Two former colleagues who joined the East Midlands Electricity Board in the 1971 apprentice intake are planning a 50-year reunion for the around 90 people who joined the company on 6th September, 1971.

Brian O’Brien and Ian Smith are trying to contact everyone on the photo, above, including several believed to be from the Mansfield area.

Brian, pictured back row, sixth left, said: “September 6th, 2021 marks a significant milestone in our lives as it will be 50 years since most of us met for the first time.

“We were all recent school leavers setting out on the next great chapter of our lives.

“On that day about 90 of us from across the East Midlands Electricity Board region converged on the Wollaton, Nottingham, training centre to begin what, for many of us, would be a complete working life in the electrical industry.

“Most of us turned up, suitcases in hand, to be put up in ‘digs’ for 40 weeks of that first year, travelling home for weekends to return the following Monday mornings. 

“Naturally friendships were made and some great experiences shared.

“At the end of that first year we all returned to our respective district offices to continue our ‘hands on’ training in our chosen trade with those who we would be working with on a daily basis.

“Over the next three years we would return to Wollaton for specific training associated with our trade and those first-year friendships would be resurrected.”

Brian and Ian, who is pictured extreme left, fourth row down, are planning the reunion for 3rd September in Nottingham and are trying to identify and make contact with some of those pictured.

Among the local apprentices the duo are trying to trace are Clive Wells, who was from Clipstone, pictured kneeling, second right, on the third row from the front, and from the Mansfield district -— Billy Parkes (seventh left on the front row), John Clark (fifth right on the front row) and Tim Brothwell (third right on the front row).

There is a Facebook Group for anyone interested at www.facebook.com/groups/I-Worked-At-East-Midlands-Electricity-Board-521104307908508

λ Anyone who recognises themselves on the photo and wants to attend the reunion should email [email protected], marking the email EMEB Reunion, and we will pass  on your details to Brian and Ian.