BMR and BDR bandits

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treefrog
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Re: BMR and BDR bandits

Post by treefrog »

One of our forum colleagues from the forum has a line of about 6 of them, although I believe they are not for gaming, but to hold the house in position as it is on a steep hill. :HaHa:
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coppinpr
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Rare BMR Photo

Post by coppinpr »

Topic merged - Site Admin.

Today my www.penny-arcade.info site was given a great photo of a Christmas fancy dress party given for the staff of Brecknell Munro and Rogers in (we think) the late 20's or very early 30's.
The owner of the photo's grandfather (marked in red) is the only person we can definitely name. His name was Wilfrid Gregory, he worked for BMR/BDR for a considerable time and he can be seen again in the second photo taken around 1942 while the company was engaged in making tanks in Swineford near Bath.

Mr Gregory's grandson tells me his grandfather was very proud of the work he did designing and making the new London underground ticket machines the company became famous for.
He would be very grateful in anyone can put names to anyone else in the photo. I'm assuming the seated man in the front was one of the owners... but which one? Clearly the staff are in fancy dress but who were the men dotted among the crowd and flanking the front row all wearing the same odd uniform? A blow up of the photo shows their cap badge and jacket badge to be very like the company badge used later in the companies life (photo 3).

A long shot but info much appreciated.
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john t peterson
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Re: Rare BMR Photo

Post by john t peterson »

It looks like about 10% of the people in the top photo got an invitation to a costume party rather than a Christmas fancy dress shindig. That might explain the two milkmen in the front row.

J Peterson
Party animal in America
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coppinpr
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Re: Rare BMR Photo

Post by coppinpr »

From the same source as the above photos the www.penny-arcade.info site has gained this somewhat interesting thirteen page booklet produced after the death of H.L.Rogers in celebration of his life and work. Although it touches on his work in slot machines it deals as much with his achievements outside of work as it does with his business life. The booklet is interesting if you look "between the lines" as it were. The company clearly made its early money making electrification equipment converting horse drawn trams to electric trams. There are photos of Rogers supervising the first day of work converting Bristol Trams and bosses from both Bristol and London tram companies are listed among the mourners at the funeral as are top executives from Imperial Tobacco and WD & HO Wills showing his work on cigarette vending machines was considered important to the companies.

Below are the front page, a very odd photo of H.L. (standing centre) and his brothers on a climbing trip in (I think) Switzerland, and a great caricature of the man and a short poem touching on his cigarette vending machines and slot machines. The complete booklet will appear soon on the BDR section of the penny-arcade site.


Hugh Innes Rogers 1 (1).jpg


Hugh Innes Rogers 5.jpg


Hugh Innes Rogers 9.jpg

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