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50 Years of Golf on the Braid Hills
Castle
Mills Staff dance 1961
Presentation by Foster Stewart to Chief constable W Merrillees
Some
Dumfries memories
Castle
Mills lab Staff 1948
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Testing and using a picture of the smokies in NC
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TOM
LEE & BOB THOMPSON We
also met up with Bob and Kay Thompson who have recently moved into the
Camberley area from Hampshire. Bob was our Conveyor Belting Guru for
many years travelling extensively to faraway places to keep Heathhall
busy. He has a son and family in the area so they have help if needed.
They both keep busy socially and were looking great. Bob will be
visiting Tom Lee shortly as they are quite close in distance.
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July
1961
50
Years of Golf on the Braid Hills
The
Castle Mills Club celebrates its half-century next year
With the redecorated club-room
of the Castle Mills Golf Club, publicized in our June issue
at the time of the Annual Castle Mills v WEBA match, it seems appropriate to
recall something
of the club’s history for the benefit of newer personnel. In doing so we
quite literally and
with grateful thanks from a history written specially for NB News
of January 1953 by Mr Luke ,
President of the Old Timers Association, who was an original member.
It seems that Castle Mills Golf
Club was founded in 1912, and so celebrates its half century
next year. It is therefore a generation younger than Weba, which is in its 75th
year.
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The strength of Castle Mills
numerically has varied over the years, and only a few years
ago the future was doubtful because many of our newcomers were
non-golfers. The pendulum
has begun to swing the bother way. Through the initiative of our Managing
Director, a keen
golfer himself, the club room facilities at the4 Braids have had a most
welcome face-lift.
The Club’s future is again bright.
To those, who aren’t members
of a course owning club, and who play their golf on what
can be justifiably be called “one of the most sporting and cared for municipal
courses in the
world” membership at Castle Mills is a real snip. For a modest sum per annum
you have a
private clubroom with lockers, washing facilities and bar.
What better could one wish for. And of course, there are numerous club
competitions ,
including some exclusive to members of Braid Hills, not forgetting the friendly
atmosphere
characteristic of the club throughout its 49 years.
If you’re a Braids player, or
even play there only now and again, ghet in touch with
the present Secretary W. Murray, 25 Watson Crescent Edinburgh.
The bigger the membership the
more secure the club will be. And surely every golfer
knows what it means tohave the benefits and status of club membership.
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January 2011 |
Willie
Fraser
Recently Mrs Patricia Davidson, the daughter of
Willie Fraser, who retired from NBR in 1967 as Purchasing Manager offered
to share some of the memories of her father and others at Castle Mills.
We
are indeed grateful that Tom Bartlett managed to persuade Patricia to join the
Rinklies Pensioners lunch recently at the Bruntsfield Golf club. We also owe
Martin Hale a big thankyou for all his hard work including scanning the pictures
s from Patricia and forwarding them to the Editor
The editor needs help with names

This
large picture has been divided into three sections to enable viewers to be
able
to better identify those shown--
![]() 4th from left Front Row Louise ford (Louie) |
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Below is the photo of
Willie's group at lunch on his day of retirement |
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1/ Joe Graham
2/ Charlie Blyth, 3/ Tom Miller, 4/ Not Known, 5/ Jimmie Ainslie, 6/
Jimmy Aitchison, 7/ Willie Fraser, 8/ Laurie Jay, 9/ Peter Clark, 10/ Alan Watt, 11/
Les Corbett, |
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Below
are three pictures Two of tennis and one of a soccer team which we believe is
pre WW2
If anyone can help with identities it would be appreciated
The top picture with two players is Willie Fraser in 1930
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Below are Golf Pictures from Ratho
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Below are a couple of pictures of Staff Dinners
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September
11 2008
Dick Bell
We are very proud of Dick who has done an
exceptional job in the rubber business from his start in Castle Mills. He
made comments to the Editor as follows:
I
started in the compound mixing lab, just inside the gate with Willie Cunningham
and Jimmy McKeachie as teachers. I well remember Willie getting all dressed up
and going of to his 40th celebration lunch at the Caledonian.
Probably in 1966.
The
point is it was amazing to hear daily from folks who had 40 years then and could
talk about the days of rubber processing before synthetics, the war years that
drove so much innovation due to shortages and caused the advancements in reclaim
technology.
My educational mentor was of course Wilf Salisbury. I went to his house every Monday from 7.00-9.00 for three years and he just talked rubber compounding. Contrast that with being in the shop floor environment with guys like Willie Tucker, Willie Williamson, Jim Daly (and his pipe), Bob McGregor, Bob Simpson all chasing you for performance of the stocks and characters like John Shaw adding spice to the mix in all the lively morning meetings.
On
top of all that were guys like Sandy and you, whom as youngsters we held
in awe.
Castle
Mills was indeed unique learning ground.
It
was great for me to get to work more closely with Sandy during his time in
Japan, he
did an amazing pioneering job of setting up what is to-day a half billion dollar
business.
He is still revered as the father of the company by many whom he mentored during
the
Unitta start up days.
Announcement
Tomkins announces today that Richard Bell has decided to retire from the Group on 31 December 2008 after 43 years of service. Mr. Bell is presently the Chairman of The Gates Corporation and Chief Operating Officer, Industrial & Automotive of Tomkins plc.
Richard started work as a Laboratory Assistant in the compound mixing laboratory in a US Rubber Co. facility in Castle Mills, Edinburgh in 1965. He progressed through various laboratory positions and then became a factory compounder, having completed studies in Chemistry and Rubber technology at Napier University in Edinburgh over a six year period on a day release scheme sponsored by the company. He progressed to product development manager and eventually Technical Director of the European belt business.
Richard moved into General Management when he became Managing Director of the Unitta joint venture in Japan in 1979. He progressed through senior positions in Australia, Germany and Belgium before moving to the United States in 1996 as President of North America Power Transmission. In 1997 he became President of the Worldwide Power Transmission business and took on the additional role of President of Gates in 2002. In 2007 he assumed his current positions.
Effective upon Mr. Bell ‘s retirement Jim Nicol, Chief Executive Officer of Tomkins plc, will assume the role of Chairman of The Gates Corporation and Alan J. Power will take on the role of Executive Vice President, Industrial & Automotive, in which capacity he will be responsible for all of the Group’s Industrial & Automotive businesses other than The Gates Corporation. Richard will assist Jim and Alan in the transition of these responsibilities prior to his retirement.
Tomkins would like to express its sincere thanks to Mr. Bell for his contributions and efforts since the Group acquired The Gates Corporation on 9 July 1996.
Jim Nicol said: "I am very grateful to Richard for the many important contributions which he has made to Gates and Tomkins over his distinguished career. On behalf of everyone at Tomkins I would like to thank him for his long and dedicated service and extend him every good wish upon his retirement."
Tomkins plc
East Putney House
84 Upper Richmond Road London SW15 2ST
www.tomkins.co.uk
London, Tuesday 02 September 2008
April 17
2008
Dougie
Forbes presented with a special award attended by
some well known personalities

Presentation by Foster Stewart (holding club) to
Chief Constable Willie Merrilees
From Left to right ;Jock Paterson, Chief Constable Willie Merrilees, Tom
Davie, Norman Welsh, Foster Stewart, Bob Ritchie and Jim Evans.
21/3/08--The
editor is very grateful to John Campbelton
for his help in identifying the missing names
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May 18 2006
Some Memories of Heathhall & Castle Mills
at Dumfries
Back Row: L to R---The late Gilbert Crerar, Tony Ducket ,
Steve Mowat
Front Row L to R--- Dorothy Lowe, Norma Crerar, and Monica Mowat
(Jimmy Lowe was the absentee husband
swanning it in the USA as Product Manager for
Footwear and Treadaire)
At Dumfries
Back Row L to R: John Wall, Vic
Chapples, Jimmy Lowe
Front Row L to R: Sheila Chapples, Dorothy Lowe, Elma Wall
Dumfries Factory Dance--
the staff tended to split up to sit
with other guests
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Castle Mills Lab Staff 1948

As this was such a large picture it has been divided into two halves
to
allow for better recognition of the smiling faces
BOSS JACK ROBERTSON WITH
MOUSTACHE SEATED IN CENTER
A request --if anyone can recognize others please let the Editor know
My e-mail is editornbrinklies@aol.com

The left half of the Castle Mills Lab Staff photo above
Front Row : 4th from right Dorothy Young and
6th from right partly hidden Jimmy Lowe
Dorothy Young became Dorothy Lowe and are still enjoying each other's
company in Dumfries

The Right half of the Castle Mills Lab Staff photo above
second front row : 6th and 7th from right are Jenny and Alec Wilson

A Presentation in the The Rotocure department by Mr Johnstone
Factory Manager,
Jimmy Lowe is fourth from left and Orphy Smith is third from left.
At the time Smith was
Millroom Manager and on loan from the U.S.

Presentation to Jamie Baird (Left) by Alec Wilson First Technical Manager
at Heathhall. Jamie Baird was employed to develop and manufacture
Latex Foam Cushions. The project was abandoned after four years.
The McMinn sisters, Girl One is immediately behind Jamie Baird and Girl two
is immediately behind Alec Wilson. Girl One emigrated to Canada but flew
the Atlantic in a twin engined aircraft and landed at Heathhall aerodrome for a
visit.
Girl Two was in the final of the Miss Scotland competition--great
ladies
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