Page 12 - SPR

Our Gallery

An old notice posted into the site. From 1989 it shows departmental changes and promotions.

A photo from Bob Dunn taken around 1969 showing him checking a sheet from the delivery on the Quad Demy in the Love Lane machine room. The door to the passage throught to the casters and comp room is behind the paper that Bob is holding. This was taken on the night shift and it is a machine that I myself, spent a lot of time on. Staples Printers Rochester , | History | Ex Staff | Roll of Honour | The Stanhope Press | Old man Hudson

A lovely photo of Karen Poore taken in the office, March 1973 by Vic Lee.------ Photo from Bob Dunn.

Coming back down Love Lane to the works, from the Coopers Arms after table tennis practice are Brenda Burford and Allen Quy.---------- Taken about 1970. Photo from Bob Dunn. The seat is outside the old peoples 'sheltered accomodation' built when the old houses were demolished. It is on the bend of the Lane. Behind the photographer would have been the steps leading down to the Esplanade.

Coming back down Love Lane to the works, from the Coopers Arms after table tennis practice are Brenda Burford and Allen Quy.---------- Taken about 1970. Photo from Bob Dunn. The seat is outside the old peoples 'sheltered accomodation' built when the old houses were demolished. It is on the bend of the Lane. Behind the photographer would have been the steps leading down to the Esplanade.

Olga Templeman. Both Olga and her sister Angela were remarkable young ladies. Both very pretty and with lovely personalities. Olga had eyes that the lads said "you could lose yourself in". This photo from Bob Dunn is about 1970 in Love Lane.

Part of the Machine Room mob. In this photo from Bob Dunn:- front row from the left of the scene, Tom Burr, John Short, Phil Henry, Roy Howe and Ken Morrist.---------------Back row, Jack Hodge, Bob himself, Tom Blacklock, Geof Curtis, Norman Heard, Frank Ryde and Malcome Castle.-- In the background far right on the Quad Royal is Phil Gunningham.

This Picture has appeared before, but sent in again, this time from Bob Dunn it shows, from the left of scene Geof Curtis, Bob Dunn, Ken Warren, Barry Cox and Ken Morrist. It was taken at a Fancy Dress party at the Paddock Restuarant Chatham. I remember that we had all swapped head gear. I should have had the ginger wig. Bob should have had the hat, Ken, far left, the flunkies powdered wig and I think Ken had the flowers from Janice.

May 3rd. 1958--- a lovely Wedding Day photo of Ken Jeffery and his lovely bride Freda.

Golden Wedding Day. Ken and Freda Jeffery, May 3rd. 2008.

A photo from Mary Howes, on the left of the scene is Dave Starling (chopped off) and his wife, then Ken and Freda Jeffery, Nobby and his wife Mary, Peter Simmons with the braces and his wife Catherine. -------------------------This picture was taken in 1993 at the Staples Dinner Dance, St. Georges Hotel, New Road, Chatham.

A great photo from Mary Howes of her Husband Nobby on their wedding day. he is seen here with Alan Southworth.

From the left of the scene, Angela Petley, Pauline Buckland, Nobby Howes and Eileen Joiner. Taken on his wedding day 08/07/1993

The Simmons's on the left and the Starlings on the right. And there is Tony Styles in the background.

Having brought some photos for the site and enjoying looking through the memories of their loved ones and the days at Staples, a picture of Mary Howes on the left and Freda Jeffery, on their visit to me. August 2010.

Another good picture of two Staples workers.---- From his wedding day, Nobby Howes with his son Kevin. July 1993. -----Nobby was Comercial Manager and Kevin worked in the Bindery.

Another of the same photo of Andrew and Jeff at Love Lane --.This one e-mailed into the web-site by Jeff Huggins.You may notice the yellow roof at the far end of the structures on the right. This was where the new Studio was located and there was a lining to the glass to restrict the amount of natural light allowed in. Under Paul Dixon Staples had a much improved appearance, both outside and inside.

From a polaroid picture e-mailed into the site from Jeff Huggins in Spain, the old Love Lane Composing Department.---Viewed I think, from the 'jobbing' end.------ The 'Europa' ship would have been in the immediate front. In front of the white parcels centre left you can see the curved handle of a lead cutter. --The stones are at the back, with a proofing press over on the far left. Out of the picture on front far left would have been the 'Fundator' saw room, opposite 'Les Robothams box'. ----The white 'bars' in the centre foreground, are probably face identification labels on type cases. At the back are pages of wrapped type stacked on shelves.---The windows right would have looked out on to the river Medway and at most times in that area George Johnson would have been working on Air Pictorial.

Jeff Huggins in his youth, when he was working in the composing Department at Staples Love Lane. He played table tennis for the works 4th team, (if I recall correctly).-------Photo sent in by him from his home in Spain.

Another photo from Jeff huggins in Spain. The delapidated and totally run-down appearence of the outside of the Love Lane factory. This was the Stanhope Press, probably still run by A.E. Bacon at that time. The little 'outhouse' with the broken asbestos panels at the bottom to the right of the entrance was the white spirit store, where workers went to dip their cans into a big drum to fill them up.-------- Visitors to the factory, if they could find the entrance door, which was over to the left, would be presented with a telephone on the floor, with a rough notice telling them to ring an extension-------.As far as I can remember, all office personnel, seemed to be trained to be rude to the workers. To the left of this yard was a slope that went down to the machine room, this was the original entrance for cattle when the building was an abattoir. The sacks on the pallet by the door were parcels waiting for the Royal Mail to collect for posting out. I don't know who owned the mark one Cortina.

WHERE IT ALL STARTED------In this picture taken from a book and e-mailed into the site by Barry Cox, is shown Strood High Street 1907 looking west from outside Fernbank's jewellers at no. 65 and shows part of the main shopping area including Frank East Drapers at no. 67 - 71. James Elvy bootmaker was at no. 73. ---AT NO.75 WAS ALBERT HUDSON, PRINTER, STATIONER AND POST OFFICE.-- Cobb and sons drapers and house furnishers were at nos. 77- 81.--- Opposite is the Fountain Inn and The London and Provincial Bank is on the corner before the The Angel public house. Mr Hudson,-- 'Old Man Hudson', as he was called, went on to move the printing to Love Lane in Rochester to become the Stanhope Press. When he went, it was run by A. E. Bacon, then later purchased to become part of the Staples Printing Group. There were branches at Kettering, St Albans and a Head Office in London.----With the additions of Unwin Brothers Woking and Robert Hartnoll 1985 of Bodmin, it became part of the Martins Printing Group under T.S. Martin and later under his son Clive. --------------------- The picture 23 on page 25, shows the group photo of Albert at his 90th birthday celebration, surrounded by his Love Lane contemporaries.