Hello Carl,
Hope your’e ok,
If my memory serves me correctly, the working relationship between Peter and Bob Harold began to deteriorate soon after his stroke. At this time (1983-1984) the Paintshop was at South moor - Stanley, and for whatever reason Bob wanted to dissolve the partnership and move to other larger premises, firstly at Greencroft , then later at Harelaw, Stanley.
At this time, the business was so profitable and very busy, that it was turning work down, such a reputation that it had then.
Eventually Bob moved to Greencroft, and the partnership was dissolved, Dad brought his brother Trevor into the business,but sadly he and trevor used to fight like cat and dog all the time.
When dad got his driving licence back from the doctors, he was driving Saab Turbo cars, mostly because he liked them to be solid, dependable and safe cars. Bob on the other hand had a massively big 450 SEL Mercedes- Benz saloon car, I can still remember the registration no : 121 COO. This was a real gas guzzler, and cost an absolute fortune back then to run.
For whatever reasons that I will not disclose fully here, Dad and Bob fell out big time over certain jobs, and payments for work supplied and completed. I’m a good believer in “what goes around - comes around”, it’s just sad to think that all the times Dad helped Bob, with getting good customers, such as W.H Williams, amongst others, Bob chose to help himself, than to give to others, and that I can’t understand even now, 28 years later.
Best regards
Phil.
PHILBUTLER:
Hello Carl,
Hope your’e ok,
If my memory serves me correctly, the working relationship between Peter and Bob Harold began to deteriorate soon after his stroke. At this time (1983-1984) the Paintshop was at South moor - Stanley, and for whatever reason Bob wanted to dissolve the partnership and move to other larger premises, firstly at Greencroft , then later at Harelaw, Stanley.
At this time, the business was so profitable and very busy, that it was turning work down, such a reputation that it had then.
Eventually Bob moved to Greencroft, and the partnership was dissolved, Dad brought his brother Trevor into the business,but sadly he and trevor used to fight like cat and dog all the time.
When dad got his driving licence back from the doctors, he was driving Saab Turbo cars, mostly because he liked them to be solid, dependable and safe cars. Bob on the other hand had a massively big 450 SEL Mercedes- Benz saloon car, I can still remember the registration no : 121 COO. This was a real gas guzzler, and cost an absolute fortune back then to run.
For whatever reasons that I will not disclose fully here, Dad and Bob fell out big time over certain jobs, and payments for work supplied and completed. I’m a good believer in “what goes around - comes around”, it’s just sad to think that all the times Dad helped Bob, with getting good customers, such as W.H Williams, amongst others, Bob chose to help himself, than to give to others, and that I can’t understand even now, 28 years later.
Best regards
Phil.
Hi Phil
Thank you for your reply.
When you see your dad, Peter, please give him my good wishes.
When Peter came to us he always drove large Volvo Estates, He always swore by them and he always seemed to have a new one.
It’s strange how money appears to have gone to Bob’s head. When Peter first started bringing Bob with him, Bob was very young, and worked for the trailer manufacture I seem to remember. If my memory serves me right Bob often travelled after work to Spennymoor directly from work in Stanley to help Peter. Much of our lettering was quite big, on the vans, and Peter used to paint the outlines leaving Bob to infill. I suppose it got Peter finished an hour or so earlier on what was always a very late night.
I think Peter was trying to teach Bob signwriting, and perhaps it was fortunate , from how he turned that he was not cut out for it. However Bob was an excellent, exceptional painter. I always remember dad telling bob that he wanted the internal office doors paining with a mirror like finish. Bob painted them and I am sure no one could have achieved better. Testament to their joint work can be seen in the photos of our vintage vans. Dad decided that out coach painters could not achieve the result he was looking for on these two vans and Bob painted and Peter lettered and the results are recorded on the photos.
Bob should have worshiped your dad’s feet, because of what Peter did for him. Without peter he would probably have been a good coach painter, but he was just a normal lad and would have spent his life in employment, but never would have been able to start his own business.
Once again, Phil
Best wishes
Carl
Most recent list of employees brought up to date by latest information given
Aaron Smith
Alan Angus
Alan Brown
Alan Henderson Fleet Engineer
Alan Robinson
Alan Stout
Alan Wharrier
Andrew Sottt Commercial Director
Angela Newcastle office
Anne Walton/Askwith Spennymoor Office
Arthur Ovington
Arthur Crooks
Arthur Ridley
Barry Lauder
Bev Easter
Bill Bailey
Billy Bennet
Bill Dixon
Bill Foster (Bilco)
Billy Turnbull
Bill Welford
Bill Westgarth Fitter
Billy Raine
Billy Petty Security
Bob Bradley
Bob Heathwaite
Bob Hobson
Bob marsden
Bob pinkney Died at the wheel of heart attack in Lancs driving FUP145C
Bob Wetherall First fully qualified accountant employed, left to be head accountant at Ladbroke’s Hotels division
Brian Archer
Brian Askwith
Brian Spark Accountant Spennymoor office
Brian Sheldon
Brian Winter
Brian Wragg Apprentice
Carl Williams Director/ Company Secretary
Caroline Vane
Cess Ramsey
Charlie Brown
Christine Oliver Female Class 1 Driver
christine Ede Spennymoor Office
Christine Harland Spennymoor Office
Christine Heale Spennymoor Office
Clifford Smiles
Colin pinkney
Colin Porter Fitter
Colin Sumpton
Colin Watson
Colin Williams
Dale harrison
Darren Brown
Dave Brannon Fitter
Dave Hastie
Dave Heron
dave Pope
David Dalrymple Removal Sales
Davina Spennymoor office
Dennis Bradey
Dennis Lee
Diane Spennymoor Office Lived in Durham
■■■■ Porter Fitter
■■■■ Lowes
Eddie Brown
Eddy Donnelly
Eddie Worthington
Eddy Ramsey
Eddy Thornton Workshop Manager/Transport
Eric Nelson
Farrah Clark
Frank Morgan Orriginally driver then went on, after loosing arm to look after Wilcomatic Vehicle Wash and parking
Fred Nelson
Freddie Prest
Fred Thirlaway
Fred Winter
Freddie Wallace
Geoff Welford
George Graham
George Gleason
George Hardy Fitter
George Sykes
George Meek
Gordon Ball
George Todd
Gordon Jackson
Gordon Elsom
Graham McKenna
Harry Blatchford
Harry Blyth
Harry Brain
Harry Hawkins
Harry Smith
Harry Whitehead
Henry Barras
Hillary Harrison
howard Rushton
Ian Askwith
Jack Birch
Jack Wilkinson
James Sproull
Janette McDonad Drove 4 wheeler Laird Flat to Oldham each day Roping and Sheeting
Jeff Pye
Jeff Cooper
Jenny Myers Spennymoor Office
Jim cairey
Jim Ferguson
Jim Kirk
Jim Lupton
Jim Wilson London Depot manager
Jimmy Clements
Jimmy Testo
Jock Weatherstone
Jock Spennymoor Transport Office Ex ATM and Ramar
Joe carpenter
Joe Pennington
John Beaumont
John Chapman
John Clancey
John Coed Aprentice Mecanic
John Glancey
John Hetherington
John Hughes
John Hull
John Mortimer
John Nixon
John Storey Apprentice Transport Manager
John Tobin
John Ward
John Willets
John Wood Coachskill body shop
joy Bunting Spennymoor office nicknaed Blondie
Keith Dixon
Ken Armtrong Fitter
Keith Brown
Keith Payne
Keith Winter
Ken Atkinson Painter
Ken Dagga
Kenny Hardy
Kenny Hodgson
Kenny nelson
kenny Smallman
Kenny Smith
Kenny Thompson Apprentice
Kenny Thrower
John Vasey
Laurece Petch
Laurie hawkins
Les Aislesby
Les Davies
Les Warnet
Linda Irving Lived in Grange Est Spennymoor Wages Clerk last few years emigated to Australia
Linda Turnbull Spennymoor Office
Malcolm Stephenson
Malcome Marsden Removal Sales/ mail Order office
Margaret O’Hern Class 1 female driver lived at Near Scots Corner
Marilyn mason Marmaduke Street/ Green Lane office
Martin Haliday
Martin Wade Fitter
Mickie Solo Fitter
Mick Robson Driver from Bishop Auckland
Mrs Dennis Marmaduke Street/ Green Lane office
Neil Evans
Neil I’anson
Norman Robinson
Norman Snowball
Norman Flatman Transport Magager Spennymoor office
Ozzie Boomfied
Pam Receptionist Telephonist Spennymoor Office ex ATM
Pat Mccabe Spennymoor Office
Paul Sandford
Patrick Cavagner Newcastle Office manager
Pauline hood Spennymoor Office
Peter Aspinall
Peter Caywood
Peter Clearey
Peter Holliday
Peter moore
Peter Wilson
Peter Windship
Phil Reilly Spennymoor Warehouse Manager
Ray Hornby
Ray Juler
Raymond Russell Fitter/Tyre Fitter/ Recovery Driver/ Class 1 driver
Roger Owen
Ronnie Briggs
Ronnie Harris
Ronnie Wensley
Ronny Allison
Shiela Marmaduke Stree/ Green Lane office
Shiela Juler Office cleaner Green Lane
Shirley cuttey Spennymoor Office
Stan Harper Fitter
Steven (Stevie) Newcombe
Stehen Cairns Fitter
Susan Firth Spennymoor Office
Susan Spennymoor Office Lived in Darlington
Sydney Credit controler ex Homeworthy Accountant
Taffy Evans
Ted Sawley
Ted Wells
Terry Stores Manager from Wolsingham
Terry Fullard
Terry Sumpton
Tommy Bowen
Tommy Brophy
Tommy Clements
Tommy Coates
Tommy magles Fitter
Tommy Stoddart
Tony Dark skinned driver class 3
Tony Aspinall
Tony Hawkins
Tony Kirk
Trevor Shaw
Valerie Powell Spennymoor Office
Vic Britton
Vic Young Fitter
Yvonne Spennymoor office lived in Chilton
W.H.Williams (Harry) Managing Director
W.H.Williams Snr Founder and orriginal Propriator
On the list finally found out name of Angela, but not surname who worked in the Newcastle Office.
I remember she moved in with Kenny Thrower to a bungalow in Chester Le Street. When we finished Kenny started a driving school.
I never really saw eye to eye with Kenny, and was not in total agreement when dad promoted him, but I still was very sad to hear he had passed away.
My stupid laptop is playing up again. Arrow on screen disapears and then it crashes. Hope to be back to normal tomorrow
Reading in the paper today about the female soldier who gave birth on the front line brings back my memory of when Barbara Pye, Geoff’s daughter who has contributed to this thread, was born.
It was during his time, when he was employed by us as Warehouse Manager for our warehouse at our depot in Green Lane.
It is a story I knew about, as I was there at the time and it has been talked about, so often over the years.
Geoff had left his home in Birtley as normal, with no thoughts of starting a family. His wife, who was always very slim, had no suspicion that she might be pregnant.
About 11-00is a message came out over the tanoy. ‘Can Geoff Pye urgently come to the drivers’ rest room and see Eddy Thornton?
Geoff left the warehouse and walked over to the rest room and met Eddy Thornton who was sat at the long desk in the traffic office adjourning the rest room.
‘You need to go home urgently, Geoff, your wife has had a baby’.
‘Are you having me on’ replied Geoff,’she’s not even pregnant.
That was the time that Geoff found out he was a father, with a lovely baby daughter.
As the Pye’s had no phone, all those years ago he had to travel to Birtley, in the company minivan, he was using those days to find his new daughter happily sleeping in a chest drawer. The only suitable place, as they had no cot or anything else, and when the midnight delivered the baby she had had to improvise.
Just been reading the list of employees from years ago. Some of these names are ingrained in my memory due to doing the weekly payroll. Certainly brought back memories. Christine Henderson was Heale.
825christineh:
Just been reading the list of employees from years ago. Some of these names are ingrained in my memory due to doing the weekly payroll. Certainly brought back memories. Christine Henderson was Heale.
Hi Christine,
Wonderful to hear from you. How are you? Like me you will be 65 now?
You must have many memories to tell and when you gave out the wages you will remember the faces to go with the names. Please try to tell a few tales on this site.
Hope you are well
Best wishes
Carl
I particularly remember Friday afternoons giving out the wages. I sometimes had abuse from the drivers about their wages (especially when they’d been down the Volti for a few shandies). If you remember, I would stand for no ■■■■ and lock myself in the office. Your dad always came up from the transport office and sit on the edge of my desk and with a smile would ask me what the problem was. He always sorted it for me. He didn’t agree with the drivers using bad language. I had great respect for your dad. He was a grand bloke. I was very sorry to hear of his passing. Chris
825christineh:
I particularly remember Friday afternoons giving out the wages. I sometimes had abuse from the drivers about their wages (especially when they’d been down the Volti for a few shandies). If you remember, I would stand for no [zb] and lock myself in the office. Your dad always came up from the transport office and sit on the edge of my desk and with a smile would ask me what the problem was. He always sorted it for me. He didn’t agree with the drivers using bad language. I had great respect for your dad. He was a grand bloke. I was very sorry to hear of his passing. Chris
Hi Christine,
I have written on this thread that I always liked to see a line up on the steps leading upstairs of drivers questioning their wages, as it showed they had been calculated correctly. Like me, I am sure you never got a query where someone thought they had been paid too much, but I am sure you will agree we were always fair, and if a mistake did happen it was always corrected.
Thanks Christine for your kind remarks about dad, as I can honestly say he always tried to be fair, and treat everyone alright.No doubt you will remember, he did loose his temper and swear quite a lot at drivers from time to time, but they would have deserved it. However he did respect female employees and would not swear at them.
He always told me , never ask someone to do anything you cannot do yourself, and I think that is something that is very true today, when so many so called bosses havent a clue what their staff are doing.
Looking forward to reading more of your memories
Carl
I’ve read the post about the Burroughs accounting machine. I can remember the arrival of this monstrosity and the bloke who came out to show me how to use it. It was daunting, to say the least and I lost a couple of night’s sleep worrying in case it hadn’t sunk in. I can remember the check digit at the end of each process which ensured you had entered the correct information. I had to override this digit sometimes when the driver’s information had changed such as Tax Code etc. The computer was a great improvement even though it used to take half an hour to boot up on a morning. One week I was nearly finished the payroll and the electric went off and I lost all that day’s work. I had to stay back on the night and do it over again. Oh, happy days.
animal:
Barbra this is an open forum so anyone can see you mobile number maybe remove it & send it in a pm would be best as there are some trolls about
Nice reading still & nice to see more on here to contribute
cheers for that i’m gonna do that just incase ■■
hi my dad is going into hospital within the next few weeks to have a cataract removed on 1 eye then a few weeks later getting the other 1 done .
he’s hoping to be at the reunion my brother is coming with him just to keep a eye on him ■■
wombat2010:
hi my dad is going into hospital within the next few weeks to have a cataract removed on 1 eye then a few weeks later getting the other 1 done .
he’s hoping to be at the reunion my brother is coming with him just to keep a eye on him ■■
Hi Barbara
Hope everything goes well for Geoff and he’ll find it wnderful to have his sight better again.
I am sure your brother will be greated well, my son, Paul is going with me, so at least there will be someone else in his age group, as well of all of us old cogies
Carl
Yes Carl definitely speak for yourself !!!
Peter
Hi Christine and Peter,
Don’t fool yourselves.
Christine,you and I probably met for the first time in the maternity hospital at Croxdale, as you were just three days younger than me
And remember Peter, you are not that many years younger.
I have broken my laptop again (dropping it on the floor!) so I am using an ancient one, until it gets repaired. It’s painful , I type and the words apear minutes later
Best wishes
Carl
Dear Carl. I am still definitely NOT an old fogie. In my mind I’m still 21, even though my body lets me down occasionally. I hope they have some music on at the reunion and you and me can get up and have a rave. ha ha Chris ■■
825christineh:
Dear Carl. I am still definitely NOT an old fogie. In my mind I’m still 21, even though my body lets me down occasionally. I hope they have some music on at the reunion and you and me can get up and have a rave. ha ha Chris ■■
I know how you feel, Christine , I can beat you because I feel 16 , because they don’t let me drive anymore, and I can remember, better from those days than I do today, but I never look in a mirror, because I would never recognise who I would see.
Can you remember what year you left?
You would be there when Bob Wetherall, with the beard, and Brian Spark later took over as the Accountant.
Bob was very good at his job, but alas Brian was not so capable.
Were you there when I put the VAT chap in the archives storage room (No windows) to carry out his VAT inspection. All you girls hated going in there as you all said there were spidersv inside?
Carl
I can remember having to spend a lot of time in the storage room on a night looking through the old log sheets after the CID came about the Yorkshire Ripper investigation. They came with a list of places and dates which coincided with the murders and I had to check to see if any drivers had been there. After that I didn’t like staying late on Fridays to give out the wages upstairs on my own in case one of them was the Ripper. Can you remember this? I left around 1980 and went to work at Sedgefield Council. I worked in various departments eventually ending up in wages for a good while. I didn’t really like working there much. It didn’t have that friendly atmosphere that a small, family run business has. Chris