Brett's Stamping Works

Hi Edgton13, welcome to the forum A very kind offer, let's hope that there is an interested member.

My grandad, Daniel Barr, worked at Bretts Stamping works and I'd love this but I live in the US and the shipping would be expensive.

My great grandad, Joe Dyson, also worked at Bretts - and won this little trophy for the veterans100 yards sprint in 1938 - when he was around 60!

Was there ever a connection between Brett's and Smiths Stamping Works? Our Dad got his 25 year watch from Smiths. I suspect that they were probably not connected! but maybe did similar things. Sure that Smiths Stamping Works was a Lincoln based company?

Obviously Smiths factory was in Coventry. Am trying to recall where it was, sure that it was up St.Georges Road area, somewhere?

From a CET advertisement in 1967 it was for sale by GKN forging and casting Ltd and the address is given as Humber Avenue. There is also another advert about catering in 1962 and that address is given as Ribble Road.

From the "Burges and Cross Cheaping" topic I am trying to date when my father left Fred Burn's to work at Brett's. He told me a fellow drop-hammer worker lost his fingers. (Piece work forced one to take risks so that you got an acceptable wage!). I read somewhere another poster reported the same story independently, corroborating my father's but I have not been able to find it again on this forum. It may be on fb. Does anyone know of a similar event 1937/8?

There is a report in December 1937 Midland Daily Telegraph that Henry Thomas lost the 1st, 2nd and 3rd finger and half of the 4th due to an accident at Bretts's Stamping. Sounds as if this could be it.

That would probably be it. My father remembered the guy holding up his hand and saying, "they've gone!". My father must have left Brett's soon after in 1938 because on retirement from the GEC in November 1975 he had completed 38 years service. My parents married in August 1937. I recall my mother telling me he was working at Fred Burn when they got married. They either needed more money to set up home or Fred Burn shut soon down after August 1937. Thanks Anne for the superfast reply.

My memories are when my brother Bob and I walked to Livingstone Road baths on a Saturday morning and seeing the red-hot billets being stamped in the Bretts shop and I guess that my fascination with heavy engineering stemmed from those images. Seeing the aerial view of the works, I was surprised at how large it was, but then we only saw it from the path going past. The post-swimming treat was always an iced bun from Farr and Reddy's shop on Lockhurst Lane

Welcome to our forum, Trevor, and thank you for sharing your memories. It's funny how things we see as youngsters can shape our futures. I wonder if perhaps we only noticed those things because we already had a predisposition to liking a certain type of thing? (For me, the fascination in hearing voices come out of a pair of cans separated by tightly pulled string led to a hobby, followed by a career, in radio and electronics.) My post-swimming treat was usually a bag of chips with loads of vinegar on - somehow the chlorine always made me fancy chips - but that could be a whole other topic!

Hello. I know this is a long time after your post but wondered if you still had the ashtray. My Grandfather collapsed at Bretts aged 60. Pronounced dead at hospital. Hence my interest.......Howard

Hi Howard, welcome to the forum. Unfortunately Edgton13 isn't a regular member, so it's unlikely you'll get a response from them but maybe they'll return or someone else could help you. If you set the contact button to send a message to your real email, you might get a reply at some point in the future.

H Howard, I now have this ash tray, I got it from Edgton back in February to add to my Coventry collection of various items. As your association is stronger than mine, I will gladly send it to you. Please send me your address via the "contacts" button. Regards Mick