BELLIS

I have decided to include this page as a tribute to Belliss & Morcom in Ladywood

If you have any photographs of Belliss and Morcom and would like to see them on this website

These photographs are copyright and must not be used for any commercial purposes or exhibitions without permission

Our father, William Humphreys (known as Bill) lost his left arm just below the elbow in 1945 due to a factory accident and, as a result, had to seek more sedentary work thereafter.

He was given an artificial left arm and hand and, luckily, he was still able to write with his right hand. We believe he started working at Belliss & Morcom in Ledsam Street around 1950, as a Watchman.

We often, as children, would take his lunch sandwiches round to him and recall his little office. When he left B&M he became a Car Park Attendant at the Ice Rink on Summer Hill and, thereafter, worked as the Ice Rink's Cloakroom Attendant.

We wonder if anyone out there remembers him.

Our biggest regret is that the advent of personal computers did not come into being in our parents' time. We can only imagine how thrilled he would have been to "see" someone he knew on the Belliss & Morcom site pictures.

Babs & Rog Humphreys

Paul Evans

Like so many readers found the website by just browsing, I did a six year apprenticeship, HND from 1979 to 1985 (a pup in comparison to some of the readers), originally started under Jeff Payne, who left half way through my term there, and my apprenticeship was extended.

Worked in the drawing office under Norman Carrodine and Burt Lavis, who used to flick cigarette ash all over the place I seem to remember, and finally ended up in the last 2 years with Alan Wycherley, that name pops up a lot, was assigned with Cliff Knight, who sadly died during my term there, went to Alan's house when he had a ‘steam’ day, you don’t appreciate those things so much then as I would now.

I found I had a great foundation for my career from Belliss and have had the opportunity to travel all over the world and had an absolute blast if I am honest.

The Monday club was set up by two gentlemen One was the personnel manager who had a replacement leg (can’t remember his name) and Charles Fitter, who I was good friends with, they started meeting in John Lewis in Birmingham after the redundancies and numbers grew and were asked eventually to find another venue! Never shopped at John Lewis since.

I was in Birmingham many years ago in Ladywood and went for a nosey, it was they were ripping out the old power station which was criminal to see, did a bout in there during the summer shutdown.

Well done with the web site

Regards

Paul Evans

Rotating Equipment Engineer

John Stevens

I was an apprentice at Belliss & Morcom Ltd from 1953 till 1959. I finished up in the Turbine Test house before going in the Royal Artillery, for my National. Service in January 1960, I rejoined the company in February 1962.

I then became an outwork engineer in the South of England. My nickname became Piggy No 2, Alan Wycherley was Piggy No 1, because we were 1st and 2nd in a Belching contest set up in the engine test house, Jack Price was the chief tester.

I worked with Roger Neal in the fitters gallery, I wonder if he remembers the rough times the senior apprentices gave us, trying to keep us back after all others had gone home.

I do remember the following, Frank Wilson, (Supt.) Arthur Downton and Norman Weaver (his charge hand). I also met him later when we both worked at the West Midlands Gas Board, George Bradley, George Rudge (a short very strong man), Ken Taylor, Don Peplow (one of the best fitters I ever worked with), Eric Wilcox, Wally Richmond and Peter Parker (I worked with Wally and Peter years later at General Foods Ltd. in Banbury).

I spent some time working down south with Jack Souden.

Does anyone remember what happened to Alan Wycherleys museum of small steam engines, including single cylinder Belliss, and Sissons, that he set up in his garden at his home? This was superb, every one polished and painted, together with the large shed they were in.

The photo is of one of two B&M Steam Engines that I overhauled and erected at the Chelmsford Timber Co., this company ran the boilers on waste wood and chippings from the mill, the two engines then took it in turn to supply the power to drive all the mill woodworking machines. I now live in Hook Norton, Oxfordshire. I would love to hear from anyone who remembers me or any other ex employee from Belliss's.

The only Belliss engine now on show is in the Think Tank and and is the very earliest one they had. The others are still in storage, I have complained to Think Tank, as I worked hard getting one of the engines up to museum standard when I was an apprentice.

Does any one remember the British Industries Fair at Castle Bromwich? One of the Morcom family was the President of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and in that year Belliss & Morcom decided to place an Eight Cylinder 22std. Oil Engine right in the centre of the indoor exhibition, that took some doing.

I had the pleasure during my apprenticeship of helping to erect this at the fair after polishing all the nuts and lacquering them. I then spent two weeks on the stand with the sales staff, mostly spent sliding down the handrails from the platform without touching the steps; this was to amuse all the onlookers. I did take great joy telling the public we started the engine by pulling the little lever on the auxiliary oil pump. I lived then in Ward End, so I assume I got the job because I lived the nearest to the site.

John Stevens

Memories of Derek Webb

I also don't know what prompted me to Google the old firm today. I'm glad I did!

I only wish I had photographs and could remember more names than I do.

I was apprenticed between 1951 and 1956 coming from King Edward V1 Grammar School just round the corner from Ledsam Street. I had not the slightest desire to be an engineer but my father was determined and signed me up for the 5 years.

I began in the fitter’s gallery, can't for the life of me remember the name of the grumpy old guy in charge, think it was Ernie something. He had a brother who worked in another department.

At one time, I was mate to a Bill...?... who was an avid snuff taker and who's nose ran continuously. I think this was in the erection shop. Can't even remember the names of the various departments I worked in, except the turbine drawing office under Bill?

Does anyone remember Garth Cockwill or Chuck Fellows? I do remember Alan Wycherley and Frank Wilson, also Bill Pessol and Ernie Mason. My time was pretty contemporary with Alan Wolton, who's name I do remember.

Also, where does the Monday Club meet?

I attach my coronation souvenir photo (I am 7 from the left back row) and a couple of photos taken during one of the 6 a side competitions at the sports club at Quinton.

Regards
Derek Webb
ps still playing match tennis and golf at 74

Memories of John Jarratt

Hi, I am an ex Belliss man. I started my apprenticeship in August 1960 starting in the apprentice school under the direction of Walter Richmond and Stan Freeman. From here I moved into the Arca shop, the foreman being Tony Whitherstone. I was put with Eddy Webster, Sid Colley (I was told both have passed on some years ago). From here I went into the boiler yard. The superintendant was Arthur Downton. The erectors were George Rudge, George Bradley, and Eric Wilcox. Ken Taylor was in charge of the test house. Belliss and Morcom fell on hard times and Ledsam Street works was moved to EMD. From here I worked in most departments. The test houses under Jack Panting (chief test engineer nicknamed Grandma by Alan Wycherley - he had a nick name for everyone but every one had one for him - Piggy Wycherley). I worked in the large Erecting Shop at that time. Frank Wilson was superintendant. Erectors Jack Kirby (he later became works superintendant), Frankey Boots, Don Peplow and Harold Hammond to name but a few.

Then onto the turbine shop. This is where my education in engineering started. The man in charge of this department was George Price. We had Bill Pessol (Bill was one of the finest engineers I have ever known. This man’s knowledge knew no bounds). The erectors at this time Jimmy Wilmot, Richard (Slim) Clark and Ernie Mason. Fitters Jack Holden, (Jack built all the turbine rotors - I have never met a man equal to Jack in the use of a file - he was magic), Peter Davies who did all the blading work, Cyril Wood was one of the bench fitters. I worked in the turbine test house with Albert Moore until I completed my time in 1964. During my Apprenticeship I did out- working, the first being Pyestock with George Price, Ernie Mason and Slim Clarke. This was the famous 1156T which replaced a gas turbine at the National Gas Turbine Establishment, Pyestock. Upon completion of my time, I was put into turbine shop as fitter, then erector, also doing outside work until I left at the beginning of January, 1976 to go to the Middle East to work for an oil company.

If there are any Ex-Belliss apprentices out there, please get in touch. I am still in contact with Bob Stanford who lives in South Africa and Bill McCarthy who lives in the same village as myself in the Highlands of Scotland! Bill is also in touch with Sid Ernshaw. Other names I remember were Tony Barber, David (nosey) Parker, David Wood, Ned Kelly, Barry (Bosch) Cother, Sid Ernshaw, Don Venn (Work Superintendent) and Bert Chew.

Best Regards,

John Jarratt

Memories of Vic Holloway

I too was a fitting apprentice at B & M starting on the gallery in 1934. On completion of my indentures at the outbreak of war in 1940, I was sent outworking to the fighter station at Biggin Hill and subsequently for the next three years all sorts of jobs all over the U.K. including the far north and Hebrides.

I joined R.E.M.E. when it was formed in 1944, in time for the Normandy landing and subsequently through to Germany and the Middle East. I have a few photographs, notes and instruction books relating to B & M.

I found your information very interesting and came across it whilst trying to find (without success) whether the B.& M steam engines that used to be in the old Science museum were now in the "Think Tank". Do you happen to know?

I'm too far away (Devon) and too old (90) to visit them anyway.

Regards
Vic Holloway

Memories of Alan Wolton

I don't know what prompted me to Google B & M today, but having arrived at your site I am delighted that I did.

I was an "Engineering" apprentice from 1949 to 1954, in the February of which I was promptly conscripted for National Service some days after my 21st birthday.

None of the 1953 photos that you have reproduced have the honour of showing my smiling and handsome features, which is probably just as well. Strangely my particular contemporaries as Engineering apprentices - John Sainsbury, Alan Parkinson and Peter Graham - have also escaped the photographer. We were not an unduly rebellious gang but we must have been up to something for all of us to have avoided washing our hands and faces. As an aside, I have often wondered whether it was pure coincidence, or the result of company policy, that all four of us - we started in the Fitters' Gallery EMD, on the same day - should have been the sons of widowed mothers.

I returned to the fold in 1956 after demob and spent a year in the Contract Department, mainly dealing with spare parts orders from overseas, the usual delivery times for major items rarely being less that 18 months (and we wonder why good old firms like Belliss faded away in the following years).

After that I spent about a year as an "Outworker" journeyman alongside some real old timer "Outside Engineers" and District Engineers doing overhauls, repairs and installations, in this country.

In 1957 I went to Iraq to install a 5 cylinder 22 Standard oil engine generator set and to overhaul two 18 standard and two 11 standard engines in an army garrison power station. These last having been put to work in 1939, run continuously turn and turn about, since then without having even had the valves reground. In the second Gulf war period this garrison - Al Musayib - was reported as a centre for missile manufacture; I wonder whether "my" gensets contributed?

By pure chance having completed the work, I came out the day before the rebellion in 1958 when the King, his uncle the Prince Regent and sundry courtiers were assassinated and the Europeans in particular those in or connected to government service had no fun at all.

Coincidentally, Reggie(?) Tongue - always pronounced "Tongoo" by the locals who did the 1939 installations had escaped in "his socks" at the outbreak of war, the Iraqis then being very pro-German.

After that I had a period back in the works as a refresher on steam turbines and then went to Nassau in the Bahamas (yes, the millionaires' playground) to install two 6MW generating sets, one a back pressure unit exhausting solely into a desalination plant by Weir of Glasgow and the other a pass-out/condensing set. The desalination unit was failure and was soon abandoned.

To the vast and everlasting amusement of friends and family my job-title in Nassau was "Erection Superintendent"!

Having said that it may be thought in poor taste but it has to be reported that I met and married my wife Margaret in Nassau, she being there as a Sister in the then Colonial Nursing Service. How the world has changed; under her contract the day she married she was immediately and automatically fired despite the UK government having gone to the expense of training her, transporting her to the hospital and the further expense of recruiting and installing a replacement.

When I got back to the works in 1960/1, I found sadly that things were not as they were, in particular the job that I had long been promised once the Nassau contract was finished was no longer on offer. So with mixed feelings I left following a bit of a shouting match.

The wheel did go round the circle, years later I started a specialist compressor rental company - "RENTAIR" and bought various Belliss machines, some of which played major parts in the construction, testing and commissioning of North Sea oil and gas pipelines.

I wonder whether you are aware of the "Monday Club", mainly dare I say, very old ex-employees amongst whom at 76, I am a kid, who meet on the first Monday of each month.

It is 18 months or so since I attended - Brum is a long way up and down the M5 from Taunton - when I visited the then partially demolished EMD works - what a shame, all that skill expertise and tradition gone for all time.

Alan Wolton

Memories of Roger Neal

I was an a fitting apprentice at Belliss and Morcom from April 1953 to March 1959, when I was sent outworking to South Wales where my first appointment was at Port Talbot gas plant installing a diesel driven gas compressor.

I have the instruction book of the installation of the oil engine, which was given to me prior to going to Port Talbot.

One other item that I have is a coronation photograph taken at the Ledsam street works, which is yet again different to the two that you are displaying, this particular photograph is of the apprentice machine shop under the foreman of Mr Richards.

I now live in mid Wales, but it was good to be reminded of the Belliss years, I have been following the events of the factory since its was first demolished.

Belliss & Morcom Staff and Apprentices

Coronation May 1953

The two photographs below, show the inside of the South Wales Gas Plant at Port Talbot in June 1959. Belliss & Morcom had the contract to supply five gas compressor units in the refurbished gas plant.

These two photographs below, show the on-going and final installation of the largest gas compressor unit inside of the South Wales Gas Plant at Port Talbot.

They were taken in June 1959, the completed unit was commissioned at the end of July 1959. There was no overhead crane to put the machinery in place, the lifting of the various components was contracted to a heavy lifting firm of "Wynn's", Newport

Regards

Roger Neal

The Heavy Machine Shop, 1927

The Heavy Machine Shop, 1964

Aerial view of Belliss & Morcom in Ledsam Street

Courtesy of Michael Kirk

Song sheet from the 1929 Annual Dinner

My granddad was John Franklin Raggett who lived in Bearwood and worked at B & M for many years retiring around 1948, I think.

He was an engineer.

I have enclosed a drawing and photo of the Explosion Chamber for Oil Motors, designed by him together with an amazing Menu and programme

for the staff ANNUAL DINNER 1929.

This includes the song sheet for the community singing   to the Chairman etc. It's all very touching and I hope it could be made available to old members of staff

as it is a wonderful reminder of how things were!

John Raggett's son, Ralph Alexander Raggett also worked at B&M

Does anyone remember them?

Michael Kirk

The Testing Department

The Pattern Shop

1923

The Machine Yard, 1923,

showing dressed castings ready for machining

The Erecting Shop, 1923, Boiler Yard

Belliss & Morcom, 1915

Engineers

Iron Foundry, 1823

J. Pain, A. Lock, W. H. Beet, E. L. J. Hetherington, T. E. Bellwood, G. A. Peckover, W. Colley, T. E. T. Taylor, B. D. Hogan, A. H. Witherstone, B. W. Deacon, G. Allis, D. J. Pressdee, R. B. Hubball, S. J. Salt, E. A Doe, B. V. Holberry, F. A. Marsh, D. Horton, E. G. Toogood, W. K. Bache, T. Lawrence, D. D. Venn, G. Bowker *Photograph courtesy of Graham Taylor* *Picture of his late brother Trevor Taylor*
W. W. Stephenson, E. E. Williams, F. G. Wilson, V. Andrews, H. Hammond, K. Sanford, A. Noakes, H. Hadley, L. C. Truman, E. Frazer, W. J. Jenkins, J. Ruth, J. Cox, C. Pagett, J. Nevitt, J. Lakin, F. H. Barnes, A. R. Martin, J. Birch, N. H. Fitter, F. Crowley, H. E. Purnell, W. Thompson, H. J. Williams, E. Gallagher, A. E. Stanton Photograph courtesy of Bob Williams Mr. E. Williams is Bob's grandfather
	Do you know any of the people in this photograph? It was taken Thursday, 28th April 1955. The trophy is the Silversmiths Cup (Works League), won Saturday, 23rd April v Birmingham Mint - 3 - 1 Back row:- J. Wilkinson (man), P. Green, B. Hewett, D. Stevens, J. Morrall, K. Taylor, D. Lamb, R. Gurley, M. Canning. Front row:- M. Stirk, T. Jeavons, T. Amos (sec) E. Hunt(cap) ??? S. Wilson B. Apperley. Roy Gurley and Mick Canning did not play in the final. Many thanks to John Morrall for the information
The Apprentices of Belliss and Morcom
	*These photographs were taken on* *19th May 2005* *Copyright Mac Joseph*

The inside of the Belliss and Morcom Factory, Ledsam Street, Ladywood. c.1920 Photograph courtesy of Birmingham Lives