Mr J H Wears (“Nippy” Wears) and the English Electric Co., Stafford

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Date:30th of March 1950

Description:Third from the right is Mr James Harker Wears, OBE, AMIME. Mr Wears was often known as “Nippy Wears” and he is pictured on 30 March 1950 receiving a retirement gift of a car radio set from Mr C H (Charlie) Shardlow, Senior Shop Steward, on behalf of 58 Department and work colleagues. On the extreme right is Mr S W Thomson the newly appointed Chief Superintendent of the Welding Works and Foundry. There was also another presentation in May to Mr Wears in the Board Room in the Main Offices at Stafford where Mr J Rogers, General Manager of Works, presided over a gathering of around one hundred people to present an English Electric television receiver to Mr Wears and a handbag to his wife.

Mr Wears was rewarded with an OBE in 1946 by the King in recognition of his work and management of the Armoured Vehicle and Welding Divisions at English Electric’s Lichfield Road Works in Stafford during the Second World War. The announcement in the 1946 New Year’s Honours was briefly reported in the Staffordshire Newsletter “Mr J H Wears was awarded an OBE”.

This Stafford factory was renowned for its electrical products including generators, transformers and switchgear. During the Second World War 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 factory became involved in the production of parts and final assembly of Armoured Vehicles which included the Covenanter, Centaur, Comet and Cromwell tanks. Completed tanks were driven or taken to the testing ground created on Cannock Chase.

Mr Wears was appointed Manager of the Armoured Vehicle Works often known as the “Tank” shop in October 1939. He was also responsible for the Welding Works and the Foundry. At the time the site of the Tank Shop was unoccupied ground, however, the Ministry of Supply constructed the Works in just a few months and Mr Wears took over the lay-out of the shops and the planning for production. He was assisted by Mr A Oldbury, Head Foreman, Mr R A Clarke, Progress and Production, Mr H Bannister in charge of the Drawing Office and Mr T W Yale as Inspector; all of these people stayed with him during the war.

It was acknowledged that “Nippy” Wears did do a very good job and he stayed on after the War to assist with the return to usual business and then retired a few weeks short of age 71.

Mr Wears was from Stanhope in County Durham, later he moved to Gateshead and then to Rugby. By 1932 he and his wife Gertrude lived in Baswich Lane, Stafford and later at Weeping Cross. They employed a Maid, Joan Martin.

Acknowledgement: The William Salt Library and the English Electric and its People Magazine April/May 1950.

Additional information on the Company: 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 this in turn 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-035 (37/33243)

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.