In 1951, Albright and Wilson celebrated their centenary anniversary of their official founding factory in Oldbury. A book was issued written by Richard Threlfall, which I have cited on many occasions on this website given that it reveals a number of rather embarrassing and revealing statements, though very little indeed about disposal of their toxic waste. 🙁
I have looked at how the two main families were not in any way philanthropic, but had a vested interest in moulding their communities by capitalist manufacture. This phoney social dependency made them elites, and they lived much better and longer lives than most of their workers who toiled with dangerous and toxic substances like white phosphorus. The two families descendants were fox hunting /hunting scum and were far from being poor downtrodden Quakers as the Threlfall book likes to portray. They were also ingratiated into the worlds of the judiciary, politics and health, and so could control and manipulate events to their company profitability, especially through their military supply links, where the idea that they were men of peace is shot to pieces. They also of course had many contacts through their ghastly cult and fake religion of “the society of friends”.
So it was perhaps fitting that in the 100 year anniversary, there was a gathering of over 400 elites at The Savoy Hotel in London, a world far removed from the squalor of their Langley factory, where the smell of cat piss as well as thick smogs blighted the area.
It is worth labouring this point as a choice of venue for this shindig. Though their head office at this time may have been situated in London, you would think that to mark the founding of the AW partnership, they may have symbolically chosen a venue in Oldbury? Obviously the area did not really mean that much to them, and why slum it in the West Midlands when the City of Westminster awaited?
The Savoy Hotel remains one of the most prestigious in the country , and attracted both celebrity and Royal guests at this time. Obviously the company hierarchy considered themselves to be worthy of such “equality”, thus making the idea of humble Quakerism a complete joke.
This event is referenced in the centennial book from page 242 onward, but I have recently acquired a copy of the programme event of this glutinous gathering, and am now serving this up for your peasantry Christmas feast perusal.
Gold and silver leaf design, inset with the naked boy symbol of the company bearing a flaming torch.
In total, 441 people are listed alphabetically by name, (a true bevy of Etonian old boy ox-bridge mafia), and also then by table arrangement. A handy plan is provided in the centre pages of the booklet, with the 43 numbered tables arranged in rows from the stage. Oddly the numbers 13, 24 and 25 are missing. Perhaps they were a little superstitious, or some people had not been able to make it, so a last minute reshuffle was arranged?
THE MENU
Of course no expense was spared in the culinary department as the pretentious French menu attests, though I’m just surprised that there was no rôti de porc on offer. Then again, that would probably have been classed as cannibalism, and we can’t have the society of friends doing that can we? 😀
Entertainment was provided by ivory tinkler Eileen Joyce. Here’s a rendition to get Listz to. I wonder if she played it that night from the stage?
and there was also “comedy” from some cheeky chappy Bobby Davro impressionist called Peter Cavanagh. Oh how they must have roared as they sipped the champers.
But it just gets better with “the stars from take it from here”, a BBC comedy radio show. And not forgetting The blue room orchestra led by Carroll Gibbons.
THE GUESTS
The phrase “you a judge a person by the company that they keep” is perhaps fitting here when applied to you can judge this company by the company that they kept at this gathering. A veritable who’s who of the then chemical industry, a collection of family members from the two vile families and their society of Friends cousins from similar, and some politicians and civil servant/military top brass that they could no doubt call on to do them special favours. I think it’s fairly safe to say that there were no BAMES on the guest list that night. 😉 Here are some I have researched.
A.
Harry R Adams, involved in managing Albright and Wilson’s food phosphate department and also AW offshoot The Antelope Company.
Sir Wallace Akers I.C.I bigwig, but also covert war agent for The British Government before this involved in the early design implications of the atomic bomb! Also instrumental in setting up the UK atomic energy authority. What a fine fellow in line with “the peace loving Quaker” background of the Albright and Wilsons. 😆
Dinah Albright, (born Geraldine) was the grand daughter of Arthur Albright, daughter of A. B Albright, niece of the grotesque fox hunter George (girls name) Albright, who was also a major donor on death in 1990 to The National Trust.
Rachel Ann Albright, grand daughter of Arthur Albright and daughter of John Albright, and sister to the pompous William Beaumont Albright.
W.B Albright and Mrs Albright. The war dodging shooter , cum home guard poser, creator of “The Oldbury smell.” Mrs Albright- Evelyn, (nee Bromley) loved wearing dead animals, but once had a mink fur coat nicked from their manor. 😆 One can imagine that a multitude of skins were worn by numerous scags that night at the Savoy.
“Lord Aldernham and Lady Aldernham” – a hereditary peer, real name Wally Gibbs. 😆 Don’t know what connection they had to the phosphorus firm, but obviously very handy to have a Lud on side.
Roger Kenneth Allen from the Quaker family who owned the business Stafford Allen, and directly related to both families by their weird incestuous inter family trees. His company would become acquired by AW in the 1960’s.
J.O.M Alexander. Another high up military character by all accounts- again a strange recurring theme for such a “peace loving” company. 😆
Maurice Antcliff Long time AW old boy and manager who left in 1935 to manage Albright and Wilson Ireland. Returned to Oldbury during the war where he was involved in liaison with Government officials concerning the production of war munitions. Also later became AW’s personnel manager.
B
Barclay x4 Presumably of the Quaker banking clan
Sidney Barratt Former assistant Director of research and chairman of the company, and also in the works 8th Worcestershire home guard as “captain”, I have his personal map of the area. LOL .
Kim. A Barton Former AW board member who became involved with the Midland Silicones company offshoot.
Edmond Johnson Boake Of the A&W later acquired company Boake Roberts, who made phosphate plasticisers and also fragrances.
James Bottomley Another Albright and Wilson board member at the time of this event. Also involved at one point with the offshoot London company Thomas Tyrer
Sir Frederick Brundrett Instrumental in getting jobs for the boys in WW2- “solider” scientists. After the war he would become chief scientific officer at The Ministry of Defence.
by Walter Stoneman, bromide print, 1954
Commander Colin Buist, and his Mrs Gladys. Another naval man
Lord Balfour of Burleigh. Another hereditary Peer hanger on. (George John Gordon Bruce, 7th Lord Balfour of Burleigh)
C
Paul Cadbury. Of the vile chocolate eugenicist Quaker family.
Laurence John Cadbury Another ” who was head of the chocolate factory from 1944.
James Campbell Chemist at the Widnes works
Wilson Carter AW board member appointed 1940 and assistant works manager at Oldbury during WW2.
Kenneth Chance Of Albright and Wilson’s long time bosom buddies and fellow Oldbury polluters over the way.
Walter Chance– ”
Alfred Chandler seconded from A&W into prominent positions within the Tyrer company.
Christopherson family-
Chemical agents and merchant company with long association with Albright and Wilson through The Antelope company.
Dudley Christopherson
Harry Christopherson
John Christopherson
John Clarke Former General works manager of A&W and heavily involved with the production of AW bombs in WW2.
Dr W.R Collings of the American Dow chemical company who set up partnership with AW with the midland silicones venture.
D
Frank Dalton of The American company who set up an additives plant in Oldbury which was to produce the infamous “Oldbury Smell.”
J Davidson Pratt Industrial chemist and author of several books of a similar theme.
E
Certainly the most notable guest at this event. He was chancellor at The University of Birmingham- the long time academic rat nest of Albright and Wilson.
Conservative MP for Warwick and Leamington and at this time in opposition to the Labour Government. Later in the year the Conservatives would win the election where he would become Foreign secretary. Albright and Wilson obviously wanted an on tap political figure, and no doubt he served this purpose.
He would become Prime Minister in 1955 and would be known as one of the weakest to ever hold office on account of The Suez crisis which led to a national humiliation.
Charles Edwards Of the Christopherson Antelope company and at this time Manager of the General chemicals department.
Another well published ex military man turned civil servant and wartime advisor.
Harry Julius Emeléus
Inorganic chemist of some repute
F
Mrs F.W Fry
Possibly of the Quaker chocolate do-gooder makers?
G
Another University of Birmingham cronie.
M.B Geiger Vice president of The Oldbury Electrical Company of Niagra Falls – an AW associate company.
Norman Goodbody Of the AW associate Ibex firm based in Ireland.
H
Fred Hambly Of the Canadian Buckingham factory
F A Harrison Possibly relations of the company founder offspring through their incestuous web of marriage.
An academic with a fake military seniority. “Later appointed Controller of Chemical Warfare Department, with the rank of Brigadier-General.” Another uneasy connection with the so called Quaker “peace lovers”.
J
Sir Harry Jephcott Big pharma Guru in the form of Glaxo laboratories- obviously well placed for the Albright and Wilson company. Also involved with Ministry of Supply during WW2.
Dr David E Jones Long time works manager at Albright and Wilson’s Widnes factory.
K
Hugh Kindersley Former D day veteran , businessman, and at this point in time, Director of The Bank of England.
Sir Norman Kipping seconded to government service; he was placed in control of the Regional Division of the Ministry of Production until the end of the war. Director General of the Federation of British Industries 1946- 65. Also apparently attended the clandestine cult of the Bilderbergs in 1959 apparently.
L
Sir Charles Lidbury A banker
M. Rene Liger Some Frog, who knows? 😆
Sir Ben Lockspeiser “During the Second World War he was promoted and worked on secret projects for the Admiralty” Say no more, right up the Albright and Wilson bows then.
Alfred H Loveless Albright and Wilson works engineer and part time British agent, who inspected the Nazi phosphorus factories for the Ministry of Supply, and thus gained insight into this when commercially updating the Albright and Wilson post war machine. The M in his name on this programme is a misprint.
M
Ron D. Mason A research chemist at Boake Roberts. Also became managing direct0r of the company formed by Albright and Wilson after acquisition Bush,Boake Allen.
Lawrence Merriam. Another soldier and later businessman.
Thomas Morson Of a pharmaceutical manufacturing family business.
Forrest Musgrave Managing director of the stinking Anglamol Oldbury Smell fame.
N
Professor D.M Newitt An Albright and Wilson board member
Academic and awarded the Nobel prize for chemistry in 1967.
P
K.R Pauley A manager and on the board at The Bristol Mineral and Land Company, another Albright and Wilson acquisition offshoot.
Dr. John Pedder a former scientist at Oldbury and later Oldbury Works manager.
Frederick G Pentecost Chairman of company Boake Roberts a plasticiser business acquired by Albright and Wilson in 1959. Albright and Wilson sold large amounts of phosphorous oxychloride to this company for the process. Interesting that he was on the guestlist here 8 years earlier.
W.E Keith Piercy An executive board member of the company and also a member of the A&W Home Guard.
Sir Raymond Priestley Another former military man and geologist/explorer. Perhaps on the Albright and Wilson guest list as to his then links with their friends at The University of Birmingham where he was vice chancellor.
R
Professor Sir Eric Keightley Rideal Physical chemist and another war man.
E. Avery Roth A technical chemist at Albright and Wilson’s associated Thomas Tyrer works.
Sir Archibald Rowlands Yet another ex military then pen pusher at The Ministry of Aircraft production during WW2. Then later Albright and Wilson’s favourites- the Ministry of Supply.
S
Johann Schrötter
Grandson of the same named red phosphorus producer of Vienna, whom Arthur Albright conspired with to make a match business.
George Startin Of AW’s export department
Eric Drummond Viscount poxy name.
Internationalist meddling do-gooder and Liberal politician, First secretary of the League of Nations (league of imperialists) – at home with the crowd at A&W no doubt. Snuffed it in this same year.
T
T.E Thorpe possibly a scientist who published papers on phosphorus compounds or a relative.
Richard Evelyn Threlfall
Son of Sir Richard Threlfall and board member of A&W. Wrote the book “100 years of phosphorus making” of the company history up to this year.
Another scientist /clandestine military man involved amongst other things in the development of radar. At this point in time he was chief scientific advisor to The Ministry of Defence.
“One of the most controversial meetings Tizard had to attend in his capacity as chair of the Defence Research Policy Committee would only emerge many years later with the declassification of CIA documents, namely a meeting on 1 June 1951 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, between Tizard, Omond Solandt (chairman of Defence Research and Development Canada) and representatives of the CIA, to discuss “brainwashing“.[7 “
Fitted in very well with this cult then.
Brian Topley
Researcher and director of the company who would become most notably associated with the production of the useless AW bombs. His formula of benzene/phosphorus would of course be manufactured in millions of half pint milk bottles, which are still being dug up to this day, as dangerous as they were back then.
William Turcan
Executive officer at Thomas Tyrer- AW associate company
V
Wilfred Vernon If I were a betting man, I would say that this is him with his mad as a box of frogs look. Involved with The Home Guard training school in Osterley park near London – this picture appeared in The Picture Post dated 21st September 1940. He appears to be involved with training in the use of Molotov cocktails and the like, so right up the AW bombs street.
“bomb maker”
W
R. Bruce Walker From the A&W Canadian Buckingham factory.
Walter Wallace A former assistant to Threlfall in A&W’s research laboratory in Oldbury. Also prominently involved in the Niagara Falls project where he had retired in 1949.
Owen Wansbrough-Jones
Another sinister civil servant/pretend military figure who joined Albright and Wilson post war.
In 1940 was commissioned into the royal engineers, rising to the rank of brigadier in 1945. In the British army he specialised in chemical and biological warfare and also became the “director of Special weapons and vehicles” in the Ministry of Supply in 1946.
After a series of advisory and administrative posts, he was appointed chief scientist to the Ministry of supply in 1953, until he retired in 1959. He was knighted in 1955.
His next job, a seamless transition in 1959 was as technical advisor to Albright and Wilson- a military supplier of phosphorus both during and after the war. He was later to become executive vice- chairman and eventually chairman of the military supplier.
IT IS VERY INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT HE WAS PRESENT AT THIS EVENT AND WELL ACQUAINTED WITH ALBRIGHT AND WILSON BEFORE HE JOINED THEM, AND WHEN HE WAS STILL IN HIS ROLE AT THE MINISTRY OF SUPPLY. THIS ONLY SERVES AS FURTHER PROOF OF HOW THIS COMPANY WERE TIED TO MILITARY AND WARFARE ACTIVITIES.
Cecil Weir Of the leather and hide merchants Schrader, Mitchell and Weir. Another civil servant involved amongst other things with The Ministry of Supply.
Earl Whitford Of the Niagara Falls Oldbury Electrical company, and future president of this.
A whole batch of Wilson’s – descendants of the bearded wonder John Edward.
Of note
John Christopher Wilson Secretary of the company at this time
Kenneth Henry Wilson
Kenneth Wilson was a long time chairman of this company, and when the company history was published he sent out signed notes to certain individuals with a copy of the Threlfall book. Also made the speech at this dinner, see below.
Y
G.H.Young A board member of Albright and Wilson offshoot The Bristol Mineral and Land company
SEATING ARRANGEMENT
I’m sure they had much to talk about, like the price of phosphorus. 😆
The toast and speeches
Kenneth Wilson’s speech is given in the centenary book in its entirety between pages 243-251, which I have no intention of reproducing here. It is as the book reads, a sycophantic eye dabbing pile of bollocks, perfectly attuned to that of Napoleon from Animal Farm.
Perhaps the most telling quote from this man came towards the end in respect of their workforce
“They all pulled their weight and set us an example of service and love of their masters and the firm, if I may use this term.”
Well of course they did.
“We eat for you”.
There were also cigars and cigarettes on offer on the menu, and one wonders if the gentlemen later had an excursion to Great Ormond Street to continue their “charitable” work after some homoerotic secret society meeting down the lodge.
But fear not the excluded “servants” of Albright and Wilson, for according to page 251 of the Threlfall volume, a works do was organised just 11 days later for apparently over 300 members of the company at The Grand Hotel in Birmingham. I would suggest that perhaps they had just scooped up all the leftovers from the Savoy and saved them for the doggy bag scutters at Oldbury. More speeches were made by the usual suspects of the company founder piggy families.
With such a collection of the greatest chemical minds in the country gathered at the first banquet, as well as politicians and military men of repute, one wonders why they could not solve the issues of Albright and Wilson’s dirty waste stream, smells and the issues of phosphorus and its dangerous breakdown products which came out of the factory at Langley. Of course, they all conspired to dump the waste out of sight and out of mind in a former brick works pit in Oldbury as cheaply as possible, but as far away from where they lived so it didn’t matter.
5th July of 1950 Birmingham Gazette.
“FRESH AIR IS DENIED IN BROADWELL AND CENTRAL WARDS”
philanthro-capitalist scum