Friday 8 February 2019

Grimsby Docks Visits, a visit to an engineering works. (Part 1 of 2)

My grandad was born in 1896, left school at the age of 14 and started work as an apprentice metal turner at A. Bacon and Co. Limited on Grimsby's Fishdocks.  He worked there his whole working life until he was almost 70 years old.

I used to visit him in the workshop occasionally as a lad and he would let me start & stop his lathe, very exciting but it's doubtful I would be allowed to even enter the premises these days.

In recent years I occasionally thought I might go to Bacon's workshop to reminisce and have a look around so, when our camera club had a tour around the fishdocks a couple of weeks ago, I found myself at the entrance to Bacon Engineering.  I got permission to not only visit the works but to take some photographs.  I arranged to go back the following week, it was a happy accident that I stumbled across them as Bacon Engineering are soon to move to newer premises and my chance to photograph where my granddad spent the whole of his working life would have gone forever.
Part one of two.



This is an original sign which would have been displayed on the office in my Granddad's Time.

My first view of the workshop for well over 60 years.

A typical lathe that he would have worked on, the actual one?  
Too much to expect maybe.

One of the engineers.






Another interior view, another engineer.




Some components turned on the lathes at Bacon Engineering.

This looks like one of my mugs!

This young man was operating a machine to drill holes into flanges.


He's seen here lowering the drill head.

Drill point.


A view from the back of the workshop.

Part two of my visit will follow soon.

Olympus EM10 Mk2 + 12-100 Pro lens.




7 comments:

  1. That's a wonderful story about your granddad. How fortunate that you managed to photograph the works before they moved away - it was meant to be! The lathes and machinery are quite something. The only time I ever used a lathe was while at senior school when we had metalwork lessons. Wonderful photos.

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    1. Yes, it was serendipity that I was near the workshop and that it will soon be vacated.

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  2. What an amazing opportunity, David, and the workshop looks like it might not have changed in many, many years. That shop looks positively ancient compared to what I imagine a modern metal shop to be although I've never seen one in person. I hope you asked for a tiny souvenir of some sort from the building or maybe you can go back and find something. I'm certain they would be interested in your story. The pictures are wonderful and I'm anxious to read part 2.

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  3. Fantastic!!!! What a great opportunity, I believe it was meant to be. Your pictures are great but the memories and the story behind them makes them even better. thanks for sharing.

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    1. Thank you Melanie, I appreciate your comment.

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  4. These are great images David. You were very lucky, and they deserve a wider audience. Did you show them to the company? I'm sure they'd love a set.

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    1. Thank you Diane, I've sent a link to the Managing Director & I'll send him a link to part 2 also.
      I intend to use these pics in my next new camera club talk, I'm trying to get away from my usual subjects. I think the word is "Diversify" !!?

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