English Electric Co., Stafford

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Date:1940 - 1945 (c.)

Description:Senior English Electric staff and Army personnel are pictured during a visit to the Lichfield Road Works in Stafford. In the 1940s representatives from British and American forces were regular visitors to the Works where they were shown around the factory and often taken to the Tank Testing area which was nearby on Cannock Chase.

Left to right: Mr J W C Milligan, Manager, Stafford Works , Lord Nelson (George Horatio Nelson), 1st Lord Nelson of Stafford, Mr C H (Charlie) Shardlow, Senior Shop Steward at the Stafford Works, the Officer is unknown, unknown, Mr J Rogers, General Manager of Works and the Officer on the right is unknown.

During World War II, the English Electric Co. Ltd placed its accumulated experience and engineering organisation at the disposal of the Government and manufactured equipment that would be vital to the defence programme. The Stafford factory was renowned for its electrical products including generators, transformers and switchgear and throughout the war years continued to receive contracts for many of these items. Additionally the factory became involved in the production of parts and final assembly of Armoured Vehicles which included the Covenanter, Centaur, Comet and Cromwell tanks.

In addition to the tanks many other contracts were received and the following items (not exhaustive) provide a snapshot of the important work carried out to assist with the war effort:- One contract was for 1,000.000 plugs for Hand Grenades at the rate of 50,000 per week and for 2,900.000 Tail Units for Mortar Bombs also at the rate of 50,000 per week. Contracts were received for machining the Castings for Heavy Aircraft Bombs, Generators and Indicators for Aircraft Engine Speed Indicator Sets, 2,000 Variation Setting Correctors, 4,000 Pilot’s Repeater Compasses and 9,200 Repeater Motors. Contracts were also received for Meters and other Precision Instruments, Lamps for searchlights, 165,000 Transformers for Radio Communication, Transformers for Radio Location (Radar), Transformers for use in combating the VI menace, Transformers for use in electrical systems for remote control for naval guns, Course Setting Bombsights, Drive Motors for Bombsights, Circuit Breakers for Magnetic Mine Sweeping Service and Electrical Propulsion equipment for U Class Submarines.

Siemens Brothers purchased the land in 1901 and built the factory and offices which were ready to start production in 1903. In 1918 Siemens merged with several companies, including Dick, Kerr and Co., to become the English Electric Co. Two years later in 1920, The English Electric Co bought the Stafford Works. The English Electric Co merged with GEC (The General Electric Company) during 1968 and the Lichfield Road Site became part of GEC Power Engineering Ltd. On 22 March 1989 became part of GEC ALSTHOM, an Anglo French Joint Venture. On 22 June 1998 became part of ALSTOM with global HQ in Paris and on 2 November 2015 the Stafford Grid and Power Businesses became part of GE (General Electric, an American Company).


Timeline

The timeline shows resources around this location over a number of years.

1900s
Millwrights at Siemens Bros. factory, Stafford
Millwrights at Siemens Bros. factory, Stafford

Millwrights with a saddle tank locomotive at Siemens Brothers Dynamo Works, Stafford ...

1930s
English Electric Co. Stafford and the Ministry of Supply
English Electric Co. Stafford and the Ministry of Supply

English Electric staff and Ministry of Supply personnel are pictured during a visit ...

1960s
Retirement of Mr C H Shardlow at The English Electric Co. Ltd., Stafford
Retirement of Mr C H Shardlow at The English Electric Co. Ltd., Stafford

Left to right: Mr J R Sully, General Manager of Stafford and Kidsgrove Works is ...

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Creators: Mr Chris Coates - Contributor

Donor ref:BM-CC-042 (37/32995)

Source: Staffordshire Museum Service

Copyright information: Copyrights to all resources are retained by the individual rights holders. They have kindly made their collections available for non-commercial private study & educational use. Re-distribution of resources in any form is only permitted subject to strict adherence to the usage guidelines.