The lesser quantity, some 3,000
gallons per week (not acceptable at
Fetter Hill Quarry), is collected
under contract by Western Commercial
Cleaning Ltd. for disposal by
incinerator.
But the local council authority are
not w i l l i ng for the dumping at Fetter
Hill to be continued; they are
concerned that the effluent, despite
its dilution rate, may lead to the
building up of a concentration of
contaminate and eventually create a
hazard.
Now we pride ourselves on our
reputation as a Company for efficient
trade waste disposal. And we
don’t believe that having any of
our supervisors or directors behind
bars would enhance our corporate
image.
Fortunately for us, t e c h n o l o g y— not
always the unmitigated ‘baddy’
some conservationists would have
people believe — has come up with
what we feel is the right answer to
continued on page 4
The arrow shows the approximate siting for the incinerator in the north-west corner of the RX Cinderford Plant site.
The main access to the A4151 can be seen on the far left.
4
s t o r a g e — ^ feed >• incinerator • c y c l o n e s f a n – ^ flue
The sequence of operations in the incinerator plant: liquids are pumped from the storage
tank to a level control tank from which they are fed into the incinerator. Four burners
fire on to the residue, vapourising the liquids and raising the products to a minimum of
800°C in a central vortex to ensure destruction of all odours. The small burnt and inert
residue drops into an ash discharge system, while the gases are cooled by water sprays
within the cyclones and pass into the aluminium-clad chimney stack {60ft high)
to be discharged as clean emission.
At the presentation given by Mr Morfee to Bast Dean RDC were Works Manager
Don Elliott, Pat McAllister and Bill Phelps of Works Engineering. Les Davies and
Geoff Howard of Works Laboratory, Maurice Harrison {Plant Facilities) and
Industrial Architect Brian Hartshorne. Dr Stribling, technical director for Lucas
Furnace Developments, was also present.
THE BURNINC QUESTION
Continued from page 3
our prayer, an answer which makes
economic sense.
Recently introduced by Lucas
Furnace Developments, and already
doing useful work in other
installations, ‘ i t ‘ is an incinerator
capable of dealing w i t h various
types of wastes, including liquid —
generally regarded as the most
difficult to cope with.
It works on a cyclonic principle, all
products of combustion having to
pass through a central high
temperature vortex where both
smoke and smell are eliminated. It
will even cope w i t h chicken
droppings without any of the
offensive odours which normally
result (as in fertilizer production) —
and that’s quite a test.
Our plan is to install such an
incinerator at RX Cinderford this
spring. It w i l l be capable of handling
500 gallons per hour of our effluent
material, representing 4,000 gallons
per 8-hour shift, or 60,000 gallons
per week should the need arise.
The effluent is 99 per cent water.
We are proposing to pick up, using
our own tanker, all trade effluent at
present disposed of at Fetter Hill,
plus that handled by Western
Commercial Cleaning Ltd, at the
various points of make, and transport
it to the 20,000 gallon residue
storage tank which will be sited
adjacent to the incinerator plant.
The Lucas furnace has four oil
burners but ‘we have looked into
the possibility of fitting dual burners
to enable firing by gas as opposed to
oil in the event of further restrictions
being placed on our oil supply,’
said Projects Planning Manager Bill
Phelps.
To meet our immediate requirements,
it is intended to operate the plant
on a day-shift basis only, thus
affording ample capacity in reserve
for all future needs. There is no
intention of accepting wastes from
outside sources.
The water discharge from the gas
cooling cyclones via sewer drainage
is expected to be some 600 gallons
per hour (it is intended to install a
pH value recorder to ensure the
permissible pH values are maintained
and, if not, we shall undertake to
install a pH controller together with
essential dosage equipment).
There is emphasis today not only
on conservation but also on
recycling. And we are conscious of
the need not to be wasteful when
disposing of waste.
So the second phase of t he project
will cover arrangements for
recovering heat (which could be
used by the Cinderford Plant); this
in turn would obviate the need
for cooling the gases down from
800°C to 260°C, so water would be
conserved.
We are also bearing in mind the
installation of plant to enable us to
recover and recirculate the water
that would otherwise be discharged
to the atmosphere as steam.
Said Mr Morfee: ‘It w o u l d be a
feasible proposition for a condenser
to be installed in series w i t h the flue
system, and w e intend to a l l ow
space for this in the final arrangement,
coupled w i t h the water recirculation
and recovery project to f o l l o w . ‘
Local authorities are being urged
by the Secretaries of State
to ‘take a realistic view of the need
for adequate waste disposal
facilities for commercial and
industrial as well as domestic wastes,
and to take into account the general
environmental benefits likely to
result from achieving reductions in
the quantity and toxicity of waste.’
The members of the RDC present at
our presentation last December
expressed verbally their satisfaction
w i t h our proposals, and we feel
confident that the planning
authorities will adopt a constructive
view.
It was ‘Plant a tree in 1973″. Our
New Year resolution is to ‘ do even
more in ‘ 7 4 ‘ towards a better
environment.
SOCIAU SERVICE SCHEME
REOPENS
The Social Service Leave Programme
launched in May 1973 is being
reopened to give a further opportunity
to those w h o did not apply last time,
and also to those who had not yet
completed the required three years’
service. The rules published in the
booklet distributed last year remain
identical, except that the new
qualifying date for three years’
completed service is February 1 ,
1974, which is also the closing date
for applications. If you wish to
apply, please write to SOSER,
Rank Xerox Ltd, 338 Euston Road,
London NW1 3BH, for an application
form.
4
After the hard work
-a handout
The strains of carols issuing from
down below, people munching
mince pies, a festive air about the
restaurant — all that was needed
was a Father Christmas laden with
gifts.
Then General Manager Ron Morfee
came along to hand out cheques
totalling some £630 to those who
had successfully completed studies
during the past year.
This ‘completely happy occasion’
provided a break from the mounting
pressures of the energy and other
crises and, as Mr Morfee commented,
was ‘a fitting one w i t h which to
close our working year.’
We are trying to recognise in some
small way the efforts people are
making on their own behalf to gain
additional qualifications useful to
them and to the Company,’ he said,
‘and I have the greatest admiration
for anyone who acquires a
qualification while at the same time
holding down a f u l l – t i me job.
‘Qualifications in any subject are
bound to become more and more
valuable as time goes on.’
The recipients of the cheques came
in four varieties and were
introduced by representatives of
Education & Training : first the
techfiical prizewinners by Frank
Edwards (‘let’s get the grease out
of our fingernails at the s t a r t ‘ ) ; the
more ‘rarefied’ strata — the
supervisory studies people — by
Richard Coleman; the decorative
sex by Kathleen Allen (who was
‘indirectly co-driver w i t h Keith Laken,
former Commercial Training
Qfficer’); and the ‘heavy gang’ by
Roger Acland, an award winner
himself.
Jack Timms, Education & Training
Manager, acting as MC, thanked
Mr Morfee for his part in the
proceedings and the latter in his
turn thanked the many managers
who came along to provide backing
for their award-winning staff.
AWARD WINNERS
Supervisory
National Examination Board for Supervisory
Studies— Roger Acland (Education &
Training), Roy Ellerslie, Des Haines,
Norman Rudge and Tony Sharpe (all
Machine Shop, Mitcheldean), Roland Giles
and John Mould (Machine Shop, RXC),
Brian Jones (Engineering DO), Greg Moger
(4000 Assembly).
Technical
Inter. Technician’s Certificate — Bob
Hawking (Reliability).
Advanced Technician’s Certificate —
Mike Smith (4000 Assembly), David
Williams (PED).
Full Technological Certificate — Ian Hale
and Richard Matthews (Design Engineering)
Adrian Morgan (TED), Gary Rogers (PED).
Higher National Certificate — Vernon
Dancey, Graham Gardner, Robert Mills
(3 endorsements), Graham Morris, and
Mike Williams (2 end.) (all Design
Engineering), Stuart Meek (4000 Assembly)
(2 end.) Mike Howells (PED).
Institute of Work Study Practitioners —
David Hall (Productivity Services), David
Powell and Eric Tose (Work Study).
Commercial
Typing— Luciana Marangon and Wendy
Siriwardena (Development Laboratory),
Denise Rawiings (Production Control),
Jane Reed (Design Engineering), Janice
Roberts and Diane Stratford (Purchase),
Denise Tovey (Finance & Admin.).
Shorthand— Pamela Douglas (PED),
Karen Rogers (Purchase), Luciana
Marangon, Jane Reed, Janice Roberts.
English ‘O’ Level— Ruth Davis (Design
Reception), Janice Roberts.
Institute of Purchase B- Supply — Inter:
Tony Cudock; Final: Robert Hook (both
Purchase).
Institute of Cost Et l\/lanagement
Accountants Part III: Mike Stone (Group
Finance).
Association of Certified and Corporate
Accountants — Final: David Kotas (Group
Finance).
(Trainee secretaries and apprentices
will be receiving their awards at
their own Students’ Dinner &
Presentation later on.)
Tony Sharpe (Machine Shop), a NEBSS
student, receives his award from Mr Morfee.
Mike Stone (Group Finance), one of
the ‘heavy gang’.
Ian Hale (Design Engineering) was also
awarded a prize by the Institute of
Production Engineers.
5
THE ADVENTUF
COME ON
Slowly but surely, the seven of us
made our way up the steep ice slope
which stretched many hundreds of
feet above us. The early morning sun
warmed our bodies and put new life
into what, a f ew hours before, had
been chilled, numbed beings.
We had travelled up the Valle De
Benasque the previous afternoon and
having pitched base camp, had
walked up past the Plan D’Estanys
to La Renclusa, the main hut for the
area, where we made our next camp.
We had set off early that very
morning and, as we gradually reached
the crest of the ice climb, each one
of us wondered what the day would
bring.
Upon reaching the t op of the ridge
we could see our goal a mile away
across the Aneto glacier. On our
right the ridge ascended to
La Maladeta, 3308 metres high.
Swiftly we descended to the glacier
below and began the steady
traverse across it.
As time marched on, crevasses began
to open on either side of us, until,
having reached a point from which
the final ascent could be made, we
estimated they were hundreds of
feet deep. The final three hundred
feet to the top was agonisingly
arduous and slow, necessitating
many rests, even though the summit
was so close.
On reaching the summit, however, a
feeling probably nearer relief than
exhilaration was felt. This was it
then — Pico De Aneto, 3404 metres
high — t h e highest point in the
Pyrennees.
From here we could see the
Pyrennees stretching to east and
west in great snow-capped ridges,
whilst to the North we looked into
France and to the South into Spain.
Many thousands of feet beneath we
could see a small, turquoise corrie
lake, shimmering against a background
of snow and rock.
This then, even though there were
only a couple of us from the group,
was probably the climax of the
group’s activities for 1973.
How had it all started ? Well,
believe it or not, it was when one
demented individual asked another
demented individual if he would like
to go caving, and received the
ridiculous reply ‘Yes.’
The caving trip took place, followed
closely by more caving and some
walking trips, w i t h more interested
persons taking part. From little
acorns great oak trees grow, or so
the saying goes.
Since then we have had many an
exciting and sometimes hilarious
meet. Some which readily spring to
mind : the occasion when Derek and
Dick had a go at climbing Snowdon,
and returned to camp to f i nd that all
their food had been eaten by
rampaging sheep; when Fred tried
to ride a pony from a position
parallel to the ground; when Martin
discovered it was difficult to sail a
dinghy without his dagger plate or
rudder in the water; and when Dave
lost his pipe down a crack in the
great Agen Allwed cavern, and spent
many an hour grieving its loss.
Right: Sailing — at Llangorse.
Far right: Caving — in Old Ham Mine
at Clearwell.
Climbing — up Crib Goch. part of the
Snowdon Horseshoe.
Members of the group have been
hill-walking in many parts of Wales
and, for the future, have meets
planned for Derbyshire, the Lake
District and the Isle of Skye. We
have been caving in South Wales,
the Mendips and locally, and will be
going to Yorkshire in January,
hopefully to descend the Gaping Gill
system.
This has a 350ft entrance shaft, and
one of the largest chambers in
Britain, reputedly big enough to take
St Paul’s plus a battleship I
6
Jean Forest Studios
Having a lunchtime chat are (from the left) adventurers Lynn Jones
and Gwen Fisher (newly recruited from 4000 minor subs)
Derek Webster and Nigel Watts (4000 main line electrical run),
Ray Moses (Reliability) and, sitting, Tony Stone (Production Control).
BACKCROUND TO ADVENTURE i ^ H
From Spring onwards we expect to
have pony-trel feature of the group’s activities, with
trips in various parts of Britain.
In the Spring too, provided the extra
capital can be raised, we hope to
acquire our own sailing dinghy. Also
in the water-sports line, there will be
canoeing, water-skiing and surfing
courses. Some of our members are
participating in a skin-diving course
and hope to qualify in the near
future.
Other activities will be skiing,
climbing, sea-fishing and gliding —
and any other (respectable)
activities suggested by interested
members. Camping and swimming
will also play a great part, and we
shall arrange for tuition and practice
for the latter to take place.
The group has a meeting once a
month with, at the present time,
lectures/film shows twice a month.
We also attend outside lectures from
time to time, and enjoy an occasional
ice-skating session at Bristol.
Are we suggesting that you, dear
reader, should join ? Well, if you like
to sit at home and watch the
television and find it an effort to
walk to the local for a pint, we
would say ‘Don’t bother.’
But if you feel you would like to get
away from it all and perhaps j og across
the mountains on a pony one weekend,
and sail across a lake w i t h the wind
whistling through your hair the next;
if you would like to see the snowclad
mountains all around you, or
hear the thunderous echoes of a
waterfall deep beneath the earth, or
glide gently down a river in a
canoe — then we would say ‘Get in
touch and have a go.’ You’ll be
more than welcome.
The Adventure Group, started in 4000
Assembly in 1972, now has a
membership around 30. It h a s recently
become affiliated to t he Sports
Social Club, w h i c h has generously
donated a substantial amount towards
the new venture’s funds.
The aim is to purchase the sort of gear
that the individual adventurer cannot
afford. ‘We’ve bought some caving
equipment and the money will also go
towards a s a i l i ng dinghy. We’re hoping
to get a diving compressor and some
canoes too.’
A two-monthly magazine i s being
produced w i t h a r t i c l e s contributed by
members. The programme for early
1974 includes pony trekking in South
Wales and walking in the Lake District
(participants are warned of ‘ p o s s i b le
ice and s n o w w o r k ‘ ).
The group has a chairman (Nigel
W a t t s ) , secretary (Derek Webster) and
treasurer (Gerry Bobbins) but is
managing without a committee. ‘We
want to keep the whole thing as
informal as possible.’
Full membership at present c o s t s £2
per annum, £4 for family membership.
For more details contact secretary
Derek (4000 main line electrical run).
Piiotos: D. Webster
7
1974- Confrontation
or Participation ?
Six people, each a director of a major
British company and intent on
improving industrial relations, met
informally in London on December 4,
1973, to discuss how their combined
efforts could be best deployed in
1974 to make a positive impact on
the present industrial relations scene.
I was privileged to be one of them.
What had we in common and what
had brought us together? Each had
worked with the late Fred Oldfield,
known to so many of us at
Mitcheldean. Each had lived through
the experience of witnessing real and
tangible results from the application
of his teaching in management/
employee participation. And all
believed that the work he started
must be continued, and that its
practical application could make a
major contribution to the present
troubled industrial relations scene.
All agreed that the solution to much
industrial conflict lies in participation
rather than confrontation — joint
problem-solving in the Oldfield
manner, i.e. each working group
regularly discussing j o i n t ly on a
weekly basis what the work
programme is and how best it can be
Carol
Festival
The Carol Festival held on
December 18 in the Social Centre
was a lively affair, despite the small
number attending. The Coleford
Assemblies of God Youth Choir
looked gay and sang gaily, and
George Lord proved a stimulating
speaker; now lecturer in Theology
achieved: and when problems are
identified, resolving them using the
Oldfield formula:
State the problem
Identify the objective
List obstacles to achievement of
objective and
Agree method of overcoming obstacles.
It is now recognised as fact that
in our modern society a very small
group of people can bring a company,
an industry or the country virtually
to a standstill.
Confrontation may, in the short term,
provide some marginal gain for a few,
after many others have suffered
inconvenience and financial loss.
The longer term effects are,
unfortunately, known only to a f e w;
the business lost for all time to
competitors or to overseas companies,
the decisions taken to sub-contract
work or to limit activites in
strike-prone factories, industries
or countries. It is a suicidal approach.
More and more people are beginning
to realise this and are looking for a
lead. 1974 could well be the year
when we see new initiatives from all
and Philosophy at Shenstone
College of Education, Bromsgrove,
his varied experience of life has
included work as a miner and as a
PE teacher.
He was introduced by Production
assistant Andrew Bentley-Taylor on
behalf of the RX Workers’ Christian
Fellowship, who arranged the
evening. Readings were given by
Assistant General Manager Norman
Fisher, Ken Stanbridge of PED and
Stephen Wild of 4000 Assembly.
A friendly chat over coffee and
mince pies rounded off the evening.
parties at national level.
Whilst various actions were agreed
upon at our recent meeting in London,
the most significant was a decision
taken to pool our resources to extend
the Oldfield teaching and practices
wherever possible.
A two-day seminar has been arranged
when some 35 people from
companies who have ‘practised
Oldfield’ will meet to discuss the
establishment of training programmes
and future action plans. Mitcheldean
will be represented.
The philosophy is simply expressed —
‘Mutual concern for each other’s
interests’. The application can be
very effective if there is mutual trust,
an understanding that it is impossible
to satisfy everyone, and a willingness
to accept a solution that is in the
best interests of the majority.
Adherence to the Oldfield formula
for solving problems soon creates a
disciplined way of thinking intelligently
through all problems and, w i t h the
exercise of restraint and understanding
of all parties, can usually enable a
solution acceptable to the majority
to be found.
There is much to be done by all of us
in 1974 if we as a nation are to
survive as a leading industrial power.
Lionel L y e s , Director of
Personnel
NEW FACES
Roger Haggett (top). Director of
f^anufacturing Operations (UK), and
Willi Sonneborn, Plant General l\Aanager,
Aachen, whose appointments were
announced in our last issue.
Enjoying the mince pies and a chat are (from the left) fJlike Sherborne (Engineering),
Andrew Bentley-Taylor (Production Assistant) and his wife, speaker George
Lord, Assistant General Manager Norman Fisher, Ken Stanbridge (PED) and Joyce
Willis (SwitchboardI Reception) who is a member of the Youth Choir.
8
i l a c e m e e t i n g p l a c e meeting p l a c e meeting p l a c e meeting p l a c e mee
n e e t i n g p l a c e meeting p l a c e meeting place m e e t i n g p l a c e meeting p i a ct
l a c e meeting p l a c e m e e t i n g p l a c e meeting p l a c e meeting p l a c e meel
When Ray Haile came to work in
our Polishing & Deburring Shop
close on 25 years ago, he was
returning to a familiar scene. For the
shop, part of the Production
Finishing operations, is located close
by the old Maltings and Brewery
buildings where, as a boy, Ray
started work in the bottling plant.
Later he became a miner and worked
down the Waterloo pit before joining
us. ‘We’ve never known him to be
late for work,’ said supervisor
George Douglas.
Ray showed us how, using a spindle
polisher and w i t h the aid of abrasive
polishing compounds, he ‘deburred’
and ‘scurfed’ surfaces of metal parts,
preparing them for plating or
painting.
When certain polishing mops have
become hardened, he and his mates
make their own ‘remoulds’, treating
them with hot glue and emery grit to
restore the ‘tread.’
Ray’s brother George works in the
Paint Shop and his sister Lottie
Meek, who retired last year, was on
our cleaning staff for 15 years.
Ray cares about community matters;
he was four years on the Mitcheldean
Parish Council and is now chairman
of the Plump Hill Residents
Association which aims ‘to safeguard
and promote the interests of the
residents of the area.’
A member of the Finishing & Works
Laboratory team in the Interdepartmental
Skittles Tournament, he
told us: ‘We’re playing Small Batch
tomorrow. But we won’t win, I’m
afraid.’
He was right. They lost — by nine
pins. ‘I thought it would have been
a lot more, but the lads played well.’
I
J e a n C l i f f e loves travelling and
meeting people of all nationalities.
She’s been to the West (USA and
Canada) and to the Middle East,
holidaying w i t h her husband. ‘Of
course, I’d like to go to the Far East
too — to Japan,’ she t o ld us.
It was not long after she joined us
five years ago that Jean began
working for Eddie Shermer, liaison
engineer, guide and general assistant
in our dealings w i t h Fuji Xerox. That
was her Japanese introduction.
Then, while working for different
Design Managers, she also ‘looked
after’ Mr Shiomi, Fuji Xerox resident
Engineering representative at
Mitcheldean, and his successor,
Mr Shimadate.
Jean has no knowledge of Japanese,
but she says ‘I suppose I’ve tuned in
to some extent and been able to help
in communication problems.’
Now Mr Shimadate has returned to
Japan, and Mr Mishima has arrived
to act as Fuji Xerox Manufacturing
resident at Mitcheldean, located with
Manufacturing Group staff. All of
which brings to an end Jean’s
‘Japanese connection.’
She has quite a collection of
oriental souvenirs, including a silk
scarf. ‘I thought it was a head scarf,’
Jean t o ld us, ‘but it seems the
Japanese ladies use these to carry
light shopping; they knot the ends
together to make a bundle.’
We found it hard to believe that Jean
has t w o f u l l – g r o w n sons — Jonathan
(17) who is a chemical laboratory
technician, and Nicholas (18) who
works in File Control. Her father,
Tom Bennett in Teardown
(Remodelling) has been w i t h us for
many years, and ‘I’ve stacks of other
relatives here,’ says Jean.
The man w i t h the silver collection
before him, and 35 years’ service
behind him, is Ron W r i g g l e s w o r t h,
one of the ‘pioneers’ who came to
Mitcheldean from Woodger Road,
Shepherds Bush, in 1941. A founder
member of the LSA, he was their
first treasurer.
The spiked running shoes explain
how he came by all those trophies,
won between 1941 to 1953. ‘I ran
my last race in them, over ten years
ago,’ he said.
He, together with Tool Room
colleague Fred Brown and Henry
Phillips (Quality Assurance), formed
an athletic trio in days gone by. ‘I did
the 100 yds, 220 yds and quarter-mile
— we left the long distance to Fred.
We used to train in the lunch hour in
Courtfield. We had wonderful sports
days here then.’
Ron won the Victor Ludorum prize
(awarded to the overall winner) on
three occasions. The clock, and the
watch he was wearing, were presented
to him by actress Margaret Lockwood
at the Gaumont-British sports day in
1948 for winning the quarter-mile
and relay races.
Today he helps, either as timekeeper
or steward, w i t h the running
of the annual 14-mile road race,
sponsored by the Sports & Social
Club and held in conjunction with
Longhope fete.
Our photo taken, Ron packed away
the silverware. ‘I’ve got more at
home,’ he told us. He picked up the
running shoes which had taken him
to the finishing line first so often. ‘I
was running until I was 40 — and
I’ll run again when they fix a race for
1 the over-forties.’
a c e meeting p l a c e meeting p l a c e m e e t i n g p l a c e meeting p l a c e mee
9
Ladies’ Niglit
Venray recently recruited three
part-time hostesses to help full-time
hostess Willy Linden show both
visitors and newly-joined employees
round the Plant.
On November 29, the hostesses
became visitors themselves at
Mitcheldean and our picture (right)
shows them watching Helen Inkster
at work in Electrical Sub-assembly.
Their smart new dress was designed
by a leading Amsterdam couturier.
In the evening we also entertained
members of the Forest of Dean
Ladies Circle (the distaff side of the
Round Table, whose members visited
us last June). The ladies saw the
night shift working in 4000 Assembly
and Manufacturing areas, and
enjoyed a get-together w i t h the
Venray hostesses.
Their visit was arranged through
Round Tabler Graham Smith, Work
Study Manager (Plant Services)
whose wife Pat is on the committee
of the Ladies Circle. In the picture
above, Mrs Linden points out the
Venray Plant to chairman Margaret
Howarth and secretary Pat Carvik.
When the ladies entertained the ladies,
and the Venray hostesses did a spell of
hostessing for us.
SP@RTS & S&CIAL CLUB
Estelle Davies, our ‘Miss Flank Xerox,’
kindly did the honours at a mammoth
hand-out of prizes at the Christmas
Bonanza Draw dance last December.
Our picture shows acting-chairman Tony
Haynes handing her one of the six portable
black and white TV sets which she
presented to the top prizewinners. Also
in the picture are committee members
Bob Davies and Pat Jordan, and some of
the 127 prizes of Christmas fare. The club
were disappointed that only 400 people
could be accommodated at the dance.
Those who did get in were appreciative of
the high standard of music provided by
the Autumn Show Band (with Dave
Bowkett (Sorter Assembly), Robert
Herring and Alan Taylor (PED), and Don
Webb (Reliability) as four of the five
bandsmen). The band have played at
many popular venues and say they hope
to cut their first record soon
Angling for Prizes
Fishing their Christmas Competition
on the Wye, the Angling Club again
had the misfortune to find the river
carrying four feet of floodwater and
conditions far f r om ideal.
Unquestionably one of the top
match anglers in the county, John
Teague (4000 Assembly) mastered
the conditions to put himself well
clear of the rest of the field w i t h an
all-dace catch weighing 121b 15oz.
This is John’s third w i n of the last
four club contests.
Runner-up with 71b l o z was Roger
Roberts (Design engineer), closely
followed by Nick Swan (Engineering
DO) with 61b 8oz.
With the Sports & Social Club
providing half the prizes, there were
sufficient bottles of cheer to ensure
that no angler catching fish returned
home empty-handed.
10
Births
James Robert, a son for Robert Davis
(Design engineer) and his wife Patricia
(formerly Goods Inwards Inspection), on
November 10.
Emma Ghislaine, a daughter for Mike
Rowlett (Manufacturing Group Finance)
and his wife Barbara, on November 18.
Weddings
Marlene Darch (Production Control)
to Frank Round at All Saints Church,
Yatton, Ross-on-Wye, on October 20.
Ruth Sleeman (secretary to Maurice Brain,
Production Control) to Adrian Gargan at
St Michael & All Angels Church,
Mitcheldean on November 10.
Jocelyn Herring (International
Communications) to Barrie Mills (Design
engineer) at Coleford Baptist Church on
November 24.
Tommy Parham
We regret to record the death on December
18 of Tommy Parham (Sales Order clerk,
Supply Centre) ; he was 59.
LSA LeHer
Our good wishes for his speedy
recovery go to Ted Wells, w h o has
been in hospital and is n ow
convalescing.
Mrs George Matthews has sent us a
letter saying ‘a very big thank you’
to the LSA for making the last
annual social a never-to-be-forgotten
occasion. The band played ‘Happy
Birthday’ and a g i f t of chocolates
and Advocaat marked her
anniversary, which also took place
on November 3.
Engagements
Pam Turley (Industrial Relations, Personnel)
to Geoff Wood (Machine Shop) on
Christmas Day.
Ann Bedney (Secretary to Mr Tedds
Machine Shop Manager) to Max Coborn
on Christmas Day.
Boomps-a-daisy at Barton Corner!
Last Dance
To round off their last session, the
Ballroom Dancing Club held ‘a
little dance with salad buffet’ in the
Social Centre. Free to Dancing
Club members, it featured Brian
Link on the Hammond electric
organ.
Goal in Sight
The goal is in sight at last — the
final match of the Interdepartmental
Football Competition is expected to
take place next month at the
Causeway Club, Cinderford. In the
meantime, we’d like to congratulate
the teams who made it to the
quarter-finals— Line Stoppers,
OHM Rangers, Computer Athletics
and Machine Shop ‘ A ‘ ; the
semi-finals— Bondy’s Babes (PED)
and MCC (Group); and the
finalists themselves — 4000 ‘A’ and
Malthouse Wanderers (Maintenance
and Apprentices).
AIMY N E W S F O R V I S I O N ?
If you have, then please—
let your departmental correspondent know,
or leave it at any Gate House for
collection by me,
or post it to me at Tree Tops, Plump Hill,
Mitcheldean,
or ring me—it’s Drybrook 542415.
Myrtle Fowler, Editor
Party Dates
As we went to press, the children’s
parties were still scheduled to take
place on the dates arranged—
January 19 for those aged from five
to seven, February 16 for the eight
to ten-year olds.
• We regret that, owing to the energy crisis,
the publication of this issue has been
delayed.
A bride expects to wear something
borrowed’, and in International
Communications the girls are all keen to
lend a range of fascinating garments to
adorn brides-to-be. Taking it all in good
part {‘I’ve done it to other people’) is
Jocelyn Herring; she also had to undergo
a ball-and-chain ritual with her intended,
Barrie Mills {Design Engineering) so they
could get used to that ‘tied down’ feeling !
It didn’t deter them, as you can see from
our picture of the couple {below) after
their wedding last November.
I
Adrian and Ruth Gargan
11
HOME MARKET
Len Sumner, formerly of Engineering Drawing Office, and Dr Carter, consultant psychiatrist
at Farleigh Hospital for Sub-normal Children, at the handing over of the picture. It was paid
for out of the proceeds of a party organised by Ray Wright on Len’s retirement last September.
Sunshine Picture
The hippo had such a blissful smile
on its face as it capered under an
improvised shower, that no one
could help smiling at it.
It took quite a bit of manoeuvring on
the part of driver Sid Wood, Len
Sumner, and Ray Wright of the
Drawing Office to get the 6ft x 4ft
painting into the back of the
minibus, and passersby smiled
despite the drizzle as they caught
sight of the picture.
Smiles again as we arrived at
Farleigh Hospital for Sub-normal
Children, near Bristol, and met the
group of staff and patients who had
assembled to receive the picture.
Against the greyness of the day, the
colours which artist Eric Weeks, also
of the Drawing Office, had chosen
glowed cheerfully. ‘We could do
w i t h a dozen of those,’ said the
hospital chaplain hopefully.
After refreshments, we were invited
to look over Sunshine Ward, where
the painting is to be hung, and
where Len’s son is looked after. The
ward, in which patients of ‘high
dependancy’ are accommodated, is
being upgraded; new furnishings are
being installed and the rooms
decorated to create a homely
atmosphere — the institution idea is
‘out’.
The mental age of the ‘children’ bears
no relation to their physical age.
which ranges from 16 to 60 or so;
but medical care, affection which the
staff seem to have in abundance, and
a general upgrading of the
surroundings are having their effect
in upgrading the patients. ‘We never
used to be able to get them to sit
down to meals,’ said Mrs Joan
Board, nursing officer in charge of
the unit, as we watched them
having tea.
Though unable in many cases to
communicate, these ever-young
children are responsive to musical
sounds and visual aids. For them,
and for those who care for them, the
painting will surely bring some extra
sunshine into the ward.
One of the patients brings out his own
pictures to show Ray.
For Sale
20 in. Philips black and white TV, excellent
condition, approx. one year old. Offers
around £35. Niall Andrews, ext. 810.
Beautifully modernised cottage with
panoramic views. Oil-central heating,
2 large bedrooms, 2 reception, kitchen.
Garden J acre, parking space. £14,000 o.n.o.
G. Allen, The Rudge, New Road, Blakeney
Hill, Blakeney.
Welsh cottage, detached, modernised,
impeccable order throughout. Lounge,
dining-room, 2/3 bedrooms bathroom,
kitchen, immersion heater, Aga cooker.
Ample room for parking or garage, J acre
backing on to fields, uninterrupted views to
mountains. Offers around £10,000.
Mrs J. Skevington, Blossom Cottage,
Howard Road, Broadwell; tel. Coleford 3649.
Detached house, 3 bedrooms, kitchen,
bathroom, full central heating, fair-sized
garden, £9,150 or offers. Mrs Kent
(Canteen), 7 Oakhill Road, Mitcheldean.
Twin pram, good condition. R. C. Jones,
ext. 861 or 15 Hollywell Road, Mitcheldean.
Super 8 cine projector and screen, £25 o.n.o.
Also club style three-piece, two-seater
settee, £4-50. E. Cole (4000 Assembly main
line), ext. 894.
Economical Fiat 128, 1971 K reg., l ow
mileage, VGC extras, HRW reclining seats,
etc., £675 o.n.o. Hereford 68080.
Austin A60 Cambridge, 1963, white/red
flash, new radial tyres all round (inc. spare).
Taxed for 1 year, MOT till Oct. 1974.
Recent de-coke by reputable garage, new
battery. Very sound car in good order
throughout. £150 — offers. R.Taylor
(Design engr.) ext. 871 or Cinderford 22799
after 5.30 pm.
Detached Swiss chalet-type luxury
bungalow (6 years old). Gas central
heating, two double bedrooms, large
lounge, double garage, productive garden.
Details: Dancer, 2 Firview Road, Ruspidge,
Cinderford, tel. Cinderford 22767 or
ext. 678.
Hoover 652, £15 o.n.o. Sunbeam
Mixmaster food mixer with mincer and
shredder attachments, £10 o.n.o. Excellent
condition. R. Coleman (Personnel), ext. 208.
Parkray 88P central heating unit, £25 o.n.o.
Electric cooker, 5 years old, £8 o.n.o.
Ron Caldicutt, ext. 761.
Osbaston, Monmouth — modern 3 bedroom
detached house, large lounge, dining-room,
fitted kitchen, downstairs toilet, garage and
carport, attractive garden, full central
heating, many attractive features, £13,250.
Mike Stone, ext. 610 or Mon 3873.
1959 Wolseley 1500, year’s MOT, 4 new
tyres, spares, £25 o.n.o. V. Stephens,
tel. 542565 or ext. 466.
1968 Cortina, white, 1300 cross-flow engine,
good tyres and condition, long test, £350.
R. Wright, ext. 870.
Wanted
Half-size billiard table with snooker set and
cues. Gordon Davies, ext. 624 or 446.
Organist required for popular dance band,
(organ supplied if necessary). Work waiting.
G. T. Beavan, BIdg 23, ext. 108.
12 Printed in England by Taylor, Young (Printers) Ltd.