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Campbell and Isherwood Hawthorne Road 1947/1953 employes

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2017 7:27 pm
by Monclar
Hi All,

As I spent the best part of my youth working in Bootle and Netherton firstly at Campbell & Isherwood Ltd in Hawthorne
Rd and later at Mersey Cables Ltd.I served my apprenticeship at Campbell and Isherwoods from 1947 to 1953 and 1956 to 1958 in Mersey Cables Linecer Lane. I would like to renew longlost friendships if any one out there during the periods mentioned.When I served my apprenticeship I remember staying in digs with a Mrs Tobin in one of the prefabs in Hawthorne Rd about halfway up the slope on the L/H side opposite The Distillers Factory + aroma!!.Is there anyone out there and recalls these periods and were employed there. Love to swap memories of that period with anyone .
Best regards to all Ken

Re: Campbell and Isherwood Hawthorne Road 1947/1953 employes

Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2017 5:47 pm
by BOBHAMO
Hi Ken welcome :D :D
a photo of orrell mount prefabs
Image
i wil put some other photos on
bobhamo

Re: Campbell and Isherwood Hawthorne Road 1947/1953 employes

Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 8:35 pm
by Monclar
Hi Bob
Thanks for picking up on my enquiry.I can`t quite remember how the prefabs were laid out.But I can remember the bad winter of 47 there were iceycals hanging from the bedroom ceiling when I woke up in the morning so I think the roof insulation was a little lacking.But my landlady Mrs Tobin always had a lovely breakfast ready in a nice warm kitchen.My motorbike was kept just under the front porch so no snow on but even though Campbell and Isherwoods were only 4/500 yards down the other side of the brew I`d still ride it to work and in those days the did very little in the way of gritting so it was quite slippey and rutted ice but I never did drop it.The lads in the shop I think had a book running on whether or not I would drop it`.At the weekend I`d go down home to Pwhelli Nrth Wales they realy were some hairy rides.But fantastic in the Summer no traffic at all in those days after midnight.

One apprentice I remember very well was a Guy Called John Billington we were both in the same department in Campbell`s he lived in Bootle but I can`t recall what part. I wonder if his family is still in Bootle. We both worked together on many projects.I`ve many stories of the happenings that occurred during our apprenticeship`s together.The other apprentice I recall was a guy name of Ronnie a studious,No prob`s with night school exams terrific memory passed every exam right through I think he was after his MiMeche`s in marine Engineering I wonder if he got there?.
Thanks for picking up Bob. Regrds Ken

Re: Campbell and Isherwood Hawthorne Road 1947/1953 employes

Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 10:41 pm
by filsgreen
Hiya Ken. There was a Graham Billington who lived at 10 Glynne Street in the 70/80's. He was my brother's mate and would have been born about 1955/56. He was a big, heavy built lad with dark skin. He may have been a relation?

Re: Campbell and Isherwood Hawthorne Road 1947/1953 employes

Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 7:18 pm
by Monclar
Hi Fil`s
Graham Billington could have been part of the family line.But I would say the John Billington that I served my apprenticeship with would have been born in the mid 1930s say 1935/6 as we were both the same age.Do any of the Billington family line still live in the Bootle area?.Does the family name ring a bell with anybody in the Bootle area.Thanks again Fil`s for the info.Pheraps someone out there might have some info on the Billington family.

Beast regards Ken

Re: Campbell and Isherwood Hawthorne Road 1947/1953 employes

Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2017 9:27 pm
by filsgreen
I'm not sure, Ken. The last time I saw him; he was driving a taxi for Delta in the late 90's. Sorry I can't give you any more to work with.

Phil

Re: Campbell and Isherwhi Pood Hawthorne Road 1947/1953 empl

Posted: Sun Oct 01, 2017 8:23 pm
by Monclar
Hi Phil,
Thanks for the info ref Graham Billington and could be a much later Billinton than John my mate who if still about would be in his 80s as I am.Where does time go to?


Thanks again Phil for your help

Re: Campbell and Isherwood Hawthorne Road 1947/1953 employes

Posted: Mon Oct 02, 2017 2:24 pm
by billygooner
helo monclar, I worked for many years on shift maintenance at American can(reads) with a john billington who would be about 80(I am 76) I worked there from 1968-1980 when we all got made redundant, if it be the same john he lived on duningsbridge road by the nethy when I last saw him a few years ago. regards billy.

Re: Campbell and Isherwood Hawthorne Road 1947/1953 employes

Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2017 12:07 am
by Monclar
Hi Billy,

Thanks for picking up my request for info on John Billington.That sounds like John as I am 82 and we were about the same age.If you could dig up any more info or if allowed a email address for him.As I would love to have a good old jaw jaw with him about the times we had and the fitters we worked with on site and on various vessels in dock we worked on some of the vessels were The Coast Line Company and coal fired to so you can imagine the state we were in by the end of the day (Jet black and covered in oil and grease).Then going out through the dock gates being searched by the dock gate police to make sure you had`nt lifted anything they would even look inside your lunch box and if they found anything you were held till the local police would arrive and you were off to the station.I knew one fitter who had some oranges hidden in his overalls for his kids as it was Xmas time and the gate police found them.So they put him in the holding room to await the local Fuzz but they were in for a shock as no evidence was present when they arrived. YES youv`e guessed it he had eaten them all peel an all !! He told us all that he spent all night long in the Loo !. The gate police really loved the power they had over all the people who had to go into all the bonded dock areas. But I did hear of one of the transport goods vehicle drivers who had an almost foolproof way of taking stuff out in his lorry the technicalities of this hoist were eventually worked out and very clever it was too.But thats another story.Well Bill forgive me for rabbiting on I think I better stop now or I might be getting a knock on the door and that wouldnt do would it !
And yes the spoons in the dockside cafe`s always were attached to the counter with a chain !! I kid you not !!

Regards Ken.
`

Re: Campbell and Isherwood Hawthorne Road 1947/1953 employes

Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2017 8:37 am
by filsgreen
Some great anecdotes there, Ken, thanks for sharing them with us.

Re: Campbell and Isherwood Hawthorne Road 1947/1953 employes

Posted: Thu Oct 19, 2017 9:28 pm
by Ernie Jackson. (Bunty)
In 1950 My start in employment directly after Bootle Tech, was aboard HMS Conway in the Menaii Straits as a cabin boy. I was 6 feet tall even at 16 years of age and the bulkheads were 5 feet 8 ins so I had a very sore head. I was also homesick.

I left to take up a job as office boy and doubled my money to 25 bob a week at Campbell and Isherwood on Hawthorne Road and was bored to tears as I wasn't given anything to do. Not even there long enough to meet anyone and after one month of boredom moved on to be a labourer at Johnsons. Eight weeks later I left to become an apprentice painter and decorator at Cottrells in Slater Street down town. That lasted almost three years before I joined up. No start in working life for a kid but it is all so long ago and lots of water has passed under the bridge since then.
This is edited and added to as I have now read through Kens previous post. :roll:

One of my relatives had the experience of eating the oranges in the same circumstances so I wonder what date Ken is referring to. Can't believe it is a coincidence but perhaps one of those ancient repeated tales of the docks??