George Manifold & Ferramic Industries Ltd

Gillian recently got in touch with the Trust via our Facebook page and sent us this image of her dad George Manifold in front of the factory doors of Ferramic Industries Ltd.

Founded in 1934 Ferramic Industries manufactured leadless frits to produce non-acid-resisting and acid-resisting vitreous enamels used for the enamelling of domestic appliances such as gas and electric cookers, fires, and irons, refrigerators, washing machines, etc. It also produced colouring oxides, opacifiers, and clays.

To accompany the photo Gillian kindly sent us a synopsis of her dad's history with the company. 

"George Manifold worked for Ferramic Industries for 30 years and was a full partner when he died on February 14, 1976. Dad started at Ferramic Industries Inc. as a Lorry Driver/Mechanic shortly after the war ended around 1946. Dad was a Sergeant in the Royal Engineers serving on Gibraltar.

The lorries were housed at the Mill Green Lane air field in one of the old hangars until the new Industrial Park was built on top of the "dumps/sandpit" off Chequers/Burrowfield. Dad was a good mechanic and found himself working on the equipment in the factory as well as in the lorries. Eventually he was promoted to Factory Mechanical Engineer and worked all day and sometimes all night. We kids understood when the phone rang it was usually for him to go back to work to fix something. There were times he would come home as we were heading to school.

Mr. Stone and his nephews recognized dad's contributions and dedication to the company and when "the old man" (as he was affectionately called by my dad) decided to change to company to a partnership, he chose to include my dad as one of the named partners. So George Manifold became a partner in Ferramic Industries Ltd along with Herrick Stokes, Ronald Stokes and Colin Stokes just before Mr. C.P. Stone passed away in the late ‘60s.

Dad was still doing everything he did before he was made partner. He was happiest in a pair of overalls or boiler suit. Dad died a year after Colin Stokes, which left the company in the charge of the two older partners Ronald and Herrick Stokes. We learned some years after dad died that Ferramic Industries were closing down. My dad would have been very sad to see that, after all he gave everything he had to that company."