George DavidsonGeorge Albert Davidson (1909 – 1999)
George Davidson was born on 3rd December 1909 in St. Olave's Bermondsey, the younger brother of Tommy Davidson. He started with the Company in Goswell Road in 1927, shortly after leaving school, training as a scalemaker.
When we moved our factory to Edmonton, George changed from being a scalemaker to become an outside mechanic. He firewatched throughout the Blitz, although our records do not show whether he was present when the nearby premises on Angel Road estate were destroyed by the bombing.
His time in the scale industry saw us move from the first automatic visible indicating scales, introduced around 1930, to the first electronic machines launched in 1977, and he was responsible for service in many of London’s major food retailers.
George reached retirement age in December 1974, but did not finally "hang up his boots” until June 1977 after 50 years with the Company, when the Lion News reported that he was 'a dour, forthright and dignified character, with a dry sense of humour, he always stood up for his rights within the Company and indeed for the Company'.
In the Queen’s 1978 Birthday Honours List George was awarded a British Empire Medal, and he was subsequently presented with the medal by the Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk, Sir Joshua Rowley, at a ceremony in Haverhill on 6th October. Pictured left to right: Kenneth Kemp-Turner (Chairman, SCC), Jim Herbert, George Davidson, Eldon Griffiths MP, Sir Joshua Rowley (Lord Lieutenant Suffolk), Bob Elliot (Mayor of St Edmundsbury), Stephen Ryder (Deputy Lieutenant), Colonel Wells (Deputy Lieutenant).
George died in November 1999, a month before his 90th birthday.
Photograph dated 1931
Standing, left to right: Johnie Clark (Boy), Steve Marriage (O.D.Mechanic), E.Perrin (O.D.Foreman), C.S (O.D.Mechanic), George Davidson (O.D.Mechanic),Jim Welch (O.D.Mechanic),, Old Bob (Bob Chenery), Jim Heals (Works Manager)
Seated, left to right: W Burrows (O.D.Mechanic), Billingham (O.D.Mechanic), Fred Betts (Chargehand)
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