Indentured apprentices
Apprenticeships is the current ‘buzz-word’, but during the 1960s apprenticeships were fairly common. During the 1960s and 1970s M B Metals, (later to become M B M Technology), was a large electro/mechanical engineering company, and employed about ten indentured apprentices at any one time. The firm was located in Norway Street, Vale Road, Wellington Road, Victoria Road and Mill Road all in Portslade; its major customer being the Ministry of Defence.
Do you remember MB Metals? Were you an apprentice? Please post a comment below
Five year training
The apprenticeship usually was for five years and the apprentices mostly attended either Brighton Technical College or Brighton Polytechnic which later became Brighton University. Apprentices studied Craft, Technician, ONC and HNC courses. In the 1960’s M B Metals had many departments e.g. Drawing Office, Production Office, Environmental Testing, Quality Control, Tool room, Model shop, Manufacturing, Assembly and Clean Room Assembly. Apprentices spent approximately six months in each location, after which permanent employment was offered in a mutually agreed Department.
Apprentices of the time
Some apprentices of this time, in no particular order were,Cliff Ainsworth, Clive Upperton, Alan Phillips, George Stonier, Trevor Mayhew, Geoffrey Boys, Graham Venton and Michael Weller. All of whom will now be of retirement age.
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Just to correct the caption under the photo, that’s me on the right with Graham Vinton on the left.
Editor’s note: have changed that Alan.
It was the Conservative government 1964 Industrial Training Act which formalised and ploughed money into apprentiship training, you can read about it here: http://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/page_id__10536.aspx. Unfortunately it was the Thatcher Conservative government of the mid 1985s who undid all the good work, and put the focus on banking, service sector, shares and “wheeler dealing” that gave us all the trouble we are still in today!
I worked for Erie Electronics Distributor Division as a progress chaser in Great Yarmouth in the early seventies and used to deal regularly with a lady called Jane Freestone. She was very nice and friendly. I often wondered what became of her and the company. I guess most of the companies such as Farnell and Plessey are all history now. Happy days:)
I remember MB Metals . I worked in the offices with
Linda Cook and Joyce Prevett for 4 years between 1964 and 1969
I signed the official secrets act I remember,
Mr Blaydon
Alan
Clem
And the Tea Trolly Nobrac Carbon /offord seebrite.
I worked at MB Metals from 1980/81 and stayed at the company for 19 years starting in the press shop. Neville Colgate was the manager Bill Glease was the setter Foreman.
Alf was his side kick lots of nice ladies worked on the presses, many a story of that time!
George Stoner was in the offices, after a year or so the press shop shut down and moved over to Newhaven with Carl Gozzet I think.
I went over to the m/c shop with Stan Elphic ( I may have spelt the names incorrectly)
Moving back to the press shop that was to work in the HDERU department with Terry Smith.
I could write a book but that’s a small snippet.
You need to put these things down in writing Paul. It’s all a lost world now and in a few years no-one will know anything about the trials and tribulations of engineering businesses in those days. Didn’t that firm start out as Metal Box Co, or was that another company also in Portslade? I collected or delivered something there for Scott & Howell about 1963. S&H made metal parts for ladies’ brassieres and we also used to deliver to Kayser Bondor just down the road.
Tim Sargeant,
Metal Box was a separate company entirely; located in Fishersgate. You are not the first to confuse the two as they were so close to each other and sounding so similar too.
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