Octogenarian Peter takes Birthday Trip

Former Sheffield Forgemasters’ employee Peter Cocker returned to the Brightside Lane site to celebrate his 80th birthday – for a trip down memory lane and to see how things have changed.

Peter, from Wadsley, was given a guided tour of the site by Chief Production Engineer John Stocks and planning and Dispatch Manager, Richard Daubney, after asking to come back and visit the historic Sheffield steelworks, as a special birthday treat.

Peter started at the company in 1946 at the age of 14 and retired in 1992. Both of his parents also worked at English Steel, now Sheffield Forgemasters.

He said: "I had a brilliant day and it really brought back wonderful memories of all the years I spent working here. It was great to meet many of my former colleagues, some of whom had been apprentices when I retired.

“I am extremely grateful to everyone at Sheffield Forgemasters for having me to visit; it was a great way to celebrate turning 80."

Peter was accompanied by his daughter, Helen, who arranged the visit.

Helen added: “I just want to say a huge thank you to Peter, John and Richard, and to everyone else who came over to talk us and made Dad’s day so special. He loved it and really enjoyed meeting many former colleagues.”

Octogenarian Peter said: “Sheffield Forgemasters was always a great company to work for and the fact that many of my former colleagues still work there, shows that it still is.

“I am pleased to see Sheffield Forgemasters continuing to produce first class engineering which puts Sheffield on the map as a world leader, and I am proud to have been part of its history.”

Sheffield Forgemasters’ Director, Peter Birtles, who used to be Peter Cocker’s Line Manager, added: ‘It was an absolute pleasure to have him back to the site and to be part of his special day. It’s always great to catch up with old faces from the past and show them what Sheffield Forgemasters has in store for the future.”