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In Step, Nov 1967, retirements
Albert Greaves : first man in at Newton Road
Some 45 years ago when Mr. John White moved from his small premises in Church Street to the large factory in Newton Road, the first of 30 employees to join him there was Mr. Albert Greaves. In September, Mr. Greaves, 65, retired from his post in the Lasting Department at Lime Street, and was duly honoured by the firm and by his colleagues.
Our picture catches an informal moment of relaxation in the shop as Mr. Greaves was receiving a handsome clock, expressing the good wishes of all his workmates. The presentation was made by Managing Director Mr. Martin O'Connor, who thanked him for his many years of service with the company and wished him a happy retirement.
Mr. Greaves, who lives at Westfield Avenue, Rushden, intends now to take things easily, has no special plans for the future; but immediately, he and his wife were looking forward to a month's visit with their married son and his family in Plymouth. The Greaves also have a married daughter.
In Step and all John White staff extend wishes for many happy days to come, with plenty of 'time on his hands'.
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Melbourne Willey : most familiar face at Higham
One of the most familiar faces at Head Office for many years, has been that of Mr. Melbourne Willey. To honour his 17 years of service with the firm and to mark his retirement in September, Mr. Willey was presented with a transistor radio by the directors and the staff at Head Office.
Mr. Willey, 65, joined the company as commissionaire at Head Office and caretaker at Prospect House, where he lived with his family until three years ago. Always a very active man, he has also been first aid officer and industrial civil defence officer for the firm at Head Office.
Prior to joining John White, he served with the police force for 25 years, achieving the rank of sergeant, and during the war he was a bomb reconnaissance officer, stationed at Finedon, Northants. He has long been active with the St. John Ambulance Brigade, in which he is a superintendent and Brigade Instructor.
In retirement, Mr. Willey will continue with these various activities, and hopes to have more time for his favourite hobby, photography, in which he does his own developing and printing.
"I believe my wife is expecting me to do a few chores around the house,' he confides, "but between my photography and first-aid talks to organisations and clubs, I won't have much time even for that."
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Sid Smart: last of the Lime Street 'originals'
Sid Smart, the last of the original foremen who helped start the Lime Street works just before the war, has retired - reluctantly!
It is a big wrench for a man like Sid to leave shoes after a life-time inhaling the scent of leather.
Fond of a chin-wag, Sid will tell you that back in the old days when he was a lad at home, he had to move half-made shoes aside from the table before he could have his tea after school!
Then the soles were delivered at his Earls Barton home for nailing and, as children he, his four brothers and two sisters helped their mother and father produce boots for the troops fighting in the mud of Flanders. Sid is the last member of his family to retire. All served in the shoe trade.
Born in 1902, Sid has completed 52 years in the business, the last 30 of them with John White.
But the fit and alert Sid will not rest during his retirement. A keen bowler-he played 10 times for Northamptonshire's county team and represented Earls Barton for 30 years - he may roll a wood again.
If they want me to help out here I'll come back like a shot,' he says.
Any other plans for the long retirement ? One of Sid's three children is a plumber and decorator in business on his own account. 'Perhaps I'll become a part-time plumber's mate?' he jokes.
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| This picture was taken at John White's Higham Ferrers factory in 1952. Geoff Ashby is taking a cup of tea from Mrs E Freeman, and he is wearing an apron to protect his midriff whilst working at his bench. These leather aprons were often self-made, with button holes cut for straps to hold it in place, round the neck, or over the shoulders, and around the waist. |
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George Warren (right) - Lime Street factory manager
Also (left) is Arthur Keech and his wife |
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A retirement presentation in the Closing Room possibly at Lime Street.
The lady, left of the man making the presentation to a retiree, is Mrs Gwen Hunt.
Please can you name anyone else or date the picture?
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George Warren making a retirement presentation in the Closing Room
at Lime Street. The floor is of cedar wood.
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Managers at Lime Street Factory
George White 1958-1970 (right) and George Warren 1971-1978 (left)
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| Evening Telegraph, 17th July 1980 - Workers retiring |
TEN shoe workers were given the chance of selecting their own presents when they retired from John White's Footwear this week.
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1980 Mr Langton with Horace Britten and Kitch Pettit
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Mr Langton gave each employee a voucher which they can spend locally on whatever they wish to buy.
The size of each voucher depended on the number of years the workers had been with the firm.
Fellow workers also chipped in to buy their colleagues presents.
The 10 who retired are: Mr Kitch Pettit (52 years with the company), Mr Albert Church (51 years), Mr Horrace Brittain (45 years), Mr George Tomlin (35 years), Mr Mick Halloran (33 years), Mrs Agnes Chettle (31 years), Mrs Hilda James (30 years), Mr Ron Goodman (24 years), Mr Frank Gee (three years) and Mr Ray Robinson (two years).
All the employees worked at John White's Lime Street, Rushden, factory.
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