Forest Thinnings Limited staff circa 1984

Date Added: 16 August 2021 Contributor: Norman Davidson Year of Photo: 1984 Picture No: 5138

Bradley Borland (Former Forest Thinnings Area Manager, Perth) has submitted this image of Forest Thinnings staff taken at what must be some general meeting. The image is unfortunately a bit fuzzy. The year, location and purpose of the meeting is not known. Can anyone help with this information?

Internet information indicates that the first appearance of the Forest Thinnings Limited name was as a company registered in 1959 near Bracknell but was dissolved at some later point. The next iteration of the name Forest Thinnings (Overseas) Limited appears in 1973 and runs until 1986 from when it was managed as EFG (International) Limited until 1991. At that point the company evolved into Euroforest as it currently is known. It would of interest to this website if a short and more knowledgeable history was compiled for viewing on this site.

The people in the photograph have been numbered but only a few can be named or have their work designations included. There has been some difficulty in allocating the names against correct numbers.

1. Andy Chalmers - See Comments
2. John Harden - See Comments
3. John Morrow - see Comments
4. Alan Cobb - See Comments
5. Andy Thompson - See Comments
6. Brian Holland(?) - See Comments
7. Mike Blackith - See Comments
8. Peter Atkinson - See Comments
9. ?
10. Peter Mayer - See Comments
11. Patrick Hamner - See Comments
12. (Not Richard Ogilvie) Mike Thompson - See Comments
13. Gwyn Jones - See Comments
14. Not Tim Leavers(?)- See Comments
15. Gavin Munro - See Comments
16. Keith Tout - See Comments
17. Keith Tout - See Comments
18. Brian Fletcher - See Comments
19. Gerry Cross - See Comments
20. Glen Heggs - See Comments
21. Gordon Little - See Comments
22. Frank York - See Comments
23. Roger Cantle - See Comments
24. Alan Powell - See Comments
25. Peter Townsend - See Comments
26. John A Dickson - See Comments (Former DG of Forestry Commission)
27. David Cowper (Cooper?) - Managing Director
28. Keith Leitch - See Comments
29. Tony Willis - See Comments

Other names of staff but not identified are:- Paul Eddy, Phil Higginbotham, Colin Price, Alan Cobb, Gavin Munroe, Murdo McLeod and Bob Robertson.

Any help with more names or corrections please submit via the comments box below (see large image link below)

Bill Rayner has kindly worked on and reduced the blur on the original image. He has also provisionally named Richard Ogilvie.

Download Large Version (496kB)

Groups: Groups of people

5 Comments

The following is information from Andy Chalmers who is No 1 in the photograph:

"I was employed by Forest Thinnings Ltd from 1979 to 1985 (or so).

The photograph was taken at the Punch Bowl Hotel, Hindhead, Surrey at a bi-annular whole company meeting, probably about 1984

The people in the picture are:-

1. Andy Chalmers -Manager - sawn timber + added value products
2. John Hardon - Area Manager - Midlands
3. John Morrow - Assistant Manager to 1 above
4. Alan Cobb - Area Manager - S. England
5. Andy Thompson - Area Manager - Central Scotland
6. Brian Holland (?)- Area Manager - S. E. England
7. Mike Blackith - Area Manager ? North England
8. Peter Davidson - Area Manager - S W Scotland
9. ? - ?
10. Peter Mayer - Non-executive director
11. ? - ?
12. Mike Davidson - Area Manager - N. Scotland
13. Gwyn Jones - Area Manager - N. Wales
14. Tim Leavers(?)- Area Manager - S. England
15. Gavin Munro - Area Manager - S. Scotland
16. Keith Tout - Agent - N. Wales
17. Jim Dickinson - HQ - office
18. Brian Fletcher - Area Manager - N. England
19. Gerry Cross - Area Manager - N. Scotland
20. ? - ?
21. Gordon Little - Divisional Manager - N. England
22. Frank York - HQ - Office Manger
23, Roger Cantle - Finance Director
24. Alan Powell - Director
25. Peter Townsend - Divison Manger - N. England
26. John A Dickson - Company Chairman
27. David Cooper - Managing Director
28. Keith Leitch -Divisional Manager - Scotland
29. Tony Willis - Managing Director - FT (O) Ltd

If you contact Tony Willis (number 29), he will also be able to put a few names to faces.

A few other people who ere employed by Forest Thinnings Ltd include:-
- John Latter
- Mike Warmer
- Mike Rose
- Peter Jones
- Mike Henderson
- Bradley Borland
- Toby Beadle
- Colin Price
- John Flack
- Peter Townsend
- Peter Heaphy
- Morris Wigsall
- Gordon Wangh
- Ernest Bee
- Don Buckle
- Tony Hewitt
- Tom Bilchner
- Dick Vivers
- John Cantalon
- Justin Smart
- Peter Rosling
- Ian Cox
- Roy Scammell
- Mike Burgess

Forest Thinnings Ltd was principally a UK timber harvesting and marketing company. You had to survive on tight margins and ever changing market conditions.

It was hard work but the comradeship between all of the staff was superb. We all got ?stuck-in? ? no pulling of rank!!!

If you would like more information, please call and I would do my best to help.

With kind regards

Andy
Comment left on 18 August 2021 at 19:25 by Norman Davidson

I joined FT on 1st May 1984. A number of these people had moved on by then. It isn't me at No. 14! I was recruited by John Flack, who also isn't present. I would agree with Andy's identification of 1,3,4,6,7,13,15,16,18,21-24,27-29. The remaining people I cannot remember or they possibly had moved on by the time I joined. I would suggest this is pre 1984. The company managers meeting was on Jersey that year (November) celebrating the company 25th Anniversary. Comment left on 19 August 2021 at 12:06 by Tim Leavers

Corrections to the names
2 John Harden
8 Peter Atkinson
11 Patrick Hamner
20 Glen Heggs
Richard Ogilvie did not work for Forest Thinnings Comment left on 19 August 2021 at 12:12 by Tony Willis

correction to name
12 is Mike Thompson Comment left on 19 August 2021 at 18:31 by Tony Willis

My father David Cooper no 27 died back in 2007. My mother is 90 and still with us and sharp as a tack - I will ask her if she can help � thanks Comment left on 04 December 2023 at 22:04 by Jonathan Cooper

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