 |
 |
Information for the Beneficiaries of
The Baily Thomas Provident Fund (Former Employees of Mansfield Brewery) |
The New Marksman Newsletter
The Online Version of the New Marksman ~ Autumn Issue
What is this? ....
Click here to find out
This magazine aims to give news and information about the Baily Thomas Provident fund and the existing Sports and Social activities of ex Mansfield Brewery personnel.
The Baily Thomas Provident Trust funds the magazine but comments and articles of interest from you the beneficiaries will be most welcome.
Closing date for information to be included in the next issue: Jan 10th 2009
Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this publication
Dennis Owes His Existence to the Pigeon!
Reference the Alfi Pugh article featured in the Autumn 2007 edition regarding his racing pigeon hobby – Dennis Tasker (Free Trade Loan Accounts, retired June 1994) perhaps owes his very existence to racing pigeons!
His father Edgar, a young pigeon fancier, met his mother in Doncaster when the Pigeon Club headquarters was at the Fitzwilliam Arms, tenanted by Charles Maddison, Charles was a pigeon fancier himself and Edgar courted and married his daughter Gertrude in 1925. After a short time the newly weds got their own house and started keeping their own pigeons in the garden.
This continued throughout their married life until Edgar died in 1978 at the age of 81. During the 1939/45 war Edgar’s pigeons were taken into the National Pigeon Service to be available for call up if required (they never were). The photo is of Dennis, age 10, holding his pigeon, sitting with his dad in the garden of their home in Belle Vue Doncaster in 1939.
Get Connected
 |
Colin Stump and Sue Walters organise a get together twice a year. Of late, some emails have been bouncing back because Colin and Sue have not been notified of changed email addresses. If you have changed your email address please forward details to Colin or Sue. There is an open invitation to anyone who would like to come to these twice yearly gatherings. See printed copy of newsletter for Colin or Sue's email address. |
Yesterday Remembered - Hull Brewery
A good evening shared on a race night at the Sylvester Arms, Hull.
From the left the friends are:
David and Val Andy, Barry Pearce, Colin O’Conner, George Weston.
Larkspur & Mansfield - Hull Transport
Barry Pearce & Dave Andy and Vic Wise & Dave Andy
(Thanks to David Johns for supplying this information)
Mansfield Brewery Office Cleaning Team (1996)
 |
The Office cleaning supervisor Pam Mufitt headed a team of nine ladies whose job was to keep the brewery offices spick and span From the top: Please send in any photos, stories or information which can be included the next issue. |
Where are they Now?
Slow Boat to China
Former Free Trade area managers Derek Gleadall, Geoff Craft, and Bill McMaster and their wives recently enjoyed a splendid holiday cruise to Hong Kong, Manila, Borneo, Brunei, Vietnam, Singapore, China and back to Hong Kong for an extended stay.
In the photograph are Derek and Christine Gleadall, Bill and Hazel McMaster, and Geoff and Christine Craft
Derek says “We all keep in touch and meet on a regular basis”.
Happy 60th Birthday Brian
 |
Brian Lucas (born 24 th September 1948) started his 23 year brewery career in the fermenting rooms and then moved into bulk beer where he became foreman. He later returned to the fermenting rooms as supervisor and finished his career at the brewery as Kegging Hall supervisor. He had many happy years at the brewery and made a lot of good friends. He particularly enjoyed the annual supervisors’ outings. |
Brian’s interests include fishing and caravanning and since retiring he has learned to play the cornet.
To celebrate his birthday Brian, his wife Christine, daughter Paula and other family members enjoyed a meal at the Hostess Restaurant.
Later in September Brian and Christine went to Germany’s oldest city, Trier, which Brian had visited on a school holiday when he was 11 years old.
Introducing Elizabeth’s Family
Elizabeth Clarke-Hippsley (nee Clarke) worked at the brewery for ten years, seven of which were in the Properties Department.
Elizabeth currently works for the Educational Psychology Service at Nottinghamshire County Council and has taken a 5 year career break while bringing up her children.
Liz writes “I am now married to David Clarke-Hippsley and we have a daughter Paris, aged three, and a little boy, Jenson, who is one. I thought it would be nice to let everyone know about my new family”.
Gwen and Ken Kinch - Diamond Wedding
 |
Ken and Gwen were married on 12th June 1948 at Warsop parish church. Although they were born on the same avenue in Church Warsop it was not until they were in their late teens that they met – in the front row of Warsop’s Strand cinema. They have one daughter and a grandson (serving in the Royal Marines) Ken recalls starting at the brewery in 1946 for 30 shillings per week. Bus fare from Warsop was 6d per day - workers return. They have made many friends at the brewery, through the brewery cricket team and the brewery cricket league. Roll on the next 60 years! |
Marion and Barry Crofts - Ruby Wedding
 |
Marion and Barry Crofts were married at St Edmunds church Mansfield Woodhouse on 7 thSeptember 1968, followed by a honeymoon at Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. They now live in Mansfield Woodhouse and have a daughter Alison who is a cook at Portland College. Marion used to be a cutter in the knitwear trade and Barry a buyer for S.A. Monk followed by 18 years at Mansfield Brewery in the labour pool. They celebrated their Ruby wedding with a holiday in the Greek island of Samos with friends |
Brian and Jean Lee - Ruby wedding
Brian and Jean Lee were married on 14 th September 1968 at the Hackett church near Bourneville. They have two married daughters, Caroline and Alison and two grandchildren Charlotte and Thomas (seen in the photograph above).
Brian’s first job after leaving Burton Grammar School was bottling “Regency” Sherries in the cellars of Ind Coopes` wines and spirit division before he was called up into the R.A.F.
After being demobbed he joined Cadbury Brothers as a management trainee and there he met his wife Jean. At the time of his wedding he had moved to T W Beach.
For their anniversary they took the family to Torbay for a long week-end.
The wedding of Jane and Anthony
 |
Jane Wood (nee Perry) was married to Anthony Wood on Friday 18th July at Perlethorpe Church on the Thoresby Estate and the reception was held in Thoresby Hall's Blue Room. The couple honeymooned in Italy where they visited Milan, Venice, Florence, Rome and the Amalfi coast. Jane & Anthony met at Centre Parcs Head Office where Jane currently works and they live in a barn conversion in the quiet village of South Clifton between Newark and Lincoln. |
Jane started at Mansfield Brewery as a YTS trainee in 1997 when she was 17. She worked for Barbara Brown in the mail/admin room, and then went on to work for Malcolm Hodges in Managed Houses alongside Dionne Massey. Jane and Dionnne are still very good friends.
Jane says “I hold fond memories of my working days at Mansfield Brewery and wish everyone well in whatever they are doing”.
Brewery walking group on Hay Ride
On a damp cool June evening the walking group went on a hay ride around the Thoresby estate. The group finished the evening with a pea and pie supper.
Obituaries
Frank Hannah (1931-2008)
 |
Frank was born 31 July 1931 at Mansfield Woodhouse, and was educated at Oxcroft Lane and York Street schools. His first job was at Sherwood colliery and when he was 17 he moved to R.L.Jones were he leaned to drive. It was around this time that he met, and later married, Sylvia. After a short spell at Pleasley pit, Frank embarked on long distance lorry driving for a time but this involved spending too much time away from home. |
So in 1972 he went to Mansfield Brewery, working in the transport department & finished his career there in the canteen, retiring in 1987. Frank enjoyed various leisure activities and his main hobby was fishing.
Frank leaves his wife Sylvia (57 years married) daughters Elaine and Jill and sons Robert and David along with12 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren
Madge Branfield (1926 – 2008)
 |
Madge joined Mansfield Brewery in January 1951 and worked on Reception for 36 years until she retired in 1987. Born in Mansfield Woodhouse in 1926, Madge attended the local York Sreet school and worked in a small local firm before joining the brewery. Madge loved reading, watching television dramas, and greatly enjoyed perfecting her garden with her husband Adrian. |
John Bennett (1930-2008)
 |
John Bennett was born in Radford in Nottingham and attended the local school. He had a varied career which began at Players cigarette factory. He then did National Service with the RAF and after demob joined an Ice Cream company and then worked in the Lace industry. In 1953 he joined Home Brewery, and eventually joined Mansfield as a Free Trade salesman in 1973. |
At Mansfield John successfully managed a large portfolio which included Miners’ Welfare accounts. He was a very professional flat green bowls player, playing for Nottinghamshire County bowls team and was a founder member of Mansfield Brewery bowls club.
After retiring from the brewery in 1989 John and his wife Janice (married 36 years) ran a bed and breakfast in Pickering for seven years before fully retiring, John leaves his wife Janice, two sons Gary and Andrew, a daughter Gaynor and one grandson.
Shirley Morritt
 |
Shirley Morritt was born in Kettering and moved to Mansfield when she was two years old. She was educated at the King Edward and High Oakham schools and completed her education at Millers Business College. |
Shirley’s first job was with Landers Bakers after which she moved to the Frank Moss furniture store and finally to Bowers builders merchants. She lived with her parents who were the landlords at the Ladybrook Hotel.
She married Jack Morritt in St Mary’s church on the Ladybrook housing estate soon after it was consecrated and theirs was the first wedding to take place there. In 1967 Shirley and Jack took over Midland Arms and in 1975 they moved to the Ling Forest and retired in 1990. Jack died in 2000. Shirley’s interests were gardening and flower arranging and she worked as a Daffodil lady at the local Kings Mill hospital.
Shirley leaves twins sons John and his wife Kathy, Steve and his wife Jane, four grandchildren and three great children.
Ian Bastable - Mansfield Brewery
UNUSUAL HOBBIES DURING RETIREMENT
Most people when they retire look for something relaxing and not too strenuous as a hobby, but Geoff Moss (husband of Val from MBC Computer Dept.) participates in something a little more exciting than the norm.
Geoff is a Rally Co-Driver and still competes regularly on local events in Notts, Lincs and Yorkshire. Although not starting until he was 40 he previously competed at national level and has won several national, regional & club championships outright. Geoff is quite happy to compete locally now as he still gets a buzz from rallying, although the speed is much less than he is used to. Over the last few years he has partnered younger drivers to help them along in the sport.
Rallying is a very expensive hobby so Geoff is happy that he is sponsored in part by Alistair Darling now !
LEO DEMPSEY’S BREWERY STORY
In 1957 when I was 12 years old I started doing a paper round for King’s paper shop on Rosemary Street. On my first day I was introduced to my ‘mentor’ who had been promoted to a new round on the partially built Ladybrook estate. This paper boy was none other than John Else and our friendship has survived to the present day. A few months after meeting John (1) I met John (2) at St. Peter’s youth club – this was John Bartles who has also remained a good friend.
My Brewery Career
In 1965, aged 20, I was looking for a job in transport. I entered the brewery offices through a revolving door and was greeted by a commissionaire who enquired my reason for being there. As we were talking a gentleman in a white coat passed by and the commissionaire called him over and explained my reason for being there. That gentleman was Philip Baker the head brewer. He took me to an office where I told him that my driving experience was on 1 and 3 ton lorries. Mr. Baker told me that the fleet was expanding by two vehicles and offered me a job as a driver’s mate as at that time a driver had to be aged 21 to drive an HGV lorry. I was then introduced to Jim Wain who told me to report for work the following Monday morning. In my first week I was driver’s mate to Eric Jackson and when the two new lorries arrived later that week I was mate to Keith Clark.
The law at this time was different from to-day. There was no HGV class of driving licence – you simply sent off your licence prior to your 21 st birthday and this was returned to you upgraded to HGV status. A few weeks after my 21 st birthday I took over fleet no. 17, an Austin lorry registration no. 951 MVO which carried 27 barrels on a flat bed. The livery was dark green cab with gold lettering.
There were no tankers at this time. The lorry was driven through the bottling shop and under the overhead crane. A 10 barrel tank was then roped on to the back of the lorry, usually for delivery the same day to Golden Sands at Mablethorpe. The tank was then left on the lorry for the remainder of the week.
The lorry livery was changed again to white and green with a distinct headboard. The two Leyland Super Comers were only in part of the new livery and were later converted into 40 barrel tankers.
The next lorry I drove was a BMC in full white livery which was longer and carried more barrels – 33 to be exact (no photos of this lorry). The first day I drove this lorry I had to extend the ropes from the cab as there were no sheets large enough to cover all the barrels. The BMC lettering on the front of the cab was later changed to MBC and the lorry converted to a 50 barrel tanker. At the same time as I got this new BMC lorry Eric Jackson got the first of three 60 barrel Austin Artic tankers.
The HGV Licence
At this time the law changed and the HGV licence classes 1, 2 and 3 came into force. Mr. Baker gave me the chance to get my HGV Class 1 licence which was followed up by a driving test with the South Yorkshire Traffic Area Team in Sheffield and which I passed in February 1971.
 |
I then left the brewery for a few years and gained experience with bigger lorries working for Bowman’s transport. In 1982 I returned to the brewery to work in the keg transport department. At this time the lorries were new Clydesdales with straight bars instead of chainmesh on the back and they were painted green and yellow. |
The later Clydesdales had gates fitted instead of bars. After the Clydesdale came the Freighter which only had gates.
The Road Train
At this time Mandora delivered bottles and the brewery delivered kegs. These lorries were loaded from the rear by special satellite fork lift trucks. I was trained to drive these trucks and became relief foreman loader to Ken Hurt and Stuart Burton and later relief driver on the Leyland road train and relief shift foreman to Dennis Knight and Les Reville.
 |
The bulk work of the road train was travelling to Thwaites Brewery in Blackburn where Mansfield Bitter was canned. At first there was no paperwork for the driver to deal with as apparently the contract was a gentleman’s agreement. It changed in later years when the dreaded paperwork was introduced. |
 |
When Mansfield acquired Hull Brewery I drove the tanker from Hull in Hull Brewery colours for a few weeks. I was then given the road train to drive on a permanent basis and when Jim Wain retired Peter Marshall took over running the transport dept. |
 |
This photo of the road train was taken at Young's brewery in London and shows a shire horse walking by. Youngs used the shire horses for local deliveries. |
Transport Replacements
The livery was changed again to all green with white lettering and this picture shows one of the Atkinsons purchased by the brewery at this time, which I drove whilst the road train was being painted in the new livery.
 |
Manfield Brewery then acquired the Frampton Cider Company and entered the “take home beer” market, marketing PET bottles and cans. The road train was sold, a new artic was bought for Hull and I got the old unit from Hull. Tanker trailers were leased which were capable of transporting 120 and 150 barrels. |
 |
Chris Newton became foreman organising distribution and within a short period of time I was driving from Redruth in Cornwall up to Scotland. |
During my second period at Mansfield Brewery I became ill and was off work for about a year. During this time Mr. Parsons, the head brewer, management and workers gave me every support. I would also like to thank the Baily Thomas fund for their support at this time.
Leo Dempsey 2008
Note: Chris Newton retired in September from Marston transport
On Carlton Green
By Clive Almond
 |
Now yesterday’s storm has passed us by A bank to mend and mud to bag With mud in your hair and purple blue lips The farmers scowl does chill the air As the years slip by and at rest you lie Bring to mind that November story |
Clive wrote this poem after being on a three day team building trip for the Brewery Property Department at Carlton between Leek and Ashbourne on the A 52 . Clive says “On the second day we carried out repairs to a bank at one side of the pond. We removed weeds from the pond and planted 100 trees and erected two lines of fence to enclose the trees. The pond was the home of a rare newt known as an Eft.
Walking Group visit to Lancashire
Members of the Mansfield Brewery walking group pictured with one of the 100 Antony Gormley statues on Crosby beach.
The statues are made of cast iron and are all moulded on the artist
Antony Gormley’s own body. They are dotted along three kilometres of the shoreline and stare out to sea, some of them becoming submerged when the tide comes in. Antony Gormley is also famous for his Angel of the North statue near Gateshead.
The annual walking group week-end this year was spent in Lancashire. During the week-end the group visited Quarry Bank Mill, Southport, the Pilkington glass museum and Temple Newsom house near Leeds on the way home. A very full week-end but on top of all this activity the group were evacuated twice from their hotel due to fire emergencies. One of these evacuations took place at 6.00 a.m. in the morning. Although folk do not look their best at this hour the various night attire on show was amazing!
Thanks to Sue Longden for organising a great week-end!
USELESS BITS OF INFORMATION
(Sent in by Lawrie Birch)
In the 1400's a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have 'the rule of thumb'.
Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the U.S. Treasury.
Ken and Anna Hurt
 |
Ken and Anna designed their garden to celebrate the happy years Ken spent at Mansfield Brewery. When he retired 10 years ago Ken received permission to have the artefacts for their garden. |
The two cask ends were originally on the Cellars bar front. One of brewery signs was a pub sign and the larger sign hung above the Electrians’ workshop. The wall is made from bricks which were originally laid between the old brew house and the fermenting room.
AND
A special happy birthday to Ken
who celebrated
his 70th birthday on 30th September.
The Stand Off
I was very lucky to have my camera on hand to take this picture of a Cabbage White and Red Admiral butterfly on a Buddleia shrub in the garden. - Editor
Have you got a lucky photo? Please send it in
Notice Board.
Mansfield Brewery Dinner Dance.
Saturday 7 th March 2009.
Contact Barbara Brown for details 01623 481488.
Mansfield Brewery Golfing Society
Duncan Henderson is willing to arrange a nostalgic golf match.
Anyone interested please contact Duncan on 01623 467617 / 07932 258118
Mansfield Brewery Walking Group
Walks - Second Sunday every month.
For information contact Barbara Brown 01623 481488
Pensioners Group
For information on the Association
contact Secretary George Powell 01623 624478
To book your places on any of the outings
Telephone Denis Tasker 01623 623590
Six monthly re-union
Kevin Hall is organising the re-union at the Margarita’s Italian restaurant
in Mansfield Woodhouse on Friday 20th March 2009
Contact Kevin on 07739 989626
If you have any photos, information, stories or tales about
W.G.Boalers and Son, Bellamys (Drinks) Ltd, Hull Brewery, R L Jones,
Mansfield Brewery, Mandora Soft Drinks, T.W.Beach,
Frampton Village Cider Company.
Please send to
Ian F P Boucher
34 Haddon Road
Mansfield
Notts
NG19 7BS
Telephone 01623 644798
All photographs etc will be returned if requested.
Back to top
Newsletter Sponsored by Baily Thomas Provident Fund
