The Duke of Edinburgh with in the rear L S Lebus, to his left Sir Herman Lebus and to his right Stanley Bright zone manager
In the foreground – Oliver Lebus and wife, Kenneth Scott and wife and Stanley bright and wife
Kenneth Scott worked at Lebus from leaving school until the late 1960s. His final position was as manager of the machine shop having taken over from Stanley Bright
L S Lebus presenting Pat Brignell with his gold watch for 40 years service. 1924 – 1964
Pat Brignell to the far left, on the right hand side standing with glasses is William Butler. Albert Church in the foreground
Dinner dance March 1954 – Pat and Majorie Brignell on the right
Raymond Lamb
Harris Lebus Singers, the second person on the bottom righthand side is Jean Cox
Justine Causer
Lebus employees – date unknown
Eileen Noble – Staff wages supervisor
Oliver Lebus presenting Arthur King with his gold watch for 40 years service. 1926 – 1966
Barber shop at the Lebus factory – 1950
Lebus day trip to Southend in the early 1950s. Violet Thurley amongst the group in the front row wearing a black bow
Violet Thurley behind on the far left worked as a sprayer in the late 1940s to the early 1950s. This photo was possibly taken at a Lebus dance
Lebus switchboard operators 1968 – Pat Bailey and Freda Halberg
Lebus offices, 1968
Stan Robshaw in the middle with Ernie Worman to his right
Dinner and dance, Ernie Worman on the left
The Wormans
Oliver Lebus presenting Albert Sullivan with his gold watch for 40 years service. 1923 – 1962
Albert Sullivan sitting in the black pin stripe suit, front row right hand side end
Albert Church
Albert Church – article from the Lebus Log December 1962
Fantastic carvings of leaves by Albert Church
Fantastic carvings of leaves by Albert Church
Fantastic carvings of leaves by Albert Church
Fantastic carvings of leaves by Albert Church
Timber field annual outing 1953
Party nights at the pavilion – 1950s
Lebus summer outing to Southend circa 1947/8
Harris Lebus Choir on Come Dancing
Harris Lebus FC
Harris Lebus FC pre WWI
Harris Lebus FC pre WWI
Harris Lebus FC late 1940s
Harris Lebus FC late 1940s
Harris Lebus FC late 1940s
Harris Lebus FC at the Hayes ground late 1940s
Harris Lebus FC reserve team late 1940s or early 1950s
Pando football club with manager Pat Brignell – bottom right kneeling
Watches presented to employees for long and loyal service
Example of a Gold watch presented to Lebus employees after many years of service
This one was presented to Mr E A Huggett for long and loyal service
Another example
This one was presented to Mr P J Brignell for long and loyal service
Another example
This one was presented to Mr W G Butler for long and loyal service
Watch case
Watch case inside
Another example
This one was presented to Mr A R Sullivan long and loyal service
Another example
Watch presented to Mr A A King for long and loyal service
These are fantastic! I especially love the newspaper clipping of Justine Causer. Could it be any less politically correct?!
If you look at the character on the far left side of the attendees pctured in the photo entitled Dinner dance 1954, I believe that to be Anthony Lebus younger brother to Oliver, any one who can confirm??
The grey haired person in the centre of the same picture eludes me, at first I thought it could be the personnel manager named Lamb, but have my doubts. Again can any one enlighten me.
It certainly looks like Anthony (my father-in-law). I’ll get my husband (Richard) to confirm when he gets in!
I think you are right about Mr Lamb, I worked for him and Mr Moon in the Personnal Office.
Jean Cox
Thank you jean on the confirmation about Mr Lamb.
My memories of Mr Moon was when he used to take my mother and myself to the Nufto Convalescence home in Seaford to see my father Albert Cole .
Graham Cole
a small correction – in the picture above, it is my father L S Lebus who is presenting the watch to Pat Brignell, not Sir Herman.
I’ve corrected the caption, thank you.
Right at the top of the list of guests at the Lebus birthday party is the name of Arthur Church, who had served the company for 55 years. I can remember Mr Church in the late 1950s/early 60s when he was president of th Jigofferees concert party for which my late father Jack Williams was stage manager. My mother, who died last year had a pair of carved dishes in the shape of leaves, which were made by Mr Church, a master woodcarver and true craftsman. They are now in my possession.
I have a collection of Mr Church’s carvings of leaves , I thought his name was Albert though, can anyone confirm?
When I knew Mr Church in the early 1960’s I was under the impression that he was in his 80’s and at that time worked the jig department doing specials.
I used to attend the Jigofferies outings each year to such places as Margate,Cliftonville, Clacton etc which culminated in formal dinner, after dinner speeches and joke tellings, awesome for any young person selected.!
Yes , you are correct he was Albert Church. A real gentlemen , he was almost Edwardian in his dress.
His work bench in T 1, the jig and sample shop, was always tidy with a full set of carvers tools laid out neatly on a layer of Green felt.
At one time I worked about 20 Ft. from him( in old money).
I also have a carved leaf .
He did produce specials that required his excellent carving skills. He also carved the originals from which metal stamping press tools were made. These were in turn used to press decoration onto ply members of furniture doors, drawer fronts etc.
I too remember trips with the Jigofferees , in particular to the Severn Sisters pub in Seaford. Entertainment included the Bracken brothers, Sid and Alf.
Howard Slater
You are correct his name was Albert. As a young lad in much more respectful times, I was only allowed to refer to him as Mr Church. My dad Jack was very friendly with the Bracken brothers (Fred’s son Tony once came on holiday with us to Jersey). Other names I recall were Charlie Chapman, who played the piano, Jack Gunnell, Wally Baker, who was a childhood friend of my mum’s, and a man called ‘Gee’. Also there was a lady singer called Eileen Cummings.
My grandfather, Cyril Rostgaard, worked as a chief designer at Lebus for many years. I have hundreds of his drawings, and photographs of his design office, the factory, trade show visits all around the world and of the furniture. I also have pictures of the dolls house he designed for Prince Charles and Princess Anne, and photographs of him with the Duke of Edinburgh. I’d love to share them with you.
As a young engineer part of my duties were to draw the handles on tracing paper in the design development department and I knew your grandfather who was the senior designer .
The office was on the first floor and identified as KL 1st next to the makers department where they made the mock ups of the designs of your grandfather . They were then displayed to the management for approval.
I remember him as a flamboyant man well dressed and polite , hope that matches your memories.
The lady behind the conductor in the Harris Lebus singers photograph is my mother Gladys Hopkins. She was a comptometer operator (1947-1956 approx).
I read your email with interest as I was employed by Harris Lebus to work in 22 shop from 1946 until 1949 when I was conscrioted into the army in 1949.
After leaving the army in 1951 one of my jobs was working for Felt and Tarrent (Comptometer), until 1976 after 20 years, I hope that you find this interesting!
My grandfather, Pinchas Starkman, worked for Harris Lebus when he came to England from Belarus in 1900. He earned seven shillings a week and had a wife and child (later 5 children)
My Mum GERTRUDE Somers worked for lebus in the 1930s . Sadly she passed away in 1973. She was an upholsterer, brilliant seamstress. She moved to Devon when the blitz started.
My father worked at lebus from the age of 15 until he died aged 55 in 1963,Charles Millbank, think he was manager of the mill.