Noel Bond-Williams
This photo and those below were donated by Jane Bowen his daughter.
ESPC was Enfield Standard Power Cables. Noel Bond-Williams was a director of
Delta Metal of which
Jane says "I discovered
that
Message from Ed Boyle - There must have been numerous employees from around the Cambuslang area. All we know that the factory was somewhere in Westburn Road. I would like to know more about this factory and its exact loction. Please email me with any info you have.
Biography
Noel Bond-Williams played a key role behind the scenes in bringing the
National Exhibition Centre to Birmingham died 2003 aged 89.
He was born in Birmingham in November 1914 and educated at Oundle School and Birmingham
University. At 23, he became the youngest managing director in the country when he took
over the family business - Aston Chain and Hook - on the death of his father.
Mr Bond-Williams broke off his metallurgical studies at Birmingham University to take
charge before he had completed his research for a PhD.
Later, influenced by the spectre of death duties, he sold the company to Enfield Rolling
Mills, which in turn became part of Delta Metal. He became a director of the Delta Metal
Company.
In 1965, Mr Bond-Williams sacrificed his first opportunity to become president of the
Birmingham Chamber of Commerce when the Government called upon him for his expertise at
the Department of Economic Affairs.
It was while working there that he played a key behind the scenes role in getting the NEC
built in Birmingham.
Mr Bond-Williams eventually became president of Birmingham Chamber of Commerce in 1969.
His work involved getting people to achieve cost reductions in order to stabilise prices.
It was the work he had been doing for years both in his own business and for the benefit
of the industry generally.
It was not many years before his enthusiasm and enlightened approach to industrial
management brought him into the national spotlight.
His particular interests were increasing productivity, improving education and training,
and developing good relations between management and employees.
He was a president of the Guild of Undergraduates and the Guild of Graduates at Birmingham
University.
He was also a fellow of the Institution of Metallurgists, a member of the Council of the
Industrial Society, a member of the Council of Birmingham Productivity Association, and a
fellow and founder member of the British Institute of Management.
His interests included climbing, motor-racing, sailing, rowing, gardening, painting, good
claret and British sports cars. He was an member of his local vintage sports car club and
the Royal Lymington yacht club.
He died on March 18 after a short illness and is survived by a son, two daughters and
eight grandchildren.
Photos of the inside of the Westburn Road factory
The photos were found in his collection marked ‘Slides for
