NOSTALGIA: Moment to treasure

Cyril and Vera Pickersgill were both employed by the Daventry bearing firm in 1980, 20 years before the company severed all its ties with the town.

Vera worked as a clerk typist while her husband was employed as a packer. The couple worked in the same department of British Timken for their first 13 years with the company.

Vera said this had no effect on her or her partner’s wife, and that more oftehn than not the two would cross paths only on lunch breaks.

By 1980 Cyril was working on shifts and Vera was in a separate part of the factory meaning they would much less of each other during the day.

The presentation of gold watches to the 67 employees brought the total number of people who had received watches at the time since the scheme began in 1948 to 1,721.

Employees at both the Duston and Daventry bearing plants were rewarded for their loyal service, and in 1980, a total of 67 people received gold watches.