FORMER employees of Chester’s Brookhirst factory continue to meet up for an annual reunion 50 years after it closed its doors.

A total of 70 people gathered in the Bear’s Paw pub in Newton on Monday, April 30, having travelled from as far as the USA.

Organiser Dave Tarling told The Standard he had planned to make this the last event – but with so many people making the effort to catch up he has decided to continue.

The company began in 1898 as an electrical contractor by Percy Brook and John Hirst employing six workers on Victoria Road.

It proved a huge success and a factory was built at Newry Park, off Brook Lane, which eventually employed up to 2,000 people. Sadly, it closed in 1968.

Mr Tarling, 72, who now lives in Newcastle-under-Lyme, said multiple generations of many families worked at the site which created an unrivalled atmosphere and camaraderie.

“The reunion this year was great,” he said. “Fifty years on and we still get people coming from far and wide to meet up.

“Whole families worked there so the atmosphere created in the place was really nice. We were sad to see it go when it closed.”

Soon after the company started it diversified by designing and building electrical switches and electrical motor control equipment.

Growth in this area bumped staffing numbers from six to 100 and in 1904 a second works was opened in George Street that had to make use of local stables during the busier times.

Continued growth led to the acquisition of a greenfield site in Newry Park and a new factory was built in 1908.

The success of the business led to further expansion on the site with 1,400 workers employed. The first female factory labour was taken on in 1912.

Social and sporting activities were encouraged and a sports ground was opened on Long Lane. Many workers played football, cricket, bowls, fishing and rambling.

During the Second World War employees totalled 2,000 and parts were produced for aircraft. A total of 370 workers joined the armed forces of which 20 did not return.

Demand for equipment during this period led to a satellite factory being opened in a rented garage in Brook Street. The last works expansion was in 1950.

In 1959 Brookhirst Switchgear company that had integrated Wirral companies Cantie Switchgear and Fawcett Preston into its midst was merged with Igranic Electric of Bedford and became known as Brookhirst Igranic (BHI).

Equipment produced was used in power generation, building controls, machine tools and automotive industries, food processing machinery and ship building among many applications throughout the world.

In 1968 the closure of the Chester works was announced and 1,400 people lost their jobs.