Giving it the works in Newport's 1950s social scene
Those were the days – when working for Newport's giant Audley works meant you had the chance to take part in lots of company social activities as well.
These pictures are from the collection of the late Malcolm Miles, a renowned Newport local historian who died last year.
They are part of a series related to the social life of the company, which later became Audco and ultimately Serck Audco.
In its heyday it was not only Newport's biggest employer with a workforce of around 900 but was also the biggest manufacturer of valves – these are valves as in the sort used in pipes – in Britain.
It closed at the end of July 1999 with the loss of the remaining 148 jobs.
Malcolm's widow Susan has allowed us to dip in to his collection to recall the firm's better days in the 1950s.
And, thorough as always, Malcolm helpfully supplied a note which explains the provenance of the photos and some of the background.
It reads: "These photographs were given by Jany Graaf Hessing whose father, P.J. Hessing, was a manager at Audley Engineering around 1955 to 1956.
"The company was at its peak and was expanding on to the new site at the end of Audley Avenue and soon would merge with Serck to become Serck Audco.
"The Hessings first lived in the former ATS Nissen huts in Aqualate Park, and then at Peny Bryn, a large house, now Princess Gardens.
"Many of the photographs are of events at the Audley Social Club opened by Mr K Leach in 1947 in a building on the corner of New Street and Beaumaris Road. Playing fields were obtained and a pavilion built opposite the Avenue site for football, tennis and cricket. There was also archery and judo.
"In October 1960 land was purchased down Bellmans Yard and a modern club built in 1962. The Beaumaris building was demolished and later bungalows erected.
"Other photographs are of social events such as the Miss Audley dance at the Town Hall and Christmas events at the Barley Mow.”
Of the small selection we can carry here, one is captioned "Audley dance 1955/56. Newport Town Hall/Market Hall," and below the picture is the detailed caption "Margaret Vernon with cup. Left - Dinky Herriman. ? Anne Smith. Hazel Smith. Delwyn Harris."
Strangely, the wording on the cup actually looks like "Mr Audley" (as opposed to Miss Audley), so maybe Margaret was not receiving it, but presenting it to "Mr Audley."
We do know, because it was reported at the time in the Newport Advertiser, that Margaret Vernon, of Stafford Road, became Miss Audley at the first Miss Audley dance held by the Audley Sports and Social Club for its funds in the town hall in January 1955.
However, the newspaper's picture carried at that time showed her wearing a sash, with a different hairstyle, and the trophy she received then was a silver one – so Malcolm's picture is plainly not of the same occasion, perhaps instead being the 1956 dance.
