Meet Horace Low…

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Introducing Horace Low, technical store keeper at Alpha

HORACE LOWE of Birmingham — not to be confused with his Teddington namesake who is not related — has been Alpha’s Technical Store Keeper since the formation of the Company. His stores has been in several different places over the years, starting in a cellar at the front of the building and now occupying a specially-built block at the rear of the premises. One thing all his different stores have had in common: not enough space! Even with a capacious new building it is still necessary to house equipment in other nearby premises.

From ABC TV News, the house magazine of ABC, October 1965

Horace has certainly tried his hand at plenty of different things, his previous job being Senior Transport Clerk at the Birmingham Head Office of British Road Services where he worked for over three years.

A mobile canteen was another of his ventures. A rather less successful one, unfortunately, not because it was uneconomical (his hot cakes really did sell like hot cakes) but because the Police and Corporation would not co-operate with his parking problems.

Horace

He also helped his brother-in-law to open a factory. Now thriving, it produces cold-drawn seamless tubing; a commodity which always seems to be in demand, especially in the Midlands.

Horace’s Service days were spent with the RAF in Coastal and Bomber Commands, as an engine fitter. He also served with the Middle East Communications Squadron, maintaining private planes of such VIP’s as Lord Mountbatten, Field Marshal Montgomery and Sir Winston Churchill, keeping the aircraft available for immediate service. “The planes—Dakotas—were very comfortable,” recalls Horace. “Fitted out with lounges and cocktail bars.”

During this period of his life he also had the doubtful privilege of being knocked out by the Middle East Middleweight boxing champion in 1946.

Thirty-eight years old, he has been married for 15 years and has a 12-year-old daughter, Fay. His wife Irene, who is a State Registered Nurse, likes travelling and is a keen naturalist.

This interest she shares with Horace, who also enjoys gardening, marquetry and whittling (wood carving to you and me.)

Other distinctions include having been captain of the RAF Squadron darts team, and having represented his squadron in cross country running.

About this author

ABC TV News was the house magazine of ABC Television and Iris Productions and was produced monthly by the Publicity Department at Teddington

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