Parker Pens
Oral Histories

We were lucky enough to meet and interview a number of ex-employees of Parker Newhaven. We also interviewed Geoffrey Parker, great-grandson of George Parker who told us about how the business began!

Geoffrey Parker

by Setting up parker | How did Parker Pens start? The eldest great grandchild of George Parker tells us all!

Francis Smith

by Francis remembers Newhaven in the 1960s and 1970s. | It was all fields and fishing back then! He tells us about school and paints a picture of a strong community with Parker Pen supporting locals. He also describes the factory and socialising with other workers! We also hear about the local vicar's car being covered in violet ink in the carpark at Parker! It was a fun and crazy time!

Tony Udon

by The IT department | Tony tells us about the IT department at Parker Newhaven. He describes the colossal and complex computer room and computer which ended up being less powerful than a mobile phone would be today!

Frank Bulman

by Love at Parker Pen | Frank met the love of his life at Parker Pen. They married and were together for 61 years. He tells us about how they met and their first date!

Pat Ost

by Chemist at Parker | Pat Ost talks about being employed as a chemist at Parker and tells us some interesting stories, including how their ink was used by the NHS to diagnose fungal infections.

David Ruderman

by Parker Pen and change | David speaks about how the market for pens has changed with the introduction of technology and some of the reasons Parker has had to step back from the market over time.

Geoffrey Parker

by The rise of Parker Pens | How George Parker expanded the business and travelled across the world with his pens. We also hear about Parker Newhaven and its significance to the company.

Alan Novis

by Parker and social mobility | Alan speaks about the opportunities Parker Pen Newhaven afforded for his family. The factory was in many ways one big community. We also hear about the opportunities Parker gave to workers to climb up through the management ranks and travel worldwide.

Doug Brocklesby

by The tool room | Doug was one of Parker's first apprentices. He tells us about the tool room at Parker Pen, Newhaven.

Jackie Mitten & Brother Pete

by Christmas parties at Parker Pen | Christmas parties at Parker Pen were something local children looked forward to. Jackie and Pete tell us all about these parties: the presents they got and the Punch and Judy show.

Keith Rogers

by Making the move to Parker | Keith talks about getting a job at Parker Pen Newhaven - the benefits of working for Parker were significant and he stayed many years, until 2003. He discusses the demise of UK manufacturing now.

Kit

by Leaving school for Parker Pen | Kit, who is now in her 90s, talks about going to the girls' school in Newhaven and making her own uniform. When she was 14 she was taken to the (then) Valentine pen factory to get a job with Mr Smith and started 2 days later.

Chrissie Smith

by First job at Parker Pen as a woman | Chrissie speaks about her first ever job which was at Parker Pen Newhaven at the age of 16. She worked in the repair section and gives us a sense of what the factory was like for women back in the 1970s.

David Ruderman

by Margaret Thatcher's visit in 1988 | We hear about Margaret Thatcher's visit to the factory as part of centenary celebrations for Parker Pen.

Darryl Kingshot

by Pen collecting and Parker 25 | Darryl secured an apprenticeship as a toolmaker at Parker Newhaven in his 20s. He is now an avid pen collector. His favourite pen is the Parker 25 and he is now the world expert on this pen and runs a business fixing it for other collectors.

Jackie Mitten & Brother Pete

by Opportunities for people with disabilities | Parker had a very inclusive employment policy well ahead of its time.