Bryant and May- garston match factory were....

The first to be equipped with the first continuous match making machine!

At one time, was THE ONLY producer of wooden matches in the UK.

Famous brands to come out of Garston include...

Swan, Pilot, Vesta and Englands Glory.

The firm was famous for only recruiting local people, it was tough for anyone trying to get a job there as they only employed family members. Several generations worked there.

Hi Kev

Bryant and May (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryant_and_May) may have been, as you say, "At one time, was THE ONLY producer of wooden matches in the UK." However, since the Garston was not their only facility, I should think that it was not their only plant to make wooden matches. They also had a factory in the East End of London, which was famously involved in a match girls strike of 1888, one of the first instances of female labor protesting for recognition and better wages.

Chris

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Thanks for that, Kev, great to see

So famous they're on the Walk of Fame

I remember Bryant mand May very well. My dad worked there for a number
of years, he was from King Street ( under the bridge) he tried to get me a
job there once, got an interview but it wasnt meant to be as I failed the maths test (never mind). I have fond memories of King Street. I never lived there but my dad did and we used to have great nights out in the Queen Vic.
I remember on occasion John Aldrige and Ray Houghton being in there with Johns dad Billy, being a red I was very impressed that my dad was mates with
the great players dad. Yes I have very happy memories of such a stong close
community.
Would love to hear from anyone who drank in Vic in the 80s and might remember my dad, his name was Jack Winckle (theres a name you couldnt forget)
crackin site by the way cant come off it. get carried away and end up losin track of time.

A great post, my mum and dad might remember the name, btw, here's some upto date pics of the B and M site: Click and scroll down (http://www.yoliverpool.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1421&page=18&highlight=match+garston).....

This is the Matchworks building mentioned in another thread.

Quote.
"At one time, was THE ONLY producer of wooden matches in the UK."

This has got to refer to the last years of the factory, when it was a fact.

I remember Bryant mand May very well. My dad worked there for a number
of years, he was from King Street ( under the bridge) he tried to get me a
job there once, got an interview but it wasnt meant to be as I failed the maths test (never mind). I have fond memories of King Street. I never lived there but my dad did and we used to have great nights out in the Queen Vic.
I remember on occasion John Aldrige and Ray Houghton being in there with Johns dad Billy, being a red I was very impressed that my dad was mates with
the great players dad. Yes I have very happy memories of such a stong close
community.
Would love to hear from anyone who drank in Vic in the 80s and might remember my dad, his name was Jack Winckle (theres a name you couldnt forget)
crackin site by the way cant come off it. get carried away and end up losin track of time.

Thanks for that, photos great, didnt the factory end up being a film studio?

:unibrow: :unibrow: :unibrow: Thanks for photos, didnt the matchworks end up being a film studio or was that a rumour. Sorry about putting my reply on the quote, just learnin (me being a newbie)

Thanks for that, photos great, didnt the factory end up being a film studio?

Most of it is a call centre, but there were other occupants, like the NHS.
I don't know about a film studio, but I don't think so, as I worked in the call centre.

Intresting to know about the call centre, im lookin for a new job so i might
give it a try. I might be lucky second time around in that building. Can anyone out there give me any ideas of maybe who to get in touch with about
a position there? tar

Intresting to know about the call centre, im lookin for a new job so i might
give it a try. I might be lucky second time around in that building. Can anyone out there give me any ideas of maybe who to get in touch with about
a position there? tar

The firm who run the call centre is called Vertex.
Get in touch with them direct, or ask at your local JobCentre.
I don't think they employ as many people as they did, but the turnover of staff was always rather big.
They called it "Churn".

Thanks for that phil, Ill give them a ring in the mornin.

I remember Bryant mand May very well. My dad worked there for a number
of years, he was from King Street ( under the bridge) he tried to get me a
job there once, got an interview but it wasnt meant to be as I failed the maths test (never mind). I have fond memories of King Street. I never lived there but my dad did and we used to have great nights out in the Queen Vic.
I remember on occasion John Aldrige and Ray Houghton being in there with Johns dad Billy, being a red I was very impressed that my dad was mates with
the great players dad. Yes I have very happy memories of such a stong close
community.
Would love to hear from anyone who drank in Vic in the 80s and might remember my dad, his name was Jack Winckle (theres a name you couldnt forget)
crackin site by the way cant come off it. get carried away and end up losin track of time.


Hi Jackie
I originate from Lyon Street facing Banks Road school and park,got married and moved to Shakespeare Street and now in Runcorn. Was never a regular at the Vic but i have used that pub. I do know a family of Winkles, Roy and Norma had 2 sons and a daughter, many years ago they lived in a street opposite the Garston Empire, they moved up to Runcorn about 40 years ago. Before moving to Runcorn Roy worked at Mortons down the bottom end of Window Lane and in Runcorn he worked in the Manchester ship canal workshops as an engineer. anything else you would like to know about Garston would be happy to try and oblige.
Genie :PDT_Aliboronz_24:

When I was in the sea cadets, we were all sent to Bryant and May to do our First Aid Training. Owing all the chemicals they used, they had to have really well qualified people, the equivalent of a modern day paramedic.

Ops sorry i thought you said Brian May

When I first started working for Wm Tomkinson and sons the builders a young labourer came to work on our site. He was very posh for a labourer and it tuned out he was the son of the then Managing Director of Bryant and May.
He was a nice lad and he wasn't destined to end up on a building site as he was on a gap year later to study accountancy in Uni.

When I first started working for Wm Tomkinson and sons the builders a young labourer came to work on our site. He was very posh for a labourer and it tuned out he was the son of the then Managing Director of Bryant and May.
He was a nice lad and he wasn't destined to end up on a building site as he was on a gap year later to study accountancy in Uni.

I also worked for Wm Tomkinson while I was a student. I worked in Rathbone Road and on a school they were building near to the Giro. Late 60's or early 70's.

I worked there as a joiner in the late 80's. If they were still going I would probably still be there. It was a good firm to work for.
Rathbone Road was the transport yard.
As you probably know it a housing estate now.

I worked there as a joiner in the late 80's. If they were still going I would probably still be there. It was a good firm to work for.
Rathbone Road was the transport yard.
As you probably know it a housing estate now.


I just drove dumper trucks around full of concrete and emptied them into drain ducts. Once or twice a week,
I would volunteer to go on the jack hammer indoors (extra few bob for that.)

Like you, I found them a good crew to work with. In the hut (Litherland school) on a Friday night, after we had been payed, they used to play cards but would neve let us students have a game. They had a sense of decency and tended to look after us.