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To see the articles please click on line below

Tom Lee & Bob Thompson

Olga Niblett

50 Years of Golf on the Braid Hills
Castle Mills Staff dance 1961

Willie Fraser

Dick Bell

Dougie Forbes presented--

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

October 13 2011

TOM LEE & BOB THOMPSON
Jim Finlay tells us:
Margaret and I paid a visit to Tom Lee on Sunday 18th September in an excellent Nursing Home where he is being well looked after in the Camberley area of Surrey. He was in fine fettle and apart from his legs which are now very weak and have forced him into a wheelchair he is as good as you could expect from a man now in his 88th year. He still supports West Ham football club but is obviously disappointed with their present dismal position. There is a medical centre adjacent to the home with 5 doctors in residence so they have good medical support when needed. Tom has a daughter in New York and one in Surrey who calls regularly to visit him on her way to and from Heathrow where she works for BA. Tom sends his regards to all his old friends.

 

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.

 

 

February 27 2011

We are indebted to Neil Niblett who was tidying up his family photos and came across some photos which might revive some memories . Neil’s Aunt was Olga Niblett who worked for the North British Rubber Company for 46 years. 

 Miss Olga Niblett

She had a successful career and eventually became personal secretary to the late John Coutant who became joint managing director of NBR in1949
Eventually Mr Coutant became managing director of the USA organization
Neil’s aunt went out to America to work for the USA  organisation as PA for John Coutant  in 1953 until her retirement in 1965. Neil tells us that John Coutant held her in great affection having read some of the correspondence between them

 


Sadly Olga died in the late 80's. Neil is hopeful that people in our Association 
 who are still alive today who remember Olga and John Coutant,will let us know

 

Above are two photos of John Coutant who was MD of NBR in 1949 


This is the NB News  from December 1965,which tells us about Olga's retirement and her career.
 Neil hopes this will  jog some old employees memories and hopefully tell us their memory of Olga 


January 17 2011

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.


The benefits of Membership

    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.







January 2011
Here is a copy of the photos in NB news of January 1962 of the 
Annual Castle Mills Staff Dance

 


December 15 2009

 

 

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)

Below is the photo of Willie's group at lunch on his day of retirement
with a copy of the signed Menu on the day

 





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, 
12/ Jimmy Grant, 13/ Bob Welsh, 14/ John Wilkie, 15/ Reg Cryer

Thanks to John Campbelton we have a full house except for Number 4 
if you can help to solve the missing one please contact


e-mail editornbrinklies@aol.com


 

 

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

 

 

 

Below are Golf Pictures from Ratho

 
 

 

Below are a couple of pictures of Staff Dinners

 

 

 

 

 

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.

Below is the announcement by the Tomkins Company of Dick's retiral

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

                           

                           
             February 14 2008


 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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