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If you want to leave a public reminiscence, or question about Metrovick, please add it as a comment to this post (by clicking "comment" or "comments" below). I will then reformat it as a post for others to view.
Can I say that I have had one or two emails from companies seeking spares for MV equipment. Please understand that this is an historic document. I can't help in any way with that kind of request.
Best wishes,
Jim
Back to the book.
7 comments:
Hello Mr. Lawton, My name is Ted Washbrook and I live in Perth Western Australia. My wife, Brenda was a telephonist at Metropolitan Vickers in about 1960-61. As we are coming up to our 34th anniversary I thought it would be a fitting thing if I could get some memorial of her time at MetroVick such as an employment record or the such. I ask your advice if this is possible. Regards, Ted Washbrook
I have read the book with some personal interest. My name is Richard Hodge and I currently live in Perth, Scotland. My interest is particularly focused on a former Metrovick emmployee R A McKinstry (not Sir Archibald) who was working as a Development Engineer at West Works in 1943 when I was born. Although I was adopted in 1944 my surname at birth was McKinstry. He was at that time married to my mother Gladys Mckinstry who lived in Norwich but he is not my father. I have no wish to make contact with either of them but I would be interested in finding out what he actually worked on and maybe what happened to him.
I would be grateful for any information, however slight, that could be supplied.
Yours,
Richard Hodge
Hello Mr. Lawton, My name is Dietrich ECKARDT; I am working on a history of Brown Boveri's (BBC) gas turbines - and related aero engine excursions, both to Germany and England, before and during WW II. I strongly believe in personal aspects of otherwise pure technical progress. On P.215 of the MV Book is described, how MV was contacted by RAE and involved in joint jet engine developments after 1936, leading to the Metrovick F2 engine in 1943 eventually. MV's Chief Mech. Engineer Karl Baumann was Swiss, coming out of Stodola's camp of assistants at ETH Zurich in 1906/7. Another assistant colleague of that time was Adolf Meyer, who became director of BBC's power division till 1946. I assume the early acquaintance of Baumann/ Meyer was helpful (even though in view of principle competition between both companies), a)when RAE's Alan A.Griffith(?) and Hayne Constant were visiting BBC in Baden/Switzerland in 1937 and/or 1938 to discuss axial compressor technology in detail and b) Meyer was invited to a comprehensive GT advertising lecture to I.Mech.E. London on Feb.24, 1939. In this respect, MV's role in developing the first all-axial jet engine in England may go beyond pure detail engineering/production support. It would be nice to learn more about these connections, e.g. is there known: - if Karl Baumann joined the group travel to Baden? - if he stayed in England after retirement?
Congratulations for bringing this great piece of engg. history to the internet.
Dietrich ECKARDT, Prof.Dr.-Ing., Alstom (Switzerland)Ltd., Baden CH
Jan.02, 2010
Hello Mr Lawton, My name is Stanley W Ellison. I started my Trade Apprenticeship on the 13th Aug 1945,at Metrovick. VJ day was next day. I still have letters I received from the company and also a copy of the book issued in 1949. in 1990 I took early retirement when working in West Works (then G.E.C.) I was probably one of the last remaining original apprentices. As I left on my last day it felt like I was leaving a ghost town, and many memories passed through my mind. I now live in Scotland and on a recent visit to Manchester, I was sad to discover the factory has all gone
My grandfather R.M.A Smith, came out with AEI and worked on the Wairakei Geothermal Station at Taupo,NZ ( and others I'm not aware of ) and stayed in New Zealand. I have a book from his time with MV but it is not this one - it is titled MV Contribution to Victory (1947) and a softcover booklet titled This is AEI in New Zealand.
I also have ( somewhere ) a certificate given for development of the Riplay system ( my grandfather and two others ) which I believe is the base for our Ripple Relay hot water system nowadays .........
My ancestor worked at Vickers in Manchester then, in 1914, moved down to Bexley in Kent, I believe, on a transfer. The only Vickers I can find close to where they lived is Vickers Ltd of Crayford. Is there any link?
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