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MEMORIES of THE BLACK COUNTRY

DENNIS EVANS 1924 - 1999

Mrs. Evans, of Owen Road, Bilston, has provided the photos and information about David Evans.

Den was born in Mason Street, Wolverhampton.  Educated at Villiers School, Bilston.  His name is on the school shield for having passed exams to Wolverhampton Grammar School, where he graduated for Cambridge University. But he joined the RAF instead and was ground crew for Bomber Command, stationed in Egypt.  At the age of 21 he was in charge of a group of German prioners, as he was the only RAF airman to speak German and French, because of his grammar school education.

After the war he started at Joseph Sankey & Sons Ltd., Albert Street Works, Bilston, where he was, successively, maintenance fitter, foreman, senior foreman, assistant works engineer, works engineer.

Christmas Party  Another Xmas Party  Dennis Evans, Wilf Dean, C. Bridgewater
This is the senior foremen's Christmas Party, some time in the 1960s ...
(Angeline Johnson identifies the gentleman at the head of the table as George Albert Johnson).
.. and this is another of about the same time (with George Johnson on the far left). Left to right:  Dennis Evans, Wilf Dean, C. Bridgewater
Den with Wilf Dean These photos are from his time at Sankeys: Dennis, on the far right, was Works Engineer by this time
Den with Wilf Dean   This photo was taken in 1980.  Dennis, on the far right, was Works Engineer by this time.  The gentleman second left is Fred Chavasse.

Dennis was made redundant and was then employed at Cable Street works; when that closed he was made redundant again.  He was then 12 months without work.  He did Task Force work at the Black Country Museum, in charge of team replacing long wall at Wolverhampton Railway Station, brick by brick.  Then he started work on a trap factory but money ran out and it was all left to rust in open air. Then worked until retirement in a lock and key firm in Willenhall.

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