Edward - Products

Midland Woodworking company manufactured a number of products. These products were the result of craftmanship and skills which took years to perfect. In this section Edward describes the work involved in making stairs, wardrobes and garage doors and talks sbout how the comany managed to manufature all of these products.

Wood

Some of the types of wood used by the company included Teak and Columbian Pine, as Edward remembers:

Stairs

During Edward Gunby's years at the Midland Woodworking Company Stairs making was a major part of the business. In the sound clips below, Edward describes, in detail, how stairs were designed, made and fitted.

Each part of the stairs had to be made separatly, Edwards recalls making the stair treads and nule posts.

Nule Posts

Wardrobes & Garage Doors

Wardrobes and Garage Doors were also made by the joiners the factory.

Delivering the Goods

Many of Midwood's products started their life at the factory workshop, being carved and crafted before they went to a site to be assembled or delivered as a finished product. Here Edward describes how the products would be packed by disabled World War II veterans and delivered to the customers.

Changing Styles & New Machines

As with all fashions and styles, they change over time. Edward recalls the changing styles when he was working at MidWood and remembers that the factory didn't have any new machines until the 1970s.

Sales and Production at MidWood

Midland Woodworking Company produced a number of different products from their factory at Melton Mowbray. Before the 1980s the majority of these products were made by hand, however after the introduction of new machinery, production at the comany increased tremendously.

As with changing styles and the introduction of new machines, the work at MidWood has changed over the years. In these sound clips Edwards explains that the company once exported its products to other countries but then it started importing turned wood and ceased working with rough timber.