Westwood Works 1903-2003

Long Service Presentations

Qualifications for Awards

A key characteristic of the Company was the number of long service employees. Long Service Presentations were held every year after WW2, in the beginning for those with 50 years service. "The company originally presented gold pocket watches after fifty years service but this practice was discontinued and gold wrist watches were presented after 40 years' service from 1951 onwards. This policy was reviewed again in 1968 and the period reduced to 35 years At the same time, the opportunity was taken to offer a wider variety of gifts because it was felt that some people would prefer to have something other than a gold wrist watch". At the time that this report was written by A.I. Baker (in September 1974) about 50 people qualified in in the UK group each year.

In 1968, the recipient could choose from quite a wide range of gifts:

Lady's 9 ct. gold Longines wristlet watch.
Gentleman's 9 ct. gold Longines wristlet watch.
Gentleman's 9 ct. gold wristlet watch on 9 ct. bracelet.
Lady's 9 ct. gold Hamilton wristlet watch on 9 ct. expanding bracelet.
Elliott timepiece, walnut finish, 11 jewel 8-day movement.
Canteen of Cutlery, containing 52 pieces of "Community Plate".
Four Piece Silver Plated Teaset (without tray).
Hallmarked Silver Salver, 12" diameter.
Lady's Hallmarked Silver Brush Set, in case.
Hallmarked Silver Cigarette Box to hold 100.
Set of six silver plated pint tankards.
Binoculars.

On the day of the Presentations, the wives of recipients received a letter from the Chairman: "This evening I shall have the pleasure of making a presentation to your husband as a mark of the Directors' appreciation of his 35 years loyal and faithful service to our Company.

We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the part which you have played in your husband's service with this Company and I would ask you to accept with our thanks the accompanying gift of flowers and a spray which I hope to see you wearing at the dinner tonight".

The bouquet of flowers was to the value of 17s.6d. and the spray of flowers to wear at the dinner was to the value of 10s.6d. Each recipient also received a buttonhole - "to help the Chairman to recognise the recipients at the dinner".

In 1979, it was decided to aim to reduce the period from 35 to 25 years. In view of the numbers involved, a plan was implemented to stage the reduction over a period of years;

1979 - All those with 30 years' or more service and anyone retiring in 1979 or 1980 with 25 or more years' continuous service.
1980 - All those with 28 or more years' continuous service and anyone retiring in 1981 with 25 or more years' continuous service.
1981 - All those with 26 or more years' continuous service and anyone retiring in 1982 with 25 years' continuous service.
1982 - All those with 25 or 26 years' continuous service.
1983 and after - All those with 25 years' continuous service.

65 employees attended the 1981 Long Service Presentation which was held in the Baker Perkins Sports Club in Alma Road

In 1979, the value of gifts given by the Company permitted by the Inland Revenue was £3 per year of service.

There is a story recounted at a group company Long Service Presentation evening in 1975 that is worth re-telling: This really was a one-off situation:

"A Peterborough employee called Harry Hooker - an engraver in the Cutter Shop - had already had a gold watch for fifty years' service and so when he eventually clocked up 60 years the company was at a loss to know what to give him. Eventually someone came up with the idea of a radiogram and, as a special mark of his exceptional service, a record for each year of service to go with it.

Having bought the radiogram and the sixty records, the company decided to have someone take it round to his house to complete the surprise. When the gift was made at the home, although accepted with thanks, Harry told the company that there was just one problem - his house was all gas and he had no electricity at all.

In the end, to ensure that he could make the most of the gift, the company arranged to pay for electricity to be installed".

Another relevant story belongs to the time that gold wrist watches were the norm. One employee already had a watch and suggested to the company that he would like his wife to receive a gold bracelet instead. The company readily agreed and he was the envy of every man (and woman) in the room on Presentation Night.

It should be noted that while the above form of reward for long service was common across most of the Baker Perkins Group, the American company adopted a different approach. At Saginaw, long service was recognised by the presentation of pins which were issued every five years. The pins incorporated a ruby for every five years of service. After one accumulated twenty five years the rubies were replaced with a diamond chip.More information on this can be found in The History of Saginaw.

1950 - 1969


1950?	1950	1954	1954	1957	1957	1959

1962	1962	1963	1963	1965	1966	1967

1968

1970 - 1979


1970	1971	1971	1973	1974	1975	1975

1976	1977	1977: Long Serving Foremen	1977: Plate Shop Long Service Presentation	1978	1979	1979: November

1979: November	1979: December	1979: December	1979: The Farrow Twins with Gold watches

1980 onwards


1980: Long Serving Foremen	1980	1980	1981	1981	1982	1982

1984	1985	1986	1986	1987	1983 Outdoor Department	1983

In 1989, the Printing Machinery company was sold to Rockwell and thereafter, the 2 companies - Rockwell PMC and APV Baker FES - held separate LSP ceremonies.

Rockwell PMC


1990	1991: Invitation	1991	1992

APV Baker FES


1989	1990: Invitation	1990	1991: Invitation	1992: Invitation	1992	1992

The following records of Long Service Presentations come outside the time frame of this Website, as the participants were at APV Baker, Paston when the photographs were taken. However, as the people depicted spent most of their working life at Westwood Works, it is appropriate to include them.


1993/94	1995/96	1997/98	1999/2000	2001	2002: Autumn	2002/03

2004/05

2004/05 was the last big formal Long Service Presentation event. The number of employees reaching 25 years service even over a two year period had fallen below the point where such an event was viable. Instead, each recipient’s anniversary is now marked separately, or if there is more than one in a month, in a combined ceremony, on or as close to the actual date as possible. The recipients still receive a certificate of thanks, which is now presented by their departmental director, and can choose a gift or gifts up to a certain value - this has been approximately doubled to reflect the fact that the company is no longer incurring the costs associated with a big formal event. The ceremony takes place at the workplace, with a few immediate and usually long-serving colleagues present, and the event is still recorded with a photograph and a mention in “Link” – the Company house magazine.

Can you help to fill in any missing presentations? If so, please see this page for instructions on how to contact us and we'll update the captions.