factory profile

Mr. Horace Attley Horace joined the firm in 1922 and at that time was living at Ringstead from where he cycled daily to word for 17 years. During this time he has worked in various rooms and is quite adaptable, at present he is working in the cemented plant. A keen footballer in his younger days he played for Ringstead and is now an ardent supporter of the ‘Cobblers’ and very rarely misses a match. He is now serving under his third generation of the Horrell family and looks good for several more years yet.

Departmental News

Lasting Room

Deaths

Mr. ‘Alf’ Bond, formerly a foreman in the Lasting Room, passed away on March 20^th after a long illness. Our sympathies go out to Mrs. Bond and her family.

At the time of writing Mr. Arthur Groome, of the Lasting Room, is still absent through illness since December, after entering hospital for an operation on his leg, but complications arose. A collection was taken on his behalf realising a total of £7. 5s 0d. We send him our best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Closing Room

Retirement
	Miss Elsie Dunkley who retired on Friday March 23rd, after forty six years’ service with the firm as a closing machinist on Oxford Vamps was presented with a tea-set from the directors, and a handbag from her work mates.

Office

Awards

Mr. John (Hank) Denton took three prizes at the 1961 Annual Prize Award at the Boot and Shoe Technical School and obviously believes in the old saying.

His reputation at local Bingo sessions raises many eyebrows, where his winnings are now well into double figures!!

Engagements

Miss Sandra Ashpole (Office) to Mr. Steve Knighton, both of Irthlingborough on March 31^st. Miss Pat Oliver (Office) to Mr. Rod Waterfield both of Rushden, on April 21^st. Mr. John Denton (Office) to Miss Jean Rollings both of Rushden, on May 5^th.

Clicking Room

Most of us have changed our spots in the Clicking Room recently, but several of the younger elements in the Room had had spots of a different nature during the recent epidemic of German Measles.

Terry Baxter is due for release from the Army during the next few weeks. During his service he has become quite a marksman and represented his unit at Bisley.

Finishing Room

As these notes go to press Mrs. Jim Graham will be visiting relatives in the United States, we all wish her a happy stay.

The Finishing Room Savings Bank has had a record year and some members are continually singing “You’ve gotta have money in the bank, Frank.”

The Finishing Room pontoon dinner was held at the Unicorn Inn on May 10^th, catering was by Cox’s Cafe and fifty men sat down to an excellent meal with liquid refreshment. For those who had failed to win during the football season it was a very good consolation prize. After the meal and a vote of thanks to the caterers and mine hosts, a skittle tournament was arranged and was eventually won by Mr. Eddie Ekins, and by doing so stopped a long series of domination of round robins and easy wins by the two skittle sharks Bob Scott and Stewart Horn. Bob Scott had his revenge by knocking down seven pins and three pints of beer at the same throw with one ball. Mr. Ken Smith and Mr. Jack Lilley were among those present and took their fair share of everything going. For some it was an early night and for one or two stalwarts rather late, two foremen, who shall be nameless, sticking it to the bitter end.

Late News

Engagements

On April 21^st Miss Margaret Church became engaged to Mr. Cliff Savage.

Weddings

On June 9^th Miss Doreen Clipston to Mr. Alec Foster, of Kettering, at Thrapston Register Office.

Mrs. Sumpter gained a daughter-in-law in the shape of a former ‘Oral’ telephonist, when her son, Peter, married Miss Susan Wright on June 2^nd.

Is  it the Twister!!!

Whoever said the twist was for the under forties would have raised many an eyebrow, when the biggest twisters at a recent Oral Dance were Mr. Don Green and Rene Bland, and Mr. Dennis Chapman and Mrs. Sylvia Goodfellow.

Ship Ahoy!

Mrs. Goodfellow launched her new boat recently, but found herself adrift and hand paddled back through the reeds. We trust that her next effort at doing a Kon Tiki will not find her on the French Riviera.

Strange Fruit

When Mrs. Annie Garton moved into her new bungalow at 33 Drayton Road, Irthlingborough, recently she found three American Thorn Apple Trees in the garden, the larger one was in flower and the other two bore the characteristic spiked fruit.

Congratulations

Best wishes to Mrs. Irena Tebbutt who was 21 on June 6^th.

the Baxters of Oral

Terry Baxter joined the firm in 1954 as a clicker, and at the time of going to press is just completing his National Service, where he has made his mark as a marksman. We trust that when he returns he may still have the same accuracy when he bowls once more for the ‘Oral’ cricket team, cricket being one of the games he enjoys. Carol, who joined in 1955, works in the Closing Room on under-edge trimming, and one of her favourite pastimes is gardening. We wish them both many more happy years with ‘Oral’.