ANOTHER JACK……….HUDSON THIS TIME !!

WE HAD A CALL RECENTLY FROM JACK HUDSON, EX WARRANTY MAN IN HIS LAST GUISE AT JBH, WHO RETIRED IN 1984, AFTER 35 YEARS, NOW IN HIS 89th YEAR, AND AS BRIGHT AS A BUTTON.

Jack was a "Southerner" by birth, coming to Northampton in his twenties, and got a job initially in 1949 on the shop floor, but most of us remember him from the Works Office corridor, which you will see reminders of a little later.

Jack said that he had heard about the Reunion, but as he has to give his wife fairly constant attention, he wouldn`t be able to make it, but could we pop around and pick up some fotos he had found, which we duly did. We rang Jack last night to check on a name from one of the photos, and it wasn`t until then, that he reminded us that he hadn`t taken many of them himself, just one or two, but he cant remember how he got hold of the others either, so the photographer(s) of these classic shots is/are unknown, but what a collection of memories, so varied yet so relevant to different stages of BH s history.

Without further ado, lets share them around, firstly, a series of over 20 b&w images, mostly of the Yard and machinery in it, but one or two from elsewhere….

 …great shot of a 15 or 16TDT, with what looks like 18 cuyd 23Sh scraper behind, parked right next to the Nissen Hut, and the driver in the black beret…….see if you can guess who it is by the time we get to the third example…. …still not there ?? …you cant get it wrong now……Ken Lansley, who else….

….now either this is a bloody big tractor, or a very small bloke….could be both….Jack does not know this figure, he appears in the next 2 shots…..anybody know him ?…definitely the same man, see how he stands with his right foot inclined in both shots…….

One of our honourary Hodgites, Tom France gave us the word on this item, what must have been a very rare visitor to northampton…… …an Allis Chalmers HD30 ##, and again, with an unknown soul posing with it. Looks like the area between the Paintshop & Transport….and can anybody guess what that machine is on the left of the image, or what that smart looking limo is on the right ??

### APOLOGIES### TO QUICKLY DIVERT ANY CRITICISM OF TOM FRANCE`S EXPERTISE ON TRACTOR HISTORY, WE MUST POINT OUT THAT WE MADE A MISTAKE REGARDING THE ABOVE PHOTO.

TOM HAS POINTED OUT THIS MORNING THAT HE HAD TOLD US THAT THE MODEL WAS IN FACT ALMOST CERTAINLY AN ALLIS CHALMERS HD20, NOT AN HD30, WHICH DID NOT EXIST, AND ADDED THAT THE CONNECTION AS TO WHY THE MACHINE WAS PROBABLY IN NORTHAMPTON WAS BECAUSE THEY WERE FITTED WITH A GM 6-110 ENGINE, GIVING THE 21 TON TRACTOR 116 DRAWBAR HORSES !! SORRY TOM.

Something a bit different these two, out of Northampton, in fact an apprentices outing to Blackpool, in the middle fifites so Jack reckons. We have printed the one below before, showing all the happy travellers having a meal in the town, but this one above shows them arriving at Blackpool Station, around late morning it would be, and among them are Jack & Evelyn, Eddie Kett and his good lady, John Lewis, Workshop Manager, and Norman Linnett is also in there somewhere, though we haven`t found him as yet.

Back to the yard, and a rake of 38FDT tractors & 89W 13 cu yd 20 ton bottom dumps parked in front of the empty space where the Parts Dept entrance would be years later, and look behind them past the Service Department, which might still have been the Drawing Office then….no HML/BH Overseas three storey building at all, a clear view through to the railway and the valley. Despite enlarging, we cant make out who either of the men are with the units, so if you……….

….this is definitely a one-off as far as we are concerned so far, a Euclid BV Loader, parked next to the Nissen Hut, one of not many sold here in UK, mostly to Laings for roadbuilding, the M1 for instance, in the 1957/8 period, but never before seen in the yard on any photos we have had so far…….

 ….canteen time, pity it is so blurred, but Jack sits left front, with Nobby Allwork and others….

…into the Chassis Shop now, fairly freshly built by the look of it, that roller shutter would have taken you out to the direction of the Nissen Hut, with an FD with a snow plough on the front (see later image), and then another from further up the Shop……

 …and a shot looking down what we think was eventually the Gearbox Bay, towards the corner that HML inhabited for years, facing the main yard….

…..Machine Shop as it was, according to its last foreman Phil Townsend, occupying all this area prior to the Miscellaneous moving in this side of the stanchions…

 ….otuside again, a Marion dragline parked beind the end of the Chassis Shop. Hadn`t heard mention of "Marion Shovel Hirers" until this image, so will have to check that out with KMK….

…. a clearer shot of the R-15 snow plough….wonder if it got used at all…..

…couple of shots of an R-24, one outside the Water Tower, the other on the Test Ground. Note the dinky GPO van in the background, complete with telegraph pole !! We reckon the driver of the shot below could be Bill Stewart….anybody agree ?

  

 A splash of colour now, R-35S`s with what look like fly-ash type bodies on…we have asked Uncle Ted & his boys if they remember these special items, but nowt back yet…anybody else know ??

 The last shot from the Yard…a Wynn`s double header moving a Marion up Euclid Avenue (Hunsbury Hill Avenue to the later generations), past where the houses are yet to be built, unless the shadow on the left is the first pair maybe, 1 & 2, just past the Gatehouse……

A series of offsite images now, the first one being somewhat different…. …what we think is an R-15, taken by Euclid Wagon Hirers with other machines, over to the East Coast to help after the horrendous floods of 1953, that killed so many people with extra high tides & gale force winds. The trucks were to help rebuild some of the seawater barriers that had been breached. Jack has a recall that the guy in the photo was called Reynolds, but nothing else about him.The story of this "drowning" however is not known.

There cant be many who knew him who cannot recognise this great, long time BH servant….. ….Ernie Sampson, and his 8 wheeler of the day, an FG Foden. We dont think this shot is in the yard, but where it could be, anywhere in UK, as that is where Ernie travelled, the length & breadth of the country. "Big Ernie" started with JBH in 1942, and retired sometime in the 1980`s, although we havent found a record of that…..yet. Always had a bit of a moan about his lot, but had a heart of gold behind that gruff exterior. Our kids still remember him today from the BH Christmas Parties.

Out and about now…Jack has no ideas where these site shots are taken, but all the dragline & face-shovel buffs will enjoy them anyway.  What is that make of truck ?? Early Aveling Barford, AEC……

 

Back to people again now, firstly, Jack`s 20 Year watch in 1969/70, at the Salon of course, with music by the Claude Cavalotti Orchestra…….who else !! From the left we have Bob Stallard, Ray Hodges, Don Brown, Bill Shapland, Paddy Finnigan, Jack Hudson, Eddie Beesley, and behind EPB, Leonard Sunley, still Personnel Manager at the time.

Northampton Carnival time…..3 shots, 2 from 1973, and what was the last one, in 1989.Evelyn with the 1973 Float, on the wagon, Des (?) and Judy Keeves from Parts, the theme, "Ladies Day at Ascot". Obviously down at Barnes Meadow, waiting for the off.

….and 1989, the very last, Cowboys & Indians theme…quite pertinent really, as BH had been turned into a cowboy outfit by crap leadership by then.

Back to more people shots now, all along the Works Office corridor…….take a moment… …we cant name the 2 chaps here above & below…..can anybody place them ??

 …. Alan Clayson

….Denny Knight 

….Elaine Parker, once Hughie Vass`s secretary

…"Rockin Robin"

…JH himself

 …Jack messing around, with Reg March the butt of this joke by the look of it….

…what a great image…The Three Musketeers ! 

Coming to the end now, and these last two are Jack`s own efforts, and what a poignant shot the second one is….. ….the Works from Jack`s back garden at No.12, Euclid/Hunsbury Hill Avenue, where he lived for 29 years, and which was the last house up the Hill…..

  ….and finally, the saddest shot…….No.12 stood there, where the Sales Centre now stands.

Thankyou Jack, for this excellent collection.