ITT Consumers Products shut down Ponswood Industrial Estate, St Leonards 1979


supplied by Haydn Betchley

Steve Glover… My dad Dennis Glover worked there from when it started in 1962 until it closed, he had the option to relocate to a new site but decided to take early retirement. If I remember right, in the early 70’s he together with some of his charge hands help set up assembly lines at new locations like Rhyl. It seems ITT would think nothing of relocating if business rates and labour rates were lower else where. At its peak in Hastings, and including the night shift it employed about a 1,000 staff, big blow to the town when it closed.

Chris Greet… It actually moved to an empty STC factory in Basildon in Essex. They moved because of the poor transport route up the A21. The road was mainly single carriageway in the 70s and not ideal for articulated Lorrie’s.  Sadly. ITTs business manufacturing televisions didn’t last very long after the move. The Japanese completion was too strong and the Basildon site closed for television manufacture in the late 80s.

Ken Hatch… Probably around the start of the rot setting in to Hastings manufacturers and major employers. Many followed suit over the next 10-15 years, I guess business rates were an issue as even Computing Devices (a relatively young company then) opened an extension in Eastbourne rather than Hastings at some point.

Jude Montague… thank you for the articles

 

 

 

Collins and Hayes – who remembers Peter and Nicholas Hayes?

photo © Anthony ‘Nan’ Morland

Anthony ‘Nan’ Morland… Did you work at Collins and Hayes on Ponswood in the 1970’s, 1980’s, 1990’s? Do you remember Peter and Nicholas Hayes, who owned the company?

Merv Kennard… I started working with C&H in August 1968 when Norman Hayes (ex battle of Britain pilot) brought the company down from London.

Paul Marshall… My mum worked in the staff canteen. Old fabric swatches & ice buns on a Friday are a memory for me in the 70’s

Pete Prescott… two guys from Collins and Hayes at my Flat in 1981

Helen Haddock (nee Balls)… I do, I worked at Collins and Hayes in the early 70’s. Great furniture and good bosses as far as I could see. I remember Peter and Nicholas Hayes as I worked for them in Accounts Dept., in early 70’s before leaving to have my lst son James in 1974. If I am correct I am in the photo, to the left hand side, in half profile within the Furniture Showroom on Ponswood Estate. They probably wouldn’t remember me.  But I remember them and Peter was quite ill before that. I loved my Collins and Hayes Suite I bought with my husband Mike, and it lasted well into the late 80’s.  It was called Cygnet.

Martin Hollands… Worked there from 1983 to 2012, used to work with ‘Nan’ too

David Martin… we used to make the chrome plated Cygnet brackets at Winstone Engineering.

Pete Prescott… Remember them so well. I can’t put the best stories on this. David Backler is the bearded guy in the background. Great guy.

Richie Weeks… I worked there, from leaving school at 16 in 1978 until joining Royal Mail in 1987…

Andy Knight… my neighbour was Alan Pledge, the designer back in the 80’s and 90’s, I bought a pair of salmon settees from C&H

Phil Foley… I like that brown velvet whistle

Alan Esdaile… When I had Masons Music building next door, a number of Collins & Hayes staff would walk over our land and constantly ruin our fences. It probably only saved them a minute or two. I did keep getting them repaired but realised it was a losing battle and better to leave it as their new walkway!

 

 

KB (Kolster Brandes) Ponswood Industrial Estate photo

supplied by Leigh Kennedy

Matt Thomas… Was that also ITT? If so my mum worked there

Nigel Sinden… Who do I know that worked there?

Ralph Winser… I think that also used to be the ITT building. My aunt worked there.

Chris Meachen… I worked there in the early 70’s, when it was ITT/ KB. The audio department was in the part of the building to the rear, where my job was testing & adjusting circuit boards. The foreman was an eccentric who would lean down to the serving hatch of the drinks machine & call “thank you” , imagining there was someone inside making the tea.. I didn’t last long there, as it was a 7.30am start & I was frequently late, so managed to get the sack within 6 months, much to my relief as the job was a repetitive bore..

Tim Moose Bruce… cleaner at my old place of work who was at ITT when it closed down told me of loads of test equipment being dumped in the skips. He gave me an AVO 8 multimeter that he rescued. Still got it.

Les Antink… My late uncle John Bates worked here and was also part of the football team. After it closed he joined Redifusion.

Nicholas Sexton… I expect they all did a lot of good work for charity mate !!!

Stuart Bennett… My sister Valerie also worked there.

Carston Shirts Ponswood Industrial Estate St Leonards early 1990’s

Jim Franklin… I remember it well!

Janey Jane… Used to work there back in the 70s with Sharon Mitten.

Nigel Ford… Manager Tony Brindley was a family friend from the late 60’s until his passing (probably about 15 years ago) helping brother with his motorbikes from when we first met as he bought a house just down the road from my parents. He was bike mad and had too many to mention but even included a Honda 6 and was into rock music and had a Bang & Olufsen stereo system that we listened to “Let it Bleed”, Stones album on when new, so much sound difference to our Dansette “Tempo” with stereo compatible cartridge…..we had a few reject shirts off him too.

Lynn Graham… I worked there with my mother in the 60s.

Pete Prescott… I believe my ex mother and father in law’s Pat and Mike Lewsley worked there. We lost Michael but Pat is going strong and still hilarious!

Vox made at Ponswood Industrial Estate, St Leonards-On-Sea 1971 & HIFI Club chat.

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supplied by Peter Gladwish.  photos by Dave Trodd  © Vox.    http://www.voxshowroom.com/equipment/index.html

Peter Gladwish… In 1970, Birch-Stolec Industries purchased the VOX name and company, moving their manufacturing facilities from Erith, Kent, to Ponswood Industrial Estate, St Leonards.  At the same time, Rick Huxley, former bass guitarist with the Dave Clark Five, joined the company as the Southern Area Sales Executive. This sales brochure was produced for VOX by Berfolt-Holt Design Ltd., St Leonards, where a friend and fellow band member, Cliff Brooker was employed. Now don’t laugh too much but I was asked to ‘pose’ with various musical instruments and equipment, in case viewers were unsure how to use them, I suppose! The photo-shoot took place in the basement of the Hi-Fi Club, High Street, Hastings Old Town and the photographer was Dave Trodd . The club owner is in the photo above( photo 5) but I can’t remember his name. If you know him, or remember him, please let me know. The Hi-Fi Club burned down in allegedly ‘suspicious’ circumstances around 1978. Again, if anyone has any more details, please let me know. You can learn more about the history of VOX on the website link above, where this brochure is featured.

Kevin Burchett… The club owner of the hi fi was aa chap called guy not sure of his surname he used to come to scalliwags with monkey Dave i saw him last year in Morrisons.

Alan Esdaile… This is definitely not Guy. Guy rang the HIFI with his brother. Anyone remember who this is?

Ralph Town… Wish they were still there,I,d take a job on those valves and pcbs

Colin Fox…  I had one. You can see it behind me on the right. I seem to remember Rev Stockdale worked there for a while.

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Paul Dengate… Vox also had a workshop in Beaconsfield Road.

Caz Simpson… The man in question resembles a man Guy and Dave hired as a bouncer at the club. I thought the brothers were the owners because they lived there and rented rooms to Jack and George.

Peter Gladwish… Clearly, the man in this pic with me was not the owner of the Hi-Fi Club (Guy McFarlane), as I had always thought and no-one seems to know his name. As he was the one who unlocked, plyed us with drinks and was hanging around all day, whilst Dave Trodd arranged the shots, I just assumed he was the boss-man. Thanks anyway for all your contributions. Apparently, Stuart Moir also worked at Vox in Beaconsfield Rd., Colin Fox & Paul Dengate. Anyone else out there with any memories?

Caz Simpson…  I saw Guy some years back, he was running a bar in Battle. Sadly I heard Dave died, his wife was a lovely lady who had been a bunny girl.  There was a good deal of suspicion about how the club burned down. Guy and Dave had extensive wood panelling carried out to the upstairs living areas which allegedly hid a lot of rot. They tried to sell the club but surveys always brought to light the concealment and sales fell through. I understand the insurance company had strong suspicions regarding the nature of the fire so refused to pay, which is why the gap remains.

Alan Esdaile… was the Vox factory in the Philips building on Ponswood?

Will Cornell… very cool Mason’s shares that address, Alan! Did they make the electric dulcimers for Brian Jones there too?

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Masons Music – est 3rd April 1978, closed 4th November 2016

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Hastings Pier, 187 Queens Road, 190 Queens Road, Grove Road Ore, Ponswood Ind Estate St Leonards.

Alan Esdaile… Now time for me to get a proper job.

Matt Thomas… I drove past earlier – something drew me to the place today.Sorry it’s come to this. End of an era as Masons Music closes it doors for the last time today, up until last year I had spent nearly 30 years at the place so very sad for me to hear today.

Chris Coleman… That must be a record

Jim Breeds… Really? Gosh. Best wishes for the next venture!

Colin Norton… Sorry to hear this, Alan! Hope that everything works out for you!

Tony May… Oh what a year this has been for you and for me. So sorry to hear this but not surprised in the current climate. If you can please pass on my condolences to all who have lost their jobs today. I may have left a long while ago but part of me shall always belong to Masons Music and the legacy that its existence played in what we all used to recognise as the music industry. Best wishes to you Alan – I will be in touch soon.

Jo Turner… Sorry to hear that

Virginia Davis… Good luck in your next venture

Diane Barton… Have the best memories 🙂 Fun times xxx

Ian Mantel… Every week on pay day in early 80’s I bought records.

Simon Payne… Masons Music played an important part in many of our Hastings lives. Sad to hear of it closing it’s doors today. Sad news Alan, I wasn’t with you long but still remember it fondly. Good luck for the future.

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