Working lives today bear little resemblance to those of earlier generations. For many men of the past it was entirely normal to spend their whole working life in one company. Loyalty of that kind was recognised, and long service was often marked with a clock, a watch, or a medal. In the brickyards it was common for boys to begin work at fourteen years of age, so fifty years of service was not unusual. Some men worked even longer. Mr W G Wilson retired on 30 December 1962 after fifty seven years with the Company. He had begun as a boy in 1905 on the brick presses and ended his working life in maintenance, overhauling fork lift trucks.

In the early years, men who completed fifty years of service were presented by the London Brick Company with an inscribed mantel clock. The Institute of Clayworkers also awarded a silver medal. Together, the clock and medal formed a formal recognition of a lifetime of work.

From 1955 onwards all veterans of the Company, whether still employed or already retired, were invited to an annual Presentation Ceremony held each December. By the end of 1971 a total of 302 men had received their awards for fifty years of service.

By the early 1970s working patterns had changed. Men no longer started work as young as fourteen, and they tended to retire earlier than in the past. As a result, the London Brick Company felt that fifty years was too long a span to wait for recognition. In 1972 they introduced a new award for employees who completed twenty five years or more of service. During that first year 1,442 employees received their inscribed gold watches, a high number because it included everyone who had already reached the twenty five year mark.

Below are the names of four men: Jack Lowe, George Dudley, Keith Turner, and Bob Carter. Each link will take you to a short account of their lives and their time with the London Brick Company, together with a photograph of the man and his award.