bps & the fountain of youth
“Reading bps news”, writes East Wales regional organiser Frank Byrne, “I was surprised to learn of the great age of some of the Society’s members, especially Alan Mackley, who is looking very healthy as he starts his 100th decade!”
An early adopter
Many thanks to Eric Martin of Surrey for sharing the following insight into BP’s early adoption of environmental assessments and his role in these. “Earlier this month [July]”, Eric writes, ”I found myself talking to the Men’s Group at my local church [about] how in the years when I worked for BP (1960 to 2000) […]
A lasting friendship
Friendships made while working for BP in the 1970s and 80s are still strong according to Felicity Tarbard. Felicity kindly sent us a photo of a recent gathering of ladies who worked together back in the mid-1970s, mostly in Personnel. Felicity writes: ‘One person was missing from our gathering, who wasn’t well on the day, […]
A debut album called ‘Peaches’ to sweeten your ears
Janice Newcombe (and later Jan Lovett) worked for BP Coal, BP Coal-Oil Fuels, BP Ventures, BP Oil International (Personnel), BP Education (as the UK coordinator for The BP Schools Link Scheme) and BP Community Affairs (working closely with BP España SA in both the Madrid offices and at the oil refinery in Castellón de la […]
Picturing Abu Dhabi 60 years ago
Our sincere thanks go to Dr Alan J Horan OBE for emailing about his two tours of duty in Abu Dhabi in the 1960s and 1970s. From 1960 to 1962, Alan was Chief Local Representative for ADMA Limited and from 1971 to 1982 as General Manager for ADMA-OPCO. On his first tour, Alan took several […]
Calling all Freemasons
We have received the following email from Robyn Murdo-Smith who is trying to find other Freemasons within BP. Robyn writes: ‘Back in the 1930s the St George Abadan Lodge No. 6058 was consecrated in Abadan, Iran by BP oil workers along with other Lodges set up in similar ways by those working in the oil […]
Bringing a wartime diary to life
Regular readers will know how much Peter, your departing editor, loves his books and history. Consequently, we’re indebted to Alan Mackley for emailing news about his latest venture. Alan, from Blythburgh in Suffolk, worked at BP from 1957 to 1984, starting at the Kent Refinery and ending his days in the International Marketing Department. Alan […]
Keeping it in the family
Photo: Margaret’s father, John Law Gibb, playing golf in Abadan. Interestingly, though not a golfer, Steve took the same set of clubs to Das Island some 40 years later and played a round on the unique golf course on Das. I’m grateful to Steve and Margaret Elms from Maidstone in Kent for emailing me with […]
By-ron by Clive
I’m indebted to Clive Brookes for emailing us with news of his latest book – ‘Byron and the Sea’. Clive wrote the book to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the death of the poet Lord Byron on 19 April 1824 and tells us that it’s been well received by academics and the general public alike. […]
Sympathy and a fascinating story of a gold key
I’m grateful to Valerie Cook from Upper Beeding in West Sussex for emailing me and expressing sympathy with my ‘tumbleweed moment’ as mentioned in the February 2024 newsletter. Valerie writes: ‘Over the years I’ve edited several club/society magazines and newsletters and have had many of those moments. I was always left with the same thought […]