GREENOCK was built on sugar and ships, with rope-making and textile mills contributing to its industrial growth.

Other manufacturing concerns now long gone boosted the area’s economy, including the Acme washing machine company recently mentioned on this page.

A few readers told me they had been unaware washing machines were made in what is now Fort Matilda industrial estate.

It is possible few will now recall the Victory-Kidder works in Ingleston Street. Part of a larger group, the company manufactured machinery for the printing industry.

Greenock Telegraph:

Victory-Kidder took over the former Aluminium Castings Company premises in the early 1960s.

Around 20 employees were kept on when Victory-Kidder acquired the factory. The workforce had grown to approximately 100 by 1968.

Victory-Kidder closed its doors in 1975.

Thirty years ago, a reunion of former workers was held in a local club and attended by around 100 people.

Former works manager Bill Woodhead, who travelled up from England, and former convener of shop stewards Willie Boyle caused tears to be shed when they took to the floor and shared memories of the business.

There was loud applause when Bill paid tribute to those who worked at Ingleston Street.

He said: “They were a great body of workers and I considered it an honour to work alongside them.

“It was a happy place. Despite our differences from time to time we never fell out and the quality of the output was second to none.

“I would back the Ingleston works against any metalworking concern in Britain.”

Willie Boyle expressed pleasure on seeing among those attending the reunion at least one engineer who served his time at Ingleston Street.

He said most of the workers made redundant in 1975 had found another job. However, he added that in 1993, the year of the reunion, manufacturing jobs locally had become thin on the ground.