From the Birmingham Post, September 13th 1977. Click for a larger version. Slightly poor quality, but should trigger some memories.
A quick one here while I prepare another post – this was inspired by Peter ‘Pedro’ Cutler who spotted a different article mentioning the same firm in the British Newspaper Archive – Barbright USAM who were based on Lichfield Road in Brownhills, just near to Castings.
I have no idea what happened to the company, but they were one of those names you heard a lot and recognised as a local business and employer, like Crabtree, Carver and Co., Geometry International, Castings, Binks Bullows or Edward Rose.
They appear to have been in the building now occupied by skip fabrication company GF Fabrications, who have since fitted red cladding to the building.
I’m hoping this may bring back memories for a few folk, and perhaps of other workplaces that have slipped into the past locally.
What do you remember, or did you work at Barbright? What happened to them? If you can help, please do: Comment here, mail me on BorwnhillsBob at Googlemail dot com or pull me to onside on social media.
Thanks to Peter Cutler for reminding me of a name I’d not heard in decades!
From the Birmingham Post, September 13th 1977. Click for a larger version. Slightly poor quality, but should trigger some memories.
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I worked at Bar Bright straight from school in 1983. Bar Bright was owned by the Folkes group in Stourbridge, The Red cladding was actually put on 2 years before it was sold around 1988
in 1990 we were sold to British Steel which had become United Engineering Steels along with competitors Brasway Bright Bar, Darlaston and British Bright Bar Tipton.
UES took the decision to rationalise to 2 sites and most of the assets and those employees who were willing to relocate, went to the Daerlaston site in All Saints Way where it still manufactures today under the Liberty Steel banner,
In the picture the 3 guys are Bob Millard Joint MD, Lee Benford Sales Director and Terry Hazel Joint MD.
I left in 1996 but have some great memories working at the Bar Bright site and still see old colleagues around Brownhills today. I also met my future wife at the Darlaston site!