Page 87 - ‘A Blaker Family History’ The family history of Joseph Blaker (1916-2007; ‘Joe’)

© The Blaker Society
© The Blaker Society

morning to find that his sunken lawn was now a small lake – the yellow
and blue clay was great for growing roses, but not ideal for creating a
sunken lawn! There was no choice; it had to be filled in! ‘Joe’s’ strengths of
patience, determination and his even temperament were fully tested.

In late 1959, the family moved from Potters Bar to 28 Cobton Drive, Hove,
East Sussex. ‘Joe’ had become ‘Factory Manager’ of the British Engraving
Company Ltd. site, close to the Old Shoreham Road, Hove. He replaced the
previous factory manager who had decided to leave the company,
together with several key staff. ‘Joe’s’ task was to rebuild a Management
team and improve performance of the business – a task that he completed
with a lot of hard work and leading by example – one of his sayings was
‘never ask someone to do a job that you won’t’. The factory site in Hove has
since been demolished, and a small retail park sits on the ground.

In 1964, ‘Joe’ told his family that he had decided to convert to the Roman
Catholic religion, and started to take instruction from Father Olivier at St.
Peter’s Church, Portland Road, Hove. On 3 November 1964, ‘Joe’ was
received into the Roman Catholic Church and took his first Holy
Communion at St. Peter’s Church, Portland Road, Hove, East Sussex. He
was subsequently confirmed at a service at Arundel Cathedral.

In 1965, ‘Joe’ and several of his work colleagues from the British
Engraving Company became frustrated at the lack of investment and
interest in growing the business, and, as a consequence they decided to
start a new Nameplate Company, approaching Butler Jones Ltd. in Lower
Sydenham, Kent. Five months later, Butler Jones Nameplates Ltd. was in
operation in a new factory in Durban Road, Bognor Regis, West Sussex. He
developed the business and helped to expand sales for the bronze and
aluminum foundry in Sydenham.

Novel Business Card to Illustrate Anodised Aluminum Finishes

One of the most memorable commissions for the Company was a huge
cast bronze plaque that commemorated the 1966 FIFA World Cup
Competition, illustrated with the flags of all of the participating nations.
The finished plaque was hung in a prominent position in the old Wembley
Stadium.

In time, ‘Joe’ was appointed ‘Managing Director’ of the Company, a post
that he retained until his retirement. ‘Joe’s’ long period within the
nameplate industry had exposed him to many noxious chemicals – as the
factory was full of tanks of sodium hydroxide, sulphuric and chromic
acids, bitumen and various dyes. As a result his sense of smell was
attenuated – strangely he could smell sweet odours, such as the fragrance
of a rose, yet was incapable of smelling foul odours, such as sewage.