South Moor and Stanley
County Durham
Glove production started just after the second world war above the Co-op store in Park Road, South Moor and in 1959, having outgrown South Moor a new factory was opened in Blooms Avenue off Anthony Street, Stanley and as can be seen in the following photographs team spirit was important.
1959 a new Pinkham Glove factory at Stanley
On June 18th 1959 Lord Lawson the local MP cut the ribbon and declared the new production facility open. By now some one hundred and fifty people were employed in making gloves.
Lord Lawson shakes hands with one of the machinists amongst a group of very happy looking ladies. On his right is David Pattison the factory manager and Richard Pinkham is on his left.
Seen here in the centre with a white tie is Leslie Pinkham with Richard Pinkham to his left. At the very back looking back into the factory entrance is John Pinkham. The remainder of the party is thought to be the great and good of Stanley.
Hold the front page
Much was made in the local press of the opening of the new factory and the anticipated prosperity it would bring to the area. Here is the press release.
Lord Lawson the local MP at the opening of the new factory at Stanley on June 18th 1959 seen here being helped by Joan Clarke.
Who's who?
GREENER Joan 1
NEALE Joan 2
COATES Lily 3
FOREMAN Hazel 4
POTTS Susan 5
LITTLEFAIR Joyce 6
PROUD Jean 7
CRAIG Shelia 8
AINSWORTH Marjorie 9
PHILLIPS Jenny 10
CLARKE Joan 11
STROKE Jenny 12
SAYERS Barbara 14
Do you recognise anyone else in this photo and can you place them?
We know that the following people are in the photo:
Alice Murray Carol Robson Joyce Liddel Shirley Potts
Joan Neal Carol Foster
If you can help please email nickpinkham@pinkhamgloves.co.uk
Work rest and play
GEOFF ELLIS
Geoff Ellis was a senior cutter at the Witham factory and moved up to the Stanley factory in 1959.
Geoff is seen here with a few friends at the factory's Christmas party, the man wearing the bow tie was the factory manager David Pattison who had managed a kilt factory in Scotland before joining Pinkhams.
1958
Enjoying a break are:
CINDY MORTON
BETTY GLENDENING (née CALVERT)
Always smile when concentrating. Here's Betty showing how it's done with Carole Foster looking on in the background.
C1954
Taking a break at the South Moor factory and getting some fresh air are, from the left are Joyce Messenger and Shiela Soames.
Do you know the others in the photo? if you do please email nickpinkham@pinkhamgloves.co.uk
JOYCE LITTLEFAIR
Joyce seen here in the middle with a few friends at the opening of the Stanley factory in 1959. Note the Pinkham logo on her overall.
World class
Richard Pinkham on the left and factory manger David Pattison on the right admiring a newly installed glove cutting machine in 1953. Typical of the company's ongoing commitment to investing it state of the art machinery
The official quote for the Central Office of Information at the time explained ‘”Time taken in cutting material into ‘tranks’ has been considerably speeded up”. The new machines could cut one hundred layers of fabric at a time.
Never miss a chance to party
Working at the glove factory for many people encompassed not only their working lives but also played a large part in their social lives.
The photos below show something of the spirit of fun which existed.
Grateful thanks to Bob Drake for the following photographs.
Music thanks to a reel to reel tape recorder and Christmas carol singing to follow
Keep together now!
Who's singing the descant?
We haven't made many gloves but we do feel good
Below are the names of those people who are known to have worked for or been associated with the Stanley and South Moor factories.
AINSWORT Dorothy
AINSWORTH Marjorie
ANDERSON Verna
BELL Lily
CALVERT Betty
CLARKE Joan
CLOUGH June
COATES Lily
COOK Margaret
COWAN Irene
CRAIG Sheila
CRAIG Sylvia
DOBSON Joan
ELLIS Geoff
FOREMAN Hazel
FOSTER Carole
GLENDENNING Betty (nee Calvert)
GREENER Joan
HARPER Joyce
HARRISON Jean
HOLLAND Jean
HOWE Brenda
LAWSON Monica (nee Howe)
LITTLEFAIR Joyce
MORTON Cindy
MUIRHEAD Doreen
NEAL Joan
NICHOLSON Glynis
OLIVER Joyce
ORD Peggy
PARKER Jenny (nee Stalker)
PATTISON David
PHILLIPS Jenny
POTTS Susan
PROUD Jean
SAYERS Barbara
STEWART Mildred
STROKE Jenny
THOMPSON Cathleen
TODD Eva
TOPPIN Maureen
TURNBULL Nora
WALTERS Hilda
Email your stories of Pinkham Gloves
nickpinkham@pinkhamgloves.co.uk
