Good afternoon,
I have found your forum, and would very much like to know if there is any information about my ancestors.
My Grandpa; Edmund Robson Cuthbertson, was the Grandson of Edmund Robson who owned E. Robson (Gateshead) Ltd. My Grandpa was orphaned during WWI, and was brought up by his Robson grandparents on Town Street, Gateshead which was opposite the garage at Oakwellgate, Gateshead. Grandpa worked in the garage until he was in his 20s, and then moved to Cement Marketing Company, driving for Blue Circle.
Grandpa is on the far right of this picture
The Blue Circle lorry which I remember most was a ‘Mickey Mouse’ Foden with a 30 mph governor on-board. It was garaged at Heaton. I spend many of my summer holidays riding in the Foden with Grandpa, up and down to ICI at Billingham from Ryhope so have very fond memories. He used to go and get the lorry for his usual start, then sneak back to Leam Lane and pick me up and off we’d go (get into trouble for that these days!).
I remember Jimmy Wilkinson well (Grandpa’s fellow driver), as well as Billy Litton and Bob Weatherburn. I have some photos which may be of interest too. I bumped into Jimmy Wilkinson about 25 years ago at a lorry exhibition at Barnard Castle, he had a Powell’s Sauce flatbed, and think it was a Foden too, and I wanted to get inside the wooden cab as the layout reminded me of the Foden I used to ride around in. I doubt he will be still with us today; my Grandpa would have been 111. 
885RBB:
Good afternoon,
I have found your forum, and would very much like to know if there is any information about my ancestors.
My Grandpa; Edmund Robson Cuthbertson, was the Grandson of Edmund Robson who owned E. Robson (Gateshead) Ltd. My Grandpa was orphaned during WWI, and was brought up by his Robson grandparents on Town Street, Gateshead which was opposite the garage at Oakwellgate, Gateshead. Grandpa worked in the garage until he was in his 20s, and then moved to Cement Marketing Company, driving for Blue Circle.
Grandpa is on the far right of this picture
[attachment=0]Image1.jpg[/attachment
The Blue Circle lorry which I remember most was a ‘Mickey Mouse’ Foden with a 30 mph governor on-board. It was garaged at Heaton. I spend many of my summer holidays riding in the Foden with Grandpa, up and down to ICI at Billingham from Ryhope so have very fond memories. He used to go and get the lorry for his usual start, then sneak back to Leam Lane and pick me up and off we’d go (get into trouble for that these days!).
I remember Jimmy Wilkinson well (Grandpa’s fellow driver), as well as Billy Litton and Bob Weatherburn. I have some photos which may be of interest too. I bumped into Jimmy Wilkinson about 25 years ago at a lorry exhibition at Barnard Castle, he had a Powell’s Sauce flatbed, and it was a Foden too, and I wanted to get inside the wooden cab as the layout reminded me of the Foden I used to ride around in. I doubt he will be still with us today; my Grandpa would have been 111.
Jim Wilkinson is 93 later this month, he still has The Powell’s lorry but, it’s an Albion not a Foden.
His son Iain is a contributor on this thread so I’m sure he will respond when he reads the post.[attachment=0]IMG_0449_kindlephoto-13832702.jpg[/attachment]
I don’t know what happened to the text I posted with that Picture!
Here it is again. JIM is 93 later this month, the motor is an Albion not a Foden, Jim drove it from new before he went to Blue Circle. His son Iain is a contributor
to this thread, so he will respond to the thread I’m sure. Regards Kev.
kevmac47:
I don’t know what happened to the text I posted with that Picture!
Here it is again. JIM is 93 later this month, the motor is an Albion not a Foden, Jim drove it from new before he went to Blue Circle. His son Iain is a contributor
to this thread, so he will respond to the thread I’m sure. Regards Kev.
Hi Kev,
Wow, fabulous information! 93 this month - well done (Uncle) Jimmy as I used to refer to him as! Albion, not a Foden eh? When I bumped into him he was very pleased to hook up with ‘Edmund’s bairn’. Strangely my Grandma (Edmund’s wife) worked at Powell’s Sauces very briefly. My aunt is still alive at 92, and she says Powell’s was up on the West Street yet Grandma talked about walking to work over Clarkie’s humped-back bridge from Leazes Street.
Thanks for responding and the photo is amazing; hoping to hear from Iain too 
Best wishes,
Ellie 
885RBB:
kevmac47:
I don’t know what happened to the text I posted with that Picture!
Here it is again. JIM is 93 later this month, the motor is an Albion not a Foden, Jim drove it from new before he went to Blue Circle. His son Iain is a contributor
to this thread, so he will respond to the thread I’m sure. Regards Kev.
Hi Kev,
Wow, fabulous information! 93 this month - well done (Uncle) Jimmy as I used to refer to him as! Albion, not a Foden eh? When I bumped into him he was very pleased to hook up with ‘Edmund’s bairn’. Strangely my Grandma (Edmund’s wife) worked at Powell’s Sauces very briefly. My aunt is still alive at 92, and she says Powell’s was up on the West Street yet Grandma talked about walking to work over Clarkie’s humped-back bridge from Leazes Street.
Thanks for responding and the photo is amazing; hoping to hear from Iain too
Best wishes,
Ellie
Sorry meant to say welcome to the Forum, I’m sure Jim will be delighted to see that Picture of you grandfather. I’m going to ring Iain to tell him of the thread. Regards Kev.
885RBB:
Good afternoon,
I have found your forum, and would very much like to know if there is any information about my ancestors.
My Grandpa; Edmund Robson Cuthbertson, was the Grandson of Edmund Robson who owned E. Robson (Gateshead) Ltd. My Grandpa was orphaned during WWI, and was brought up by his Robson grandparents on Town Street, Gateshead which was opposite the garage at Oakwellgate, Gateshead. Grandpa worked in the garage until he was in his 20s, and then moved to Cement Marketing Company, driving for Blue Circle.
Grandpa is on the far right of this picture
The Blue Circle lorry which I remember most was a ‘Mickey Mouse’ Foden with a 30 mph governor on-board. It was garaged at Heaton. I spend many of my summer holidays riding in the Foden with Grandpa, up and down to ICI at Billingham from Ryhope so have very fond memories. He used to go and get the lorry for his usual start, then sneak back to Leam Lane and pick me up and off we’d go (get into trouble for that these days!).
I remember Jimmy Wilkinson well (Grandpa’s fellow driver), as well as Billy Litton and Bob Weatherburn. I have some photos which may be of interest too. I bumped into Jimmy Wilkinson about 25 years ago at a lorry exhibition at Barnard Castle, he had a Powell’s Sauce flatbed, and it was a Foden too, and I wanted to get inside the wooden cab as the layout reminded me of the Foden I used to ride around in. I doubt he will be still with us today; my Grandpa would have been 111.
Ellie,
Just spoken to my dad, he remembers you grandpa very well. The photo was taken at Heaton depot at Tommy Browns retirement. In the photo from left to right are Joe Clark,Tommy Brown,Jimmy Wilkinson and your gramdpa.
Here is a photo which will bring back some memories.
Hi Iain,
This is fantastic! So it was a retirement presentation… two clocks?? I did think your Dad was in the photo behind Grandpa, but couldn’t say for sure. I think I may have met you before at the veteran lorry display at Barnard Castle. I remember many of the drivers, and I did call your Dad ‘Uncle Jimmy’ (didn’t they tell us to call everyone Uncle back in the day?)!
They used to scrounge a drop of milk for me tea from the man in the office at Ryhope, think he may’ve been called Brian. Do you remember Jimmy Tatters, Bob Weatherburn or Billy Litton?
Presume that’s Jimmy’s lorry in the photo. It certainly did bring back memories 
Your Dad used to polish his lorry. I remember Grandpa being quite content to take the lorry with the 30 mph governor on it - he wasn’t interested in tearing down the A19! The photo is amazing, that rear window which I used to gaze out of when the load was discharging - the gears for the hydraulics was underneath that window.
Iain, do you know where the Ryhope Depot was and whether it is still there? I know the lorries used to be garaged at Chillingham Road, Heaton so their day would begin and end there, and then the bus home to Leam Lane.
Great to hear from you, and that your Dad remembers Grandpa Edmund.
Ellie
Well I remember Robsons of Gateshead very well, Ronnie Bright one of there drivers who drove an old 8 legger Atkinson KRM ■■?, IIRC This ex Hendersons from Alston .I used to run to Glasgow in the late 50s when I worked for Baxters Road Services, & Stayed in the Salvation Army Hostel on London Rd Glasgow, Cheap & Cheerful, Ronnie & I along with a few drivers from the Toon used to visit various Bars in the evening, Of course closing time was 9.30pm In Scotland in those days, So it was earley to bed, Then down to Jacks Cafe on Macalpine Street just off the good old Broomielaw for a return load. These loads were controled be a fellow named , Tosh, His correct name was Samuel McKintosh, He was a real Glaswegian with the scars to prove it, A 4 wheeler load was a 5boba, & an 8 legger was 10 bob, Which of course was a cashj ob, But Baxter allways paid us back, I cant recall any more of Robsons drivers names, But I do remember the late Alan Brown who was a fitter for them & lost a finger changing a diff on one of their old \Atkinsons, I love these good old & memmories when I was just starting off in the haulage game in the 50s, Keep the info coming please, Regards Larry.
Morning Larry,
Well, that’s another piece of my jigsaw; I didn’t know that Robson’s ran up to Glasgow. Thank you!
I do remember that Grandpa used to do ‘long haul’ to London, as his brother-in-law lived/worked there and used to ‘vector’ him when Grandpa stopped of for a pit-stop and a quick phone call! I also remember that as a younger man he used to haul to Manchester in an open-cab (you’ll see what I mean when I post the photograph); poor lad ended up with neuralgia. The things a man did to feed his bairns, eh?
Poor Alan Brown! I wonder if they paid him compensation in those days? I suspect probably not. I hope it didn’t hinder him in his mechanical career.
I have a photo which I would like to post. It’s of Grandpa after he left Robson’s and went to work for CMC. I will entitle the post ‘CMC’.
I’d love to hear everyone’s opinions… no-one left to ask these days, unfortunately, as Jimmy Wilkinson didn’t work for Robson’s.
Best wishes, and keep smiling
Ellie
Ellie there is a member on here under the name of Forster who says he worked for E Robson of Gateshead, maybe you can give him a message and hopefully find out some more info. Franky.
Frankydobo:
Ellie there is a member on here under the name of Forster who says he worked for E Robson of Gateshead, maybe you can give him a message and hopefully find out some more info. Franky.
Hi Franky,
That’s a great idea.
Here’s a link for Ellie to get in touch with forster:
http://www.trucknetuk.com/phpBB/ucp.php?i=pm&mode=compose&u=75253
hi racking the old gray matter E Robson Gateshead they did a bit work for clark chapmans harry plant worked for them think he married a daughter or cousin, also after denationalize of the road haulage one of the family moved down to pensnett/gormley wood area of the west midlands, started a haulage outfit down there, larry may know abit more about this company, 
Well Bumper Harry Plant ended up driving a Foden Artic Tipper for Tilcons at Gateshead, I only know this because my late cousin Walter Boiston from Seaton Burn bought this motor, IIRC Harry retired then, Getting back to Robsons I remember kipping at The Pantry Cafe one night along with Maurice Newman, Peter Mangain, Edgar Ridley, & one of Robsons lads he drove a six wheeler Commer ,But I dont recall his name , We all went to see a film at a cinemar nearby Gengis Can IIRC, Bloody hell my old grey cells are fading Im afraid So I will just have to top up my glass again with a perfic single Malt, Im keeping OK But not as strong as I would like to be, Of course heading towards 83 I suppose I should be greatful As I am of course, I hope I wake up in the morning feeling very stiff, 
, Regards Larry.
Bumper this is the Foden that Harry Plant drove for Tilcons at their Gateshead Trumix Plant on Saltmeadows Road, Regards Larry.
Hi Diesel Dave, Larry and Bumper!
Thank you so much for this. Harry Plant… hmmm, my mother had a cousin named Dolores Plant, so I would wager that will be another familiar link.
The photo of the Foden is fab, similar to the newer model that Grandpa drove at Blue Circle. I’ll write again over the weekend, in danger of being locked in at work
Ellie x
PS Larry - 83 - young lad still!
Larry, harry plant finished his time at van hee had one of the Volvo 86 then a four wheel seddon, always a true gentleman must be about 15 years since he died. where have all the years gone
