Westwood Works 1903-2003

Life at Westwood Works

This section shows something of life in both the Works and Offices over nearly a century. Further images can be found in Westwood Works in 1923, Baker Perkins in World War 1 and World War 2, and Awaiting the Developers.

In the Factory

1900 - 1969

1905: Inside the Aublet Harry factory	Pre 1918: WP&P Foundry Workers	1920: Inside The Works (which shop?)	1920's: Inside the Aublet Harry Factory	1920's: Hector Reedman in the Machine Shop	1920's? - Westwood Foundry Workers - A 21st Birthday Celebration	1927: The Pattern Shop

1946: Electrical Apprentices	1950?: Bill Chapman at work	1951: Frank Coaten and Glen Costin - Gearcutters	1958: Inside the Fitting Shop	1960: Jack Randall with his model of Yates Welding Plant in Trawsfynydd Nuclear Power Station in N. Wales	1962: Frank Pacey at work in the Foundry	1965: Mick Bingham working on a Nitro Incorporator

Date?: The Tinsmiths	1966: New Floor for Printing Fitting Shop. Following the successful showing of two Halley-Aller printing presses at the Paris Exhibition in 1965, it was decided that this business was so important that a great deal of re-organisation was necessary at Westwood. Norman Mountain, chairman of the Board of Management became Divisional Manager of Printing as well as his other duties and significant investment was made in the factory. Heavier cranes and special machine tools were installed and a new floor constructed in the Printing Fitting Shop. The foundations for this were several feet deep and its surface was checked with optical alignment telescopes to ensure that all surfaces were level to within one-eighth of an inch overall. This floor could carry printing presses weighing several hundred tons.				1968: Making moulds for printing m/c covers in the Pattern Shop	1969: The Canteen Cooks prepare Christmas Lunch

1969: Ken Goodrich, Blacksmith at work

1970 - 1979

1973: At work in the Shaft Section	1973: Ted Dudding and Alf Hall in the Pattern	1973?: Making Moulds for Glass-fibre Printing M/c Guards	1974: Part of the Machine Shop	1974: Component machining	1974: High Precision Jig Borer	1974: Pouring a large casting

1974: Finishing a Biscuit Roll	1976: Jack Larman's Fitting Shop	1977: Getting medical attention	1979: Building a Printing Press	Late 1970's: Biscuit Fitting Shop	Late 1970's: Biscuit Fitting Shop	1970s: The Small Milling Bay

1979/80: A G16 press in Experimental ready for Customer trials

1980 - 1989

1982: Graham Crockett and Steve Harbour working on an Enrober	1982: Automatic machining of biscuit rolls	1982: Group Technology component manufacture	1982: Computerised Turret Press	1983: Works Foremen	1984 - Steels Stores Personnel	1984: The first Steel Stores

1984: The first Steel Stores	1984: The first Steel Stores	1985: Part of the Pattern Shop	1985: Fred French pouring a Casting	1985: Preparing a Sand Mould	1985: Alf Hall checks a Pattern for a Large Casting	1985: Margaret Farrow in the Foundry Laboratory

1986: Using Microprocessor Technology	1986: Producing biscuit cutting rolls	1986: The Printing Fitting Shop	1986: Testing equipment in the Experimental Department	1986: Testing a Printing Press Module	1987: Dave Symonds works on an MPF100 Extruder	1988: Frame Cell (Stuart Cadman upper centre, Mick Lord lower centre)

1988: Frame Cell: Stuart Cadman at work	1988: The Waldrich Siegen machining centre	1988: Mick Lord at the Waldrich Siegen machining centre in the Frame Cell	1988?: Looking West towards the main yard, G16 Presses being built in the Fitting Shop	1988: Frame Cell (Tony Evans in white shirt)

1990 onwards

1991: View of the Fitting Shop	1992: HS Folder for Cradleyprint, during testing in "O" bay	1992: HS Folder for Cradleyprint, during testing in "O" bay	1992: In the Printing Machine Shop	Date?: G14 Press being assembled. (Geoff Steels extreme right)	Date?: G16 Printing Cylinder	Date?: Christmas in Roger Smith's Fitting Shop

Date?: Spares Department	Date?: The C&C Fitting Shop?	Date? :Bob Browning at Work	Date?: In the Printing Fitting Shop	Date?: Chrome Plating Shop with John Chilton	Date?: Dave Shaw in the Marston Hut	Date?: KL Bay. R to L: Barley Meadows, Graham Conquest, Stan Wilson and Mark Ramsden

Date?: Reg Copestake at work in the Foundry	Date?: The Fitting Shop

In the Offices

1900 - 1969

1923: The Baker Perkins Bakery Dept Commercial Office	1948: Ann Dann and the Hollerith Department Girls	1954: The Hollerith Department	1956: The Drawing Office Archives	1956: The Typing Training Section	1957: The Typing Pool - 5th Floor. 1933 Office Block

1960: The Hollerith Department	1961: The Drawing Offices	1964: The first English Electric Leo Computer	1967: New Personnel Department Reception Area	1967: Inside the CPO	1969: Bakery Sales Correspondents	1969: Bakery Sales Correspondents

1969: Westwood Works Telephone Switchboard	1969: The second English Electric Computer

1970 - 1979

1970: Inside Bismark's "Black Shed"	1971: Sister Moules Dispensing Comfort from the Surgery	1974: In the Mainframe Computer Room	1974: Ordnance Survey Map showing the Bismark Temporary Offices	1974: Industrial Designers at work	1974: A Marketing Planning meeting	1975: It's Pay Day!

1975: Floor by floor layout of the new office block	1977: Norman Mountain tries out the new CAD equipment	1978: The Telephone Girls

1980 - 1989

1980: Derrick Turner at his Drawing Board	1982: Getting Ready for a Photo Shoot	1982: Discussing a design issue in the D/O	1982: CAD/CAM systems	1983: Customer training	1986: Commercial Services Office	1986: Designing electronic systems

1986: Using CAD/CAM equipment	1986: Computers in the Commercial Office	1986: The CAD/CAM Drawing Office	1986: CAD Station in the Drawing Office	1986: Floor Layout of Office Blocks	1986: The PMC Reception Area	1986: The Customer Services Department

1986: The Customer Services Department	1986: The Customer Services Department	1987: Red Nose Day in the Shipping Department

1990 onwards

1990: Design Team at Work	1990: Peter Carter at a D90 CAD station	1991: 3rd Floor Drawing Office	1991: Mick Bean and John Staples getting ready to move	1991: Dave Bradshaw doing a spot of cleaning	1991: 3rd Floor Drawing Office	1991: 3rd Floor Drawing Office

1991: 3rd Floor Drawing Office	1991: 3rd Floor Drawing Office	1991: 3rd Floor Drawing Office	1991: Mark Shearsmith and Ray Dacey in the D.O.	This will bring back memories!	"Memories of The Archives" - by Bernard Carr

OFFICE ACCOMODATION

At the east (railway) end of the site was the original office building, built as a single storey in 1904 with a second floor added in 1918. The offices housed:

First Floor - Accounts Department
Ground Floor - Planning and Ratefixing Department, the Power Samas/Hollerith Room, Works Offices and other ancillary departments.
Basement - Strong Room and Stationery Store.

Access to these was by either a small lift, situated centrally on the south side of the building, or by a narrow wooden twisting stairway, adjacent to the lift. The activities housed in the basement were:

THE STRONG ROOM

The basement housed the Strong Room. access to which was by steep concrete steps. At the bottom were two steel doors. To the left a hinged door led to the secure area where the private papers of the Bakers, Perkins and others who were associated with the company were held. Many of these papers were used by Augustus Muir to produce his ‘The History of Baker Perkins’ book. Access to this area was restricted to only a few authorized personnel.

To the right of the steps was a very thick and heavy sliding door, controlled by a pulley and a counterweight. Behind this was a complex array of filing racks filling the whole floor area almost to ceiling height. These racks contained documents relating to customers' orders and items relating to the final costs of manufacturing, including Power Samas/Hollerith cards, works time tickets, Commercial Department orders etc. At the end of each working day the door was closed locked to keep the area safe and secure.

During WW2, the Strong Room it was also used as a shelter for employees in the adjacent offices and housed blankets and fire extinguishers, etc. (See Westwood Works in WW2)

THE STATIONERY STORE

The Stationery Store was also located in the basement and Secretaries and other authorized members of staff would obtain stationery items for their respective departments on a weekly basis. Much of the stationery used within the various departments of Westwood Works, and elsewhere in the Group, was produced on site. (See also The Lithographic Department)

Customer Demonstration Facilities


Customer Demonstration Facilities over the years

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