OVER the past few weeks in Yester Years, we have been bringing you the stories of life at Richmond’s in Latchford.

And it is clear the place has very happy memories for many of you.

This week George Crompton, who now lives near Knutsford, got in touch to tell us about his work as an apprentice sheet metal worker.

He started in 1943, his grandfather being a floor moulder.

While his brothers Charlie, Ron and Harry worked there, his sister was in the drilling shop and his mother worked in the shell shop.

He added: “I also went back after National Service working with a chap named Norris who was a prop forward with St Helens.”

He says he recognises all the people pictured, right, apart from the woman in the middle on the back row.

Meanwhile Derek Action, from Walton, also got in touch in response to a picture we published last month about the women in the Chandos vitreous enamelling department.

He said: “I was the foreman there, from 1970 until 1972.

“I recognise all of these faces but the Cranks in particular. Facing Annie, second from the right is her daughter Elsie Crank, who was a wonderful character .

“The department was run by superintendent Ken Dixon and I ‘understudied’ under Dave Fallon, known by all, as uncle Dave, before taking over from him on his retirement, as foreman.

“The charge hands too were all interesting characters and I can remember messers Lees, Delooze, Crump and Cowell, as well as Bill Rowlands in the Mill room.

“I remember the first year that a ‘No Drink’ policy was introduced, at Christmas, for health and safety reasons.

“There was to be no drinking on site.

“Well, these ladies had other ideas and when they failed to return to work, after their morning tea break, I had to go into this very room to ‘request’ their return to work. They beat me to it and as I approached the door, they all came out, doing the Conga, with glasses of sherry in their hands.

“Great memories of these wonderful people.”