Harvey's - were a large metal working firm who used to be in the Woolwich Road in Charlton - roughly where the fire station is.
We were given a whole pile of their works magazines and they are very worth looking at for what it was like in the 1950s!
So June 1952 and there is a report of the Annual Prize Distribution - this is prizes to the works apprentices and the whole thing was handled like a proper educational awards ceremony.
First Mr. Eatwell - Managing Director - thanked everyone and said the firm had 18 apprentice draughtsmen, and 58 craft apprentices and 19 young men 'who would be considered for indentures in due course. He referred to the Works Welding School, and the Sheet Metal Class - with thanks to Mr. Johnson, foreman of the Zinc Shop.
Second - Sir Frederick Handley Page, no less, aircraft magnate. He said how Harvey's products were used in his aircraft --- and 'half and more of the people graduating from universities had only a knowledge of cultural subjects.... they were at a disadvantage with the apprentice who started in a workshop at a much earlier age'.
Sir Frederick also revealed that he had as a young man worked in Charlton for Johnson and Phillips (did he?? do we know any more about this??)
He then presented the Apprentice of the Year Award to Mr. Russell of the Heavy Tank Drawing Office. He had been apprenticed since 1945 and got his indentures in 1951 - interrupted by a year on National Service He got a wristwatch as well as the shield.
They then had some light refreshments - and students got their prizes, mostly things like useful slide rules, and text books.
What followed was a long list of the top three students in each category - all City and Guilds, Royal Society of Arts and National Certificate craft classes. They had studied on day release at Woolwich Poly, or SE London Tech. The only exception being a cost accountancy student who got a brief case as a prize for passing his three part exam in Factory Organisation
Note that these are all men
The Women's Page is at the back - including a recipe for Daffodil Biscuits, which I am happy to share.
Monday, 14 January 2013
Thursday, 10 January 2013
Show & Tell---new trophy
The very first trophy of 2013--made for the Utah Valley Home Builders Association. This is the 3rd (maybe even 4th) trophy I have made from them; they present one every year to the president of the association as a thank-you for a year of service to the organization.
This one is made up of a steel I-beam section, misc recyled hardware, & nails that are wired together for a nail-gun :) The acrylic plaque adds the finishing touch; thanks to Ray at Rogue Design Syndicate.
Trophies have become a big part of my biz this last year & I'm thrilled: they are fun to make & I love being able to create something unique & special for keepsakes :)
In the works right now--a perpetual trophy for an ultimate Frisbee league, the Framed Awards, & designs for Fusion 2013. Oh; & something grande for Carnevale, as well ; )
So far, 2013 is staring off busy & full of new opportunities; I'm hoping its a good sign of the year to come...
Amber
Tuesday, 8 January 2013
New Address
New Address
Refinerii.net will now by my little corner of the internet.
Why the change? Well, a few months back I made a big ooops: I thought my domain hosting was set to auto-renew, but it wasn't... I got some emails right before it happened & was busy & didn't bother to open them, thinking it was just promotional stuff, as usual. Well: within an hour of my .com expiring, someone in Japan had scooped it up & had a site up already---it's blue with a bird photo & a bunch of Japanese characters. Since then, I have been getting a ton of emails in Japanese--I assume these are offers to buy back my domain at an inflated price.
And, I owned refinerii.org, .net, .biz, etc... A few of them, I let go, because I didn't want to continue to pay for them. Funny thing; as soon as they started expiring, I got a bunch of offers to sell them back to me; from anywhere between $500-$2000. AND: some were offers for the domains that I did renew; I got a couple emails stating that someone had bought out the .org & .net: which I had renewed already: & they tried to "sell" them back to me.
Lesson learned: stay on top of your domains & internet stuffs... Fortunately, I had not invested a bunch of money in SEOs, etc: so I can start over without too much harm. But it is annoying that the traffic I did build up over the last few years at .com will go to some site in Japanese that probably isn't even real.
New year, new beginnings... :)
Lots of new changes coming in 2013; this is just the beginning.
Cheers! To new adventures, new projects, & new beginnings!
Amber
Monday, 7 January 2013
Carnevale 2013
Mark your calendars! June 15th this year--plans are already underway :)
All the magic, performances, fire, & more, along with gourmet treats & specialty drinks.
Be sure to like the Carnevale Facebook page for the latest updates on performers, menu, plans & more:
Amber
Cesspool emptying equipment made in Greenwich
Thank you to Brian for drawing our attention to an article in Vintage Spririt - this is by Ron Henderson and appeared in their May 2012 edition. It is on the romantic subject of cesspool emptiers.
The article starts by explaining the need to empty cesspools before the days of main drainage - and how Greenwich based Merryweathers were on of the first to recognise that this process 'could be mechanised and improved'.
Early on a tank was mounted on a horse drawn cart - air would be withdrawn from it with a pump and the contents of the cesspool would then be removed into the tank. Initially the pump was hand powered but Merryweathers a 'power pump driven by steam or in later years by a light single cylinder petrol or paraffin motor'. However 'a more advanced method of making an air vacuum was by means of high pressure steam supplied by one of Merryweather's light water tube boilers' .
An early local authority to adopt this apparatus was Rochester who took three 500 gallon cylinder vans and three hand pumps in 1897 - and they later became one of the first to take on steam pumps because of the difficulties with Rochester cesspools.
Merryweather also supplied deodourising equipment - air pumped from the tank passed through portable stove or disinfecting chamber to limit the smell. Steam pumps did not need this as such air was passed through the firebox of the boiler to cut down the smell. This process meant that cesspools could be emptied in the day time - in London, by law, they could only be emptied after midnight when the process was carried out by gangs of men with buckets.
The first steam vacuum exhauster was supplied to Romford District Council in 1905 - the article gives a detailed description of the vehicle - and was a 'huge financial saving for the council'. A similar machine went to Eton District Council.
Merryweathers also developed a petrol propelled chassis and also supplied vehicles which could also be used for street watering and gully emptying.
The article is lavishly illustrated with photographs of Merryweather equipment - some of it clearly taken at their Greenwich High Road works.
- a pump designed to be horse drawn with a separate manually operated pump destined for Killiney and Ballbrack council - and taken outside Merryweather's Greenwich 'Fire Station'.
- the same pump preserved in the Dublin Transport Museum today
- a complete set of cesspool emptying plant being demonstrated - again at the Greenwich works
- Rochester Corporation equipment at work (assume this is in Rochester)
- a Merryweather light vertical water tube boiler with air injectors - this looks as thought it could be taken in Greenwich High Road
- four pictures of the Romford vehicle - one of which shows it in use
- the Eton vehicle
- cesspool exhauster owned by CL Gare & Co. - possibly taken in the Greenwich works.
Thanks Brian for this - more to follow - and - Ron Henderson the author. Ron - if you ever see this, please get in touch, GIHS are always looking for more info and for speakers.
The article starts by explaining the need to empty cesspools before the days of main drainage - and how Greenwich based Merryweathers were on of the first to recognise that this process 'could be mechanised and improved'.
Early on a tank was mounted on a horse drawn cart - air would be withdrawn from it with a pump and the contents of the cesspool would then be removed into the tank. Initially the pump was hand powered but Merryweathers a 'power pump driven by steam or in later years by a light single cylinder petrol or paraffin motor'. However 'a more advanced method of making an air vacuum was by means of high pressure steam supplied by one of Merryweather's light water tube boilers' .
An early local authority to adopt this apparatus was Rochester who took three 500 gallon cylinder vans and three hand pumps in 1897 - and they later became one of the first to take on steam pumps because of the difficulties with Rochester cesspools.
Merryweather also supplied deodourising equipment - air pumped from the tank passed through portable stove or disinfecting chamber to limit the smell. Steam pumps did not need this as such air was passed through the firebox of the boiler to cut down the smell. This process meant that cesspools could be emptied in the day time - in London, by law, they could only be emptied after midnight when the process was carried out by gangs of men with buckets.
The first steam vacuum exhauster was supplied to Romford District Council in 1905 - the article gives a detailed description of the vehicle - and was a 'huge financial saving for the council'. A similar machine went to Eton District Council.
Merryweathers also developed a petrol propelled chassis and also supplied vehicles which could also be used for street watering and gully emptying.
The article is lavishly illustrated with photographs of Merryweather equipment - some of it clearly taken at their Greenwich High Road works.
- a pump designed to be horse drawn with a separate manually operated pump destined for Killiney and Ballbrack council - and taken outside Merryweather's Greenwich 'Fire Station'.
- the same pump preserved in the Dublin Transport Museum today
- a complete set of cesspool emptying plant being demonstrated - again at the Greenwich works
- Rochester Corporation equipment at work (assume this is in Rochester)
- a Merryweather light vertical water tube boiler with air injectors - this looks as thought it could be taken in Greenwich High Road
- four pictures of the Romford vehicle - one of which shows it in use
- the Eton vehicle
- cesspool exhauster owned by CL Gare & Co. - possibly taken in the Greenwich works.
Thanks Brian for this - more to follow - and - Ron Henderson the author. Ron - if you ever see this, please get in touch, GIHS are always looking for more info and for speakers.
Thursday, 3 January 2013
News items part 1.
TALK OF THE THAMES – Winter 2012
Talk of the Thames is produced by the Thames Estuary Partnership – but although most of what it has in it is about the Thames below Gravesend, there are still some items of interest to Greenwich and Greenwich historians- Germaine Greer (yes, really) on about Bug Life and Thames Mud. Lots and lots of detail about little things that live in the water – and – she says that the famous Greenwich whitebait thrived on all the sewage in the river, and that now that the river is cleaner there is too little food for the fish!!!
- An article about the 1953 North Sea Storm – the terrible floods. This is all about Canvey Island – but it is such an important subject and, as the article reminds us, the Thames Barrier is saving us and ‘it is entirely due to this system that London is viable as a capital city’. There are a number of commemorative events - a service in Chelmsford Cathedral on 31stJanuary; lighting of beacons along the coast on 31st January and 1stFebruary, and Canvey Island Memorial Day on the 1st February. Please remember that 58 people died on Canvey 60 years ago.
- River crossings in East London – an article analysing the current suggestions including the proposed Silvertown Tunnel, a vehicle ferry at Gallions and junking the Woolwich Ferry. Or there again a bridge at Gallions.
- The Super Sewer – Sustainable drainage – an article about the need for the Thames Tideway tunnel,
There is much much more in this edition of Talk of the Thames but I wanted to highlight one particular article which is about the project on ‘The Lenox – the first ship to be built in Deptford Dockyard for 150 years. The article – which gives a lot of interesting detail on Deptford dockyard, is about the project running in Deptford to build a full side reproduction warship. We would love the Lennox team to come and talk to Greenwich Industrial History Society about what they’re doing- so if one of them is reading this, please get in touch. www.buildthelenox.orgLAMAS NEWSLETTER - January 2013
This little news booklet describes London wide history meetings and carries some archaeological articles. So – of Greenwich interest in this edition –Enfield Archaeology Society meeting 18th January. The New Look Cutty Sark by Jessica Lewis. Jubilee Hall, Chase Side/Parsonage lane. 8 pm £1 each for visitors.
and – LAMAS Annual Conference of London Archaeologists. 16thMarch at the Museum of London. This includes an item on Recent Excavations at Convoys Wharf by Anthony Francis of MOLA. Tickets £15 Jon Cotton, c/o Depot Archaeological Collections, Museum of London, 150 London Wall, EC2 5HN
and advert for ‘London Heritage Conference’ which will include an item on Convoys Wharf by Jon Wright of the Council for British Archaeology. This will be on 28th September, will cost £30 and booking forms will be available in MayHISTORY AND SOCIAL ACTION DIARY
This is a Croydon based E newsletter which manages to merge local history and local politics in a very satisfactory manner.
it refers to the blog http://historyandsocialaction.blogspot.com(which includes articles about Croydon Tories and Croydon Libraries with talks on Samuel Coleridge Taylor ‘No wonder the Tories in Croydon kept the local studies and archives out of the tender process’ . it also includes items from all over – Lambeth (of course) but about ‘Save Newcastle Libraries’ and so on. There are links to all sorts of campaigns and newssheets and blogs and meetings (i.e. School for Revolutionaries in Chesterfield). There is so much there I hardly know where to start – best thing is to get it and read it!(Thanks for the copy, Sean)
DOCKLANDS HISTORY GROUP
The group have produced their programme. They meet at the Museum of London Docklands, West India Quay, Hertsmere Road, E14 t 5.30 for 6. If you haven’t been – they are a great and really friendly and knowledgeable group – and the room, in the depth of a Docks Warehouse is amazing.
Their programme includes
6th February – talk by Gus Milne and Eliott Wragg on the Thames Discovery Programme – don’t know what they will say, but this programme has included work in Greenwich.3 April = talk on ‘behind the jubilee flotilla’ by Martin Garside
7th August – Greenwich walk led by – er – Mary Mills
6th November – Society of East India Commanders by Tony Fuller
MYCENAE HOUSE LOCAL HISTORY GROUP
This is a group which grew out of an evening class and they operate as a class with a set programme of morning meetings and payment for meetings and so on. http://mhlhg.blogspot.com/They do have some very distinguished speakers – but also apparently a waiting list!!
- article on the Fitting Shop tank and the duct under the garden
- Nature watch - butterflies and moths
- News on progress - work on engine Victoria – work on the garden - Visitor numbers !!
- News on loco Woolwich. she is now in bits and those bits are being cleaned and she will be put together soon
Most interestingly they have some plans for a new rail pedestrian link – this would go from Plumstead Station down the Southern Outfall (which has probably been renamed by now). Hope they have a look at the amazing Victorian Plumstead waste destructor on the way.
www.crossness.org.ukTuesday, 1 January 2013
2013 day 1
I'm looking forward to new adventures this year. And a bit glad to close the book on 2012: there were lots of great things I got to be a part of & cool projects---RAW, an article in MaryJane's Farm Magazine, Boise Fashion Week, a NASCAR trophy, being chosen for the Boise World Trade Center Memorial project, Carnevale 2012, the opening of Kleiner Park, and more.. But, there were a lot of mistakes & misses too: loosing refinerii.com, missed deadlines, costly miscommunications that lead to do-overs & wasted materials & time, wind turbine failures, last minute deliveries, & much more...
Last night, we celebrated the new year with a bonfire party at the Refinerii shop; we torched the Christmas trees, & enjoyed good company, food & drinks---it was a last minute throw-it-together thing, but I think it might just turn into a new tradition :)
It was the perfect end to the holiday madness & I must say: I had a much better time under the stars than fighting the crowds downtown. It was cold, but toasty warm next to the fire & nice & warm in the shop where we turned the work tables into the buffet/bar & everyone gathered around the shop stove :)
Already on the books for this year; planning/decor for a corporate event--not something I have ever even thought about, but the opportunity came up & I said yes :) -- designing a trophy for an Ultimate Frisbee League -- fabrication & install of the WTC Memorial -- Carnevale 2013: June 15th this year: mark you calendars ; ) -- new designs, new ideas, etc
A few of my resolutions include:
getting back into my routine of working out
figure out how to get/stay organized
create something every day
get the chicken run fenced before the thundering horde can destroy all my plants this spring
check my phone messages more than once a week....
and a few others ; )
Hope your holidays were happy & best wishes for 2013!
Amber
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