Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past Wirral Now and Then Stone Manganese Marine (SMM PROPELLERS) Ltd

If you,ve got one of Phil working it would be worth a fortune!

Hi, I worked at SMM from 1977-98. I remember going to the first aid shop when I was an apprentice, I had a large splinter down my nail. It was run by an old retired gentleman we called 'Nurse Harry' and I nearly went through the roof when he put a hot poltice on it. I never went back again & can remember hiding under my bench in the Pattern Shop when he came looking for me the next day.

Here's a link to the British Pathe news with a short film from the Charlton works.

http://www.britishpathe.com/video/propellor-foundry

Gutted to hear about Herbie, what a cracking bloke who was well loved by all. Often thought about what he was up to when I was driving around Toxteth as a service engineer. Think I know who you are Raven61 seeing as you started in 77 because Neil Benson and I started our apprenticeships in 81, Neil under Frank H in the Patternshop and me under John H in the foundry.
Regards
Mike

I assume this is the Echo article - sounds like the sad loss of a great guy

CLICKY

(glad to see he got his MBE)

Thankyou for this , sad news , but he made his mark .

Thanks Diggingdeeper. It was an Honour and a privilege to work with Herbert, never realised the court was named after him. Will have to pop round next time I'm in the area. RIP old friend, as Phil said, You made your mark.

One of you working will be worth even more ......

I take it that's KMc that is ribbing you Phil. If you look on the third photo on page one link that's him with his back to you, probably standing there with a brew in his hand while the moulders do all the work haha

I know one thing for certain Mike, no one will have one of you working there. I can still picture you now leaning on the striking board with you arms folded.

Always had a camera in my hand mate or in the foreign office making bronze 18 and 21 keys, liverpool and everton plaques and bronze bells for all the pubs on the Wirral

I can maybe remember you 'watching' old Jackie Hill in the foreign office.
I was speaking to someone I work with now who knows you from Candy [P.A.] & he said all you used to do was sit around all day polishing your boots. No change there then.
Regarding the posts on this thread about old photos of SMM, when the old office block was knocked down there was a few large boxes of photos in there but I can't remember if they were destroyed or moved to the pre-fab building at the back of the office by the car park. There was all sorts of stuff stored in there. I,ve got a few old photos of what looks like the foundry at the Charlton works & a photo of the Queen Mary & the QE 1 in war colours leaving Southampton docks. I also have about a half dozen glass negatives from what looks like Charlton. The person who used to take all the photos later on at SMM was Joe Clayton, I don't know if he's still around but he was a member of one of the local photography clubs.

OMG, I've just talked to the missus and she knows you.(That's if your a Civil Servant) Small world mate. I used to polish my parade boots in the laboratory before Battle of Atlantic or Remembrance Parade only so tell Phil A to do one
When I was in SMM a few months back fixing the Dishwasher, I was talking to Don Quilliam and a couple of the old guard who work in the office still. I think everything vanished. I gave them the flickr account details so they could view the old negs I still have when we worked there

Hi Mike, yes P.A. told me your wife works there.

Just wanted to reiterate what "Cameraman" said about Herbie Higgins ....I also had the privilege to have worked with him when I was an apprentice....I spent 6-months down in the Foundry and always remember as I walked past the Core-oven first thing in the morning its door would be open...and looking inside it was coal-black and sooty ....some of the old-hands would warm themselves in front of it ....Herbert's favourite past-time would be to allow me to walk half-way past the oven door and his voice would then boom out ....he would make me jump out of my skin ....he would be standing deep inside the oven and all you could see was that huge grin and white teeth ....he blended into the background so well you just could not see him....he never allowed anyone to bully me or come down too hard on me ...he was a gentle man but at one point in his career he had been a sparring partner to the boxer Joe Bygraves....you knew he could handle himself if the reason arose ....Merseyside has lost a true gentleman.