I can’t see any company producing anything like this today – it’s quite remarkable.
I honestly haven’t got a clue what’s going on here at all – which is not totally unusual, let’s face it – but this one has me baffled, perplexed, astonished and smiling.
I have been given this comic prospectus, for the ‘University of Brownhills’ by a friend who found it in a charity shop. It’s a small booklet, A5 size, with a gloss card cover, consisting of in-jokes about the company and staff, with professional cartoons drawn by a noted artist.
The text is amusing, and well written.
Butler Foundries were, as far as I can ascertain, a metal casting company situated in Collier Close, just off Coppice Side in Brownhills, who seem to have disappeared around the early 2000s. They were a fairly large, well known company in my youth, and I knew a few with relatives who worked there. Their premises now seem to be occupied by a hazardous waste transfer company.
Several of the jokes would probably be regarded as a little off-colour today, but it’s neat, amusing and I have no idea why it was made, or for what audience. Customers? Workers?
It’s a real bit of Brownhills history, and fits well with my request for more information on local factories and workplaces.
But honestly, I’ve never seen anything like this and would appreciate any memories, knowledge or anecdote anyone can add.
You know the drill: comment here, or BrownhillsBob at Googlemail dot com.
Thanks.
University of Brownhills Butler Foundries Campus Prospectus 1979-80 PDF download
(or click the pages below for a larger version)
