Posts in "March 2010"
We recently swapped emails with a former employee of ours, Rick Fernay, who is now 89 years old. Here is the story of how he found us again, together with some recollections of his time with us.
I recently received an email from a relative in the Midlands containing a clipping which describes 'The world's biggest spade' manufactured by Bulldog Tools. I then spent a considerable time on your excellent website which brought back many memories of my time at Clarington Forge.
Even though it's 29 years since I left I still have many memories of the old days.
I started work at 14 years of age in 1935. One of my earliest memories relates to my first job as 'office boy'. Twice a day I had to load up a brief case and trek from Clarington Forge to head office in the Wiend, Wigan. Occasionally I would be instructed to call on the way back at the Pepper Mill in Darlington Street to pick up extremely heavy phosphor-bronze bushes etc Whenever possible I always tried to arrange my journeys to coincide with the times when the directors would be en route from Head Office, hopefully to be offered a lift! Eventually I was able to buy a pushbike for the journey which was great until it was stolen from outside the Wiend office. However the directors very kindly provided a free replacement.
Another of my tasks was to go across the road to pick up hot pies for the more senior staff members' lunches. One very wet day I dropped the whole lot in the middle of the road where they came in contact with a variety of foreign deposits, consisting mostly of that left by horses which were occasional road users in those days!
During the early days of my career 'on the road' as a sales rep I recall the first time I worked this local area. On calling at Popletts the ironmongers in Peacehaven I was confronted by a notice in the window which read 'WE SHOOT EVERY THIRD REP-THE SECOND ONE JUST LEFT'.
I also recall an endless journey home one Friday after staying in Portsmouth. I was en route to Barkingside in Essex where we then lived. Just as I entered the London area a typical 'pea-souper' fog descended reducing my speed to a crawl. Eventually I realised I was in the Elephant and Castle area of London and I continued to proceed in the direction of home (I thought!). Twice during the next couple of hours I found myself back at the Elephant before the fog finally cleared. So much for my powers of navigation!
I really did enjoy those days. Apart from the actual travelling around my area there were the visits to Wigan for the annual Reps' Conference and annual shows such as Hardware Trades Fair, Public Works Exhibition and various agricultural exhibitions.
Fortunately I didn't have to carry a sample of 'the world's biggest' around with me back then!!
I trust you'll keep the old firm going strong and I send my best wishes to you all.
Rick Fernay.
Posted by Stuart Elsom on 3rd March 2010
This weeks post was written by Cleve West. Cleve has won five RHS Gold Medals, as well as the BBC/RHS People's Choice Award at the Chelsea Flower Show. You can read more about him at his website: www.clevewest.com
I wouldn’t describe myself as obsessive but when it comes to tools there may well be something going on that’s not altogether healthy.
A well-made spade carries as much fascination for me as the flower of Michelia yunnanensis just about to burst its furry-brown indumentum (that’s a hairy casement to you and me). The sensation of a pair of loppers comfortably slicing through a one-inch woody stem is as satisfying as the smell of freshly cut grass.
Old tools carry the fascination a stage further. Well made; well used; each with its own peculiar dent, nick or scratch, they carry the ghosts, not to mention the sweat, of previous owners. But antique implements don’t always approve of being brought out of retirement. Shafts and handles tend to be more brittle and have to be used with respect if they are to last. Some that I’ve bought are never used but stored with the idea that someday I will find a suitable wall on which to display them as icons of honest hard work.
A brand new tool is always a treat and it pays to buy the best you can afford. It’s very much a personal thing so I would never buy anyone tools as a present unless I knew exactly what they needed. A tool must feel part of you; an extension of your being. The weight, height and shape all have a bearing on how comfortable or annoying a tool will be. A well-chosen tool can last you a lifetime.
Most of my time visiting garden centres is spent looking at tools rather than plants. Just the other day I was looking at a post-hole digger knowing full well that I don’t have any post-holes to dig and have no plans for any in the future either for me or anyone else. But tools, like the Sirens of Greek mythology, know the art of seduction and whisper things like “Ah yes, but look at how efficient we are.” I nod to myself thinking “yes you are a fine piece of invention, why on earth did I struggle with a spade all those years of building gardens?”
The next thing I know I’m holding it, slightly annoyed that the blades are taped up and there isn’t a patch of earth for me to dig a perfect post-hole. I set them back on the stand and consider their form before walking away. It’s a bit wanting in the aesthetic department if we’re honest and I really don’t need a post-hole digger. But it’s not finished with me yet. “OK I’m not as beautiful as the onion hoe you have in your loo at home,” (how on earth does it know that?) “But I could make light work of fencing your allotment in and keeping out all those pesky rabbits.” I have it in my hands again. Beads of sweat are now forming on my forehead and my hands are quivering as I do my best to wrench myself away. I know I don’t need it and money could be better spent on a pair of loppers or extendable pruners. “You know you want me,” it says nonchalantly knowing full well it has the upper hand.
People are looking at me now as a low, resigned moan goes on for little longer than would be considered normal in A & E let alone a garden centre. I make a last, Herculean effort to wrench myself away. “The rabbits…remember the rabbits!!” it says panicking, “you lost half your crop of lettuce to them last summer, your carrots were a joke and this spring they’ll be multiplying like…well, rabbits. You need me!”
It has a point but at the same time it has told me exactly why I don’t need a post-hole digger. You see the rabbits live under my shed so in effect I’d be fencing them in. This is my chance. I make my way quickly to the exit, quietly pleased with this uncharacteristic measure of self-restraint but I’m stopped short of the door by another voice, this time the cashier. “So, er…shall I put that on your account then Mr West?”
I look at the post-hole digger in my hand with a mixture of contempt and unbridled joy. “Oh yes,” I say, meekly, “sorry about that…too much on my mind.” And I have. I’m thinking of my new toy, wooden posts, nails, chicken wire and how fencing the rabbits in and keeping them off other people’s plots is about as community-spirited as it gets at an allotment.
See? I needed it after all.
Posted by Cleve West on 10th March 2010
As part of our 230th year anniversary we've produced a limited-edition, life-size version of our our world record spade. Each spade features its own individual numbered plaque, and like all our spades, is solid forged for strength.
We ran a recent competition in the Sun newspaper to give readers an opportunity to win one of these special spades. We were very pleased with the response - over 900 entries! Here are the lucky 25 winners:
R Atkins (Pontypridd), E Beer (Saltash), A Bucks (Aberdeen), C Bonnetti (York), J Claydon (Waltham Cross), N Coveney (Guildford), S Cowan (Luton), B Dinham (Port Talbot), D Fitzpatrick (Birmingham), L Godden (Brighton), C Hayward (Colchester), G Hayworth (Blackburn), M Hodgson ( Thornaby), J Jameson (Sunderland), J Johnson ( Cwmbran), S King (County Down), C Malone (Lincoln), S Marriott (Salisbury), J Patching (Doncaster), C Rapsey ( Redruth), J Simpson (Cirencester), D Snowdon (Preston), H Stables (Peterhead), K Webster ( Southport), A Worthington (Rugby).
If you would like to come and see how solid forged, top quality tools are manufactured we would be delighted to take you on a tour of our factory. You can also become a friend of Bulldog Tools on Facebook.
Posted by Stuart Elsom on 17th March 2010
Here's the world's biggest spade at the Dutch Nursery Garden Centre in Hatfield:
Alongside our spade is Richard Henn and his niece, Emily.
The spade will be on show at this garden centre until the 8th of April. They can be found 5 miles north of the M25 motorway, at:
The Great North Road
Brookmans Park
Hatfield
AL9 6ND
United Kingdom
They are also holding a separate exhibition of paintings, sketches and photographs from three local artists. To learn more, visit: www.dutchnurserygardencentre.co.uk
Posted by Stuart Elsom on 22nd March 2010
This Easter you can win a set of Bulldog Tools worth £100!
We have three sets of tools available, and the first 100 entrants from the UK will win 5 packets of sunflower seeds each.
To enter, simply answer the following question:
What plant or tree best represents strength and durability, and why?
Put your answer in the comments below and we will choose our favourite three as winners. The closing date for the competition is April 23rd and we will announce the winners on April 26th.
If you are wondering what to do with your sunflower seeds, you might like to know that May 1st is International Sunflower Guerilla Gardening Day! This is an annual event designed to brighten up the urban landscape. We've donated 500 of our special anniversary seed packets to help them in their cause. To learn more, visit:
www.guerrillagardening.org/ggsunflower.html
Here they are on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=301535539424
And you can join us on Facebook here:
www.facebook.com/pages/Bulldog-Tools/190980934188
Posted by Stuart Elsom on 30th March 2010
