I worked for the Standard Motor Company in the engineering design drawing office at Fletch North as a gear specialist on transmission for gearboxes.
This was from the late 1950s until its ultimate closure and transfer of engine and gearbox transmissions to Land Rover UK in Solihull, where I finished up.
Some of the top bosses went to the Austin Rover car plant, at Longbridge.
Models in production during my time included the Triumph Stag, Triumph 2000, Triumph 1300 AJAX, the Triumph Herald and Vitesse and also the GT6 and Triumph Spitfire sports cars.
The main assembly plant was located on site at Fletch South and in between was a huge manufacturing area for component transmissions etc. on site!
Off site, the rear axles and associated gearing was produced at the nearby Radford plant.
It came as a shock to one and all when it was taken over by Leyland Bus Company Ltd of Preston, for we thought at one time we would all be there for life.
Coventry was proclaimed to be a “boom town” in those heady days of manufacturing, with Standard Triumph the top of the tree for wages.
Jaguar Cars were well in, with Geoffrey Robinson as the Managing Director, along with the Alvis on the Holyhead Road and the Humber at Stoke, and not to forget, among many others the Dunlop Tyre Company and Aviation Division in Holbrooks.
Everywhere you looked were associated manufacturing and tool companies too numerous to mention, with the likes of Self Changing Gears in Lythalls Lane, Coventry Gauge and Tool and Alfred Herberts Ltd.
You will never beat those days again in Coventry or the wonderful people who worked through them!
I am glad that my time and working life was when this city was at its greatest.
W Hind, Keresley.