Westwood Works 1903-2003

Training Facilities

The Opening of the Apprentice School

Anniversaries

Commemorative Plaque

The Opening of the Apprentice Sports Ground

Trainee Accommodation

High Trees - Apprentice Hostel

The Commercial Hotel - Commercial Trainees' Hostel

In his "The History of Baker Perkins", Augustus Muir page records that apprentice training at Westwood Works was suspended during the war years. Roland Maycock, who was an apprentice between 1940 and 1945 suggests that this is not correct. He recalls that - "The A.I. Baker apprentice bay established before the war was continued, located at the west end of the ground floor of the 1933 office block, adjacent to the machine shop. The Foreman/Instructors were Mr F. Angel, Mr E. Cole and Mr Churchman. The scheme was monitored by the works office under Mr Paul Baker, Works Director, The training was excellent – as near as you could get to one-to-one instruction and produced many engineers who progressed to management level in the company".

Jim Deboo also remembers the apprentice activity during the war:

"The original apprentice bay developed by "AIB" himself in the late 1930s had been producing small mechanisms – breech blocks and gun sights – during the war years".

Bob Hay, later to become a member of the Heating & Ventilating Department, also remembers becoming an apprentice during the War - "I do remember that I was one of four apprentices selected to become student apprentices in a scheme starting in 1943. I cannot be sure, but my impression at the time was that this was the beginning of a brand new apprenticeship category. A really significant disturbance to my own Student Apprenticeship occurred in late 1945, when H.M. King George VI demanded that I report on 3 January 1946 to Britannia Barracks in Norwich. I believe that a serious appeal by Personnel/Jim Deboo/Keith Gerrard to obtain deferment was only partially successful. The other three were deferred, but the War Office refused to withdraw my already issued call-up papers".

In order to ensure an adequate supply of trained drawing office and works technicians after the Second World War, Baker Perkins invested heavily in facilities for Training. The pre-War apprentice bay was fully engaged with urgent apprentice training and efforts were being made to cope with returning Forces personnel under the Interrupted Apprenticeship Scheme.

As there was insufficient room in the Apprentice Bay, this was reserved for fitting and machining training and a new "small jobs division" was set up at the west end of P4 bay in the Plate Shop under Charles Durance which later became the Plate Shop apprentice section. An apprentice section for twelve trainees, with its own core drying oven and sand mixer, was created under Ben Killips in the Foundry.

Apprentices who joined in 1952 outside the original Apprentice Bay under the 1933 office building.

With the retirement in 1947 of Albert Newby as Apprenticeship Supervisor and J.A.W.D's appointment as his successor, the opportunity had been taken to re-appraise the whole apprentice training system and learn from current best practice across the engineering industry. The result was the building of a purpose-built, state of the art Apprentice School which was opened in 1954.

See also:

Training at Westwood Works - a development history.
Trainees in Action and Reminiscences - for more memories of ex-apprentices.

The Apprentice School

1952: Steel framework in place (August)	1952: Depositing a Time Capsule beneath the Foundation Stone	1952: Laying the Foundation Stone	1952: Mrs Dumbleton lays the Foundation Stone	1952: The building work progresses		1953: The facade takes shape (January)

1953: The Stone Mason at work	1953: The completed building	1953: The completed building prior to opening	1954: Sheet Metal and Fitting Sections	1954: Machine Tool Section	1954: Some of the facilities	1954: The Lecture Room/Gymnasium

1955: Inside the Apprentice School	1958: The Apprentice School Drawing Office	1961?: Apprentice School Drawing Office

The arrival of the guests

The Apprentices form a Guard of Honour

Harold Watkinson Opens the Apprentice School

Harold Watkinson speaks

Model of a Bread Dough Kneader presented to Harold Watkinson

A present for the Chairman of the Apprentice Advisory Committee

The Mayor of Peterborough tries his hand

Demonstration of Fitting Work

In the Erecting Section

The Apprentices put on a Gym Display

1954: Staff, Instructors and Apprentices at the Opening of the Apprentice School

The opening of the Apprentice School in 1954 is remembered on each significant Anniversary.


1977: 25th Anniversary of laying the Apprentice School Foundation Stone	1984: Apprentice School 30th Anniversary	2004: 50th Anniversary of the Apprentice School opening

In a short ceremony organised jointly by the Baker Perkins Historical Society and the Peterborough Civic Society, a Plaque describing the history of the Apprentice School was unveiled by Jim Deboo - ex-Baker Perkins Training manager - on 23rd July 2007. The event was attended by the Mayor of Peterborough, representatives of Peterborough City Council, Peterborough Civic Society and BPHS, and ex-employees.

A plaque, which was originally mounted on an internal wall and which commemorated the opening of the School in 1954, has been moved to the outside of the building.

These plaques, together with the three History Boards (see HMP Peterborough) already in place on the landscaped area between Westfield Road and HMP Peterborough, will help to remind Peterborough residents of what existed on this site for 100 years.

Some of those who attended the Unveiling. How many of the ex-employees can you recognise 50 years on?

An area of land adjacent to the Apprentice School, after being cleared of stones with the help of some of the Apprentices, was officially opened by Mr. H. Crowther in May 1957 as the Apprentice Sports Ground. The continued growth of the Company required that this land was needed for Staff car parking and a much larger Sports Ground was built behind the Experimental Department, and opened in 1961. This Ground was also used for the very popular Annual Fireworks Display, at which the Baker Perkins Fire Brigade provided safety cover.


1957: Harold Crowther opens the Apprentice Sports ground	Cutting the Tape	Howard Pettit making presentation to Mr Crowther	Mr Crowther receives a blotter from John Bushnell	Wally Blades makes a presentation to Mrs Crowther	A bouquet from Tom Appleyard

These facilities took care of the needs of the locally recruited trainees at the start of their life with the Company but, as Apprentices and Commercial Trainees were recruited form outside the Peterborough area, there was a need to accommodate some recruits locally. "High Trees" in Eastfield Road housed a number of Apprentices whilst Commercial Trainees lived in the City Commercial Hotel in Bridge Street. This latter establishment had been leased by Baker Perkins to accommodate female staff during the War.

1954: High Trees from Eastfield Road

1954: High Trees Apprentice hostel

1954: High Trees from the garden

1954: The Lounge at High Trees

1954: The Dining Room

1954: A bedroom at High Trees

1954: High Trees - the Student study

1960: Extension to building



The Baker Perkins Staff Hostel (City Temperance Hotel) in Bridge Street, Peterborough	Some Residents of the Staff Hostel in 1950	1952: Marshall Grey and colleagues outside the Hostel.

John Smythe remembers staying at the City Commercial Hotel for about 18 months between 1952 and 1954 as a young apprentice, along with about 20 of his fellow employees. John spent the first nine months of his stay in a dormitory on the top floor, and the last nine months in the comparative luxury of a double room he shared with another resident. He paid 45 shillings each week for bed, breakfast and evening meal, plus an extra five shillings to have his laundry done.

"There was quite a nice community spirit and I really enjoyed my time there. I had been at boarding school, so I was quite used to the set-up and knew what to expect. Although the name "City Commercial Temperance Hotel" was written on the coloured glass door we used on the side of the building, I seem to remember it was only Temperance in theory, though the no ladies rule was strictly enforced.They were good days. We used to go to the City Cinema on Saturday nights for 9d."

Ralph Batson also stayed at the Hotel and recalls the rather severe lady who at one time ran the establishment - Nelly Washington (incidentally Margaret Preston's great-aunt). Ralph tells the story of inviting another work colleague for a meal at the hotel. Mrs Washington asked if they would like some of her apple pie and the visitor suggested that he would "risk a piece". "How dare you say you will risk some of my apple pie" was the redoubtable lady's reply and then refused to let them have any!

Baker Perkins gave up the Commercial Hotel in July 1953, the furniture was sold by Fox & Vergette and the premises bought by Hardy & Co. - a furnishing retailer - for £15,600.