IT was very interesting to read about the commemoration of the former Clayton Goodfellow engineering works in Blackburn (LET, April 4). I recognised a few of the workers pictured.

I believe my great grandfather worked there when it started in the mid-1800s. My grandfather's elder brother Alf Rimmer, worked there and my grandfather, Fred Rimmer, worked in the moulding shops for 44 years before finishing in the late 1930s.

I worked in the machine shop from early 1944 until 1955 and after spending over 14 years in New Zealand, Zambia and South Africa, I came to the conclusion that the training at 'Goodies' was second to none.

One of the faces I recognised was a Bill Booth, whose grandfather Fred, a former 'Goodies' man, came out of retirement during the war.

As an apprentice I worked with 'Owd Booth' who was close to his 80s. We turned radar turntables on a 20ft face plate machine, cast in the moulding shop by my grandfather.

I and a partner have run HPW Engineering in Olive Lane, Darwen, for 22 years, but as I am only 73, I have a little way to go to catch up with old Fred Booth.

F WADE (Mr), Taylor Street, Preston.