Description:Children are pictured in a race held at an Open Day at the English Electric’s Main Works on Lichfield Road, Stafford. On the left is probably the refreshment marquee. The buildings in the background are the Nelson Engineering Labs (known as NEL) which were located at the south side of the Works facing the West Coast Main Line.
Additional information on the Lichfield Road site: The Stafford Works was renowned for its electrical equipment products including generators, transformers and switchgear. Siemens Brothers purchased land by the Lichfield Road in 1901 and built a 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).
Between 2006 and 2021 a large part of the former Main Works site was demolished and redeveloped as a retail park and a housing development. However, on a separate but neighbouring site the Transformer Works remains and is still operational (July 2026) as part of the GE Vernova group.
Photograph kindly provided by Nicola Godley. The picture is thought to have been taken by her Grandfather Albert van Cortlandt Warrington, who was a former employee of the English Electric Company.