Flora “Flo” Blake 1925 – 2013

In 1929 the Northern Aluminium Group decided to install a remelt shop and a rolling plant in England. Several locations were considered. Banbury was one under consideration. Labour was available following closure of Samuelson’s agricultural engineers and short time working at the N Oxon Ironstone.

When the Northern Aluminium Company, opened in Banbury in 1931, It became the biggest employer in the area. To man the machinery and the “Giant presses” the company had to bus the labour force in from the surrounding towns and villages. If you got a job in “the Ally”(as it was colloquially know!) you had a job for life. Sons followed fathers with whole families working there together at times.

The factory was renowned for its role in producing 60% of the metal needed for aircraft manufacture in the early years of the war: its strategic significance is indicated by the fact that in 1941 the laboratories became the home of the Ministry of Aircraft Production’s Light Metals Committee, and its contribution to the war effort before 1943 was so crucial that a plywood ‘decoy factory’ was erected as a false lure to enemy bombers, while the factory itself was concealed under camouflage paint. The company also provided servicemen, and those employees who lost their lives were remembered by the workers on a war memorial in the factory’s memorial garden.

The Northern Aluminium Company was the first modern industry in Banbury, and made a considerable contribution to the development of the Town and our union, employing over 3000 workers at the height of its production.  The GMWU before becoming the GMB (General Municipal and Boilermakers) Union had recognition within the factory and the GMB Branch membership were 3000 strong by 1949, representatives were many over the years. After the war it remained a major employer despite the inevitable decline in demand and production. In 1960 the Northern Aluminium Company became Alcan Industries Ltd. During this time Brother Mark Mulvihill was the Alcan works convenor.

In 1970 after another merger saw the announcement of rationalisation and job losses resulting in the company cutting 1250 workers. In the same year there was a call from the union for all contractors and delivery drivers to be union members, the members even stopped a delivery by SH Jones wine to the managers’ dining room.

Mark and another prominent staunch trade Union activist Flora “Flo” Blake took the redundancy package offered.  It is believed that Brother Mulvihill retired and was replaced as convenor by Alex ” Paddy” Hume, but Flo wasn’t about to give up fighting for the GMB membership, quite yet. She applied for and got the position as Branch Secretary and worked tirelessly to build the GMB at workplaces  in Banbury and the surrounding area for many, many years to come. Initially a tiny office was located in a small room above a butchers shop in George street near the Wheat sheaf public house. Over the years the Union Office was moved to places like the Marlbourgh Road building, which housed the old council rent and rates collection services. It was also located in North Bar, for a while in operated above the replacement main post office just before the high street.

Perhaps fittingly our Unions last dedicated office in Banbury was at the area known as the Green, near the beautiful bronze statue of the Fine Lady on her Welsh Cob Horse close to Banbury Cross.

It is thought that Sister Blake was so busy that she eventually needed an assistant in the office. This was Sister Sandra Tanner who would later go on to take over from Flo as Branch Secretary around 1990 when Flo retired. Sister Tanner carried on the tradition of a strong dedicated woman running the GMB Banbury No1 Branch, until  after 10 years at the helm following a short illness Sister Tanner sadly Passed away quite suddenly in January 2010, aged 63. Flo Blake passed 3 years later aged 88.

Sadly The Alcan works closed for good in 2007 with the loss of 337 jobs.

The Branch was in limbo for most of 2010 but was eventually reorganised later that year and continue to try to follow in the footsteps of our inspirational predecessors.

These note on our proud History are received with gratitude to Roger Reynolds, These are the memories of this ex Alcan worker and long standing GMB Activist &  supporter. If anyone know of any of these statements to be considered inaccurate, please get in touch and we will update accordingly.