Foundry workers
- Thread starter Atarah
- Start date
They both don't look like very safe places to work! Don't think I'd fancy wearing a gas mask to work every day!
i worked there for 30 years and recocnise both the men in the picture.i was the last person to work there when it closed in 2003. i could tell you many tales.
Gas masks only came in when the elf un safety act came in, before that it was like it or lump it.
If you got splashed with hot metal, the last thing you do is flick it off, grit your teeth till it no longer burns, otherwise it would tear the flesh & leave a hole.
Still got a black mark on my left wrist 65 years later.
Retlaw.
gas masks
twas a rag round yer gob n sacking round yer legs as retlaw will no doubt say.
The only person I saw wearing a shield of any sort was the furnace tenter, he only wore it when he was tapping the furnace, the rest of the foundry workers prefered bell bottom fushton pants, and a long handle on the ladle.gas masks
The most dangerous thing Lang Bridges used to cast were Iron Rollers about 12ft long, they were cast on end to ensure a clean cast, trouble was if the center core wasn't dry enough, the center core was made on a long tube using a strickle board, then dried in an oven, any moisture and BOOM.
There was a special cast at Langs, longer than usual, we heard a rumble and everyone fled, and the center tube went through the foundry roof, and came down in the foundry yard 20ft away.
I can still se Alan Laraway who was pouring the metal, stood on a pile of casting boxes, jumping clear. The only one who couldn't escape was old Riley the crane driver all he could do was swing the ladle of metal away and duck inside his cage.
Retlaw.
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yes i was the lorrydriver for a few years 1978/1981 .my dad was a plate moulder
untill 1960.uncle gorge was the owner
thats my dad in the check shirt arthur braysford and jimmy raistrick stood behind him.
jimmy watson kneeling bout hat
jimmy watson kneeling bout hat
i worked wi Watson as everyone called him, lived up spring hill.
thanks for the photo of dad,never had one of dad at work.as a lad i went to see him
and it was like a hell hole with smoke ,heat,smell.thank you very much
and it was like a hell hole with smoke ,heat,smell.thank you very much
George was my grandad, and of course you seem to recognize my uncle Jim! I came across this site while doing some research on my family history. I knew of the foundry because my Uncle Jim lost half of his thumb in one of the machines. I've only heard of it though, I've not seen pictures until now, so this has been a real treat!
i remember you stuart. driving our light blue van.did you an your wife vena? once run the pie shop ? i seem to remember you went coach driving!!!! i am the blonde haired good looking young lad from the core shop. flip...