Ericsson Cabinet Shop employees - about 1957
On the occasion of the retirement of George Henry Peel who worked there for 53 years
George is pictured in the centre, behind the table lamp.

Brian Preston has identified Cyril Pye, who was a long-standing officer at the Beeston Lads' Club, standing on the extreme right.

Suggestions for names of any of the others in this or any of the other photographs on this page are very welcome

George Henry Peel (1891-1978) was born in Beeston, the son of Frank Peel, a lace maker, and his wife Harriet (née Hazzledine), Both parents were part of the then latest generations of long-standing Beeston families. Frank (1858-?1946), the son of Samuel (1837-?) and his first wife Zillah (or Priscilla, née Harper, c1839-?1859), married Harriet (1862-1959), the daughter of Hezekiah (1839-1913) and his first wife Ann (née Knight, c1839-1884), at Beeston Parish Church on 31 December 1881. The couple had seven children, five of whom survived into adulthood, George Henry being the youngest. The eldest, George's only surviving sister, Elizabeth (known as Lizzie,1882-1933) married Harry Pegg, senior and was the mother of Harry Pegg, the well known Beeston Pork Butcher (1907-1985) who traded from his shop at the corner of Wollaton Road and Abbey Road ("Pegg's Perfect Pork Pies Please Particular People"). George's older brothers were Albert, Arthur and Samuel.

George received a basic education at Nether Street School (Click to see him and his brother Sam during that time) and, in 1904, aged only 13, he left to join British L.M. Ericsson Telephone Company which had taken over the factory started by National Telephone Company in 1901, just below the railway in Beeston, and was eventually to employ about 5000 producing telephone exchanges and equipment for the world market. George joined the cabinet shop there to learn the trade - unlike his brothers and many others in that era in Beeston, who joined the lace trade.

The photograph on the left shows George as a young man, probably about 1909, posing with an Ericsson telephone of that era

Soon after George joined Ericsson's, the family moved from their home in Beeston to follow Frank's work in Long Eaton - though they later returned to their home town. During this time, George commuted by train to his job at Ericsson's. Significantly, he also continued to attend the New Connexion Methodist Chapel on Chapel Street, Beeston - which later amalgamated with the Methodist chapel on Willoughby Street, Beeston. It was in the chapel choir that he developed a fine tenor voice which, happily, was, as this link shows, recognised and encouraged within local musical circles, and he became much in demand as a tenor soloist in choral performances in a wide area. It was also here that he met Dorothy Hudston, part of a family with a strong connection with the chapel. They married on 3rd April 1919 at Beeston Parish Church and set up home in Beeston, first with Dorothy's parents, the for many years on Wallett Avenue, Beeston and, during their final years of retirement, in Chilwell.

George and Dorothy had one child, Harold, born in July 1920. As a boy and continuing as a young man, he was a keen member of 2nd Beeston Sea Scouts. (Click to Harold as a Scout in 1935) He also joined Ericsson's and had completed an engineering apprenticeship there when, in February 1940 he contracted pneumonia and, in a pre-antibiotic age, sadly died, aged only 19. The loss of their son, their only child. effected them greatly, George never sang in public again,

As we have seen, George worked in the cabinet shop at Ericssons for 53 years, a first-class craftsman who became one of the firm's most respected employees. As the photograph shows, he retired in about 1957 and earlier had also received an award for 50 years service. The photographs below are believed to show the presentation of this award various awards to other members of the cabinet shop.

The couple lived in retirement for 21 years, before Dorothy's death in January 1978, followed by George, in October of the same year.

George Peel is third from the right

Another group on the same occasion

George Peel is on the exteme right

Probably the same occasion but another department

George Peel receives the reward from Management

George Peel's 50 Year Service Certificate

George Henry Peel was a much loved uncle of David Hallam, the owner of this site.
All the photographs are from the Peel family archive, now held by David Hallam

It should be noted that the long time Councillor and onetime Chairman of Beeston & Stapleford UDC, of the same name, was another person.