Wigan Album

Lady on the left looks like Crystal Haydock, but I don't know if she worked at Turners.

I live not too far from Turner Brothers asbestos in Rochdale. For many years Wiganers commuted to Rochdale and some settled in the town . Turners has now thankfully closed down and the misery that asbestos left many families due to asbestos related diseases is still ongoing. The Turners site is now an overgrown plot of land, and totally unsuitable for building purposes such is the danger of asbestos.

It is and she did work at Turner's. I think she worked in Joneses Pie shop at some time also. Well spotted Paul.

Well Veebs, are we to assume that you are among this group of enchanting ladies ? And if so, are we expected to guess which one of these ladies you are ? And all this from a photo taken 50 years ago ? Not much of a challenge really, is it ? Nevertheless. I've never been one to shy away from a challenge, so I'll stick my neck out ( not for the first time ) and go for the rather tantalising librarian looking type in the centre of the shot. The one holding the bouquet. There.....I've said it.....No going back....I don't half live dangerously, don't I ? Too late now though....submit....Regards. Ozy.

Wait, wait, I've changed my mind, that can't possibly be right. The lady holding the flowers is leaving, that's the whole reason for the photo surely ? The clue is in the title after all....doh!....o.k., let me see,...hmmm,....no clues, no clues !.....o.k., I'm going for the petite blonde girl fourth from the right. Now tell me that you're not on the photo at all Veebs.

Dont remember everyone's name but that is Crystal. She was Austrian or German I think. The lady retiring was a Mrs Grundy. I am the debutant on the extreme right! The girl next to me was called Anabelle Varey. The period just befor the mini-skirt -hence the ladylike hem lengths!

Oh well, it isn't often that I'm right, but I'm wrong on this occasion evidently. Do I score any points for trying Veebs ?

Is this Turner Bros. in Rochdale, or Hindley Green?. A great friend of mine, Ronnie Williams, worked at the factory in Hindley Green. He passed away, many years ago. May he R.I.P.

This is the Rubber Belt Dept at Hindley Green.(not the asbestos part thank goodness). I had a good friend who died 10 yrs ago and the post-mortem revealed asbestos. Sorry to disappoint you Ozy but there were some lovely looking girls amongst the factory girls. I didn't stay long -it wasn't for me so I went to inspect Armaments instead! It was a toss-up which was the most dangerous and I think Asbestosis won!

Did Ronnie have sandy hair? I seem to remember his name - if he is the same man he was a gentleman and quite smart. He worked on the Presses. The girls cut the rubber lengths by hand and the men put them in the hot presses. It was a horrible job! I hated it - I didn't stay long. I would say Ronnie would be about 85 yrs by now.

Wigan World Albert, not Rochdale World, plus our very own Vb is on the pic.

Yes Vb He did have that tinge of sandy hair. He would have been eighty three. He lived in the Hindley area. At one time on the Ince/Hindley border, but I think he moved later to another location in Hindley. I recollect, he once visited his daughter in Australia.

Iworked there from 1969-1973 i started on the bias cutter/then onto the McNeal presses, then the rubber rings extruder ,the blue coat was a STAN MAWDSLEY , JOHN HALLIWELL ,****GRIMSAW, TO NAME A FEW B/COATS( charge hands commonly) I knew a hell of a lot of ladies, young and elder the men again lots but the mist's of time slows the grey matter . When on r/rings i was a leading hand ( wow) there ware : Dick Tinsley,Johnny Burns, he came from flat ncb belting,it was he that persuaded me to try new venture and we both left for CROMPTON NETTLEFOLD'S IN Ashton for lot more money and no shift work . All in all the times i spent at TBA were special in a funny kind of way and would not swop the people i met there for owt!

broady - The lady 3rd from the left front row seems familiar - any thoughts.

My dad Jimmy Radcliffe worked at TBA in Hindley Green around the time this photograph was taken,lm nearly sure he worked on rubber rings, the asbestos certainly didn't do his health any favours but back then the dangers weren't known.
I'd love to hear if anyone remembers him,we lived in Ince at the time.

Had a girl-friend who worked there - Kathleen Crank. Can anyone recall her?

My mum (Mary Thompson) used to work there in late 70's / early eighties, does anyone remember her.

I think the lady third from the left is Marie Halliwell.She went on to work in the offices at PPG Glass Fibre on the same site.Iworked as an electrician in TBA 1975 to 1983 and then at PPG until 1999

I work at the hindley green site and have so since the 90s and to read these comments are great. Seeing some of the surnames and knowing lads who have worked or still work here I’m sure they are related

I used to work at TBA many yrs ago I was 19 worked on the flat belting side presses lads were belting to work with pimmy. Moly Gyln davies.Dave Allison.Barry dancen.John Collier.Harold Burgess.Billy sixthsmith.barry. Pearson.Dave foulks.neil fillingham.kenny Carter.John Howard.kenny Boardman.tony joint.neil.Judson. Ronnie Williams.Jack Richardson.Tony lafrezo.shaun.supervisors freddie izgart. Jimmy Collier.des alison.Fred grimshaw.Brian whitehead. Eric Chadwick good times just rememberd another name ste.crook.

Crystal Haydock, I think she spelled it Kristal, my mate Peter's mum. Sadly he died when he was 29.

my dad john sargent worked here many many years he got asbestosis and it won took him june last year now mum kathleen sargent has emforsemia