 
Cambrian
Member
Username: Cambrian
Post Number: 1998
Registered: 08-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, February 15, 2009 - 10:03 am: |    |
I just took my kid to the Rouge Factory tour yesterday. I explained to her "This is the place where great grandpa worked during the great depression and WW2." She wanted to know what he did, I explained that he hated working there and did not talk too much about his job, so no one in the family knew. I do know my grandma would drop him off and pick him up on Miller Rd. The 1939 Polk lists him simply as a 'Machinist'. One of the tour guides at the Rouge said I could make an inquiry to Ford's Human Resource department and they would provide records once they verified I was related. Has anyone done this? |
9936sussex
Member
Username: 9936sussex
Post Number: 215
Registered: 10-2007
| | Posted on Sunday, February 15, 2009 - 10:43 am: | |
NO....but I would love to do that....My Grandpa started working at Ford's in 1915. I wonder how far back there records go? |
Cambrian
Member
Username: Cambrian
Post Number: 2000
Registered: 08-2006
| | Posted on Monday, February 16, 2009 - 8:11 am: | |
Bump! |
Detroitnerd
Member
Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 3509
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Monday, February 16, 2009 - 8:50 am: | |
Yeah, I've often wondered how I can check up on my grandparents. At one time or another, both grandfathers worked at "Ford's." |
Purpleheart
Member
Username: Purpleheart
Post Number: 53
Registered: 01-2009
| | Posted on Monday, February 16, 2009 - 12:37 pm: | |
I wonder if they cleansed the records from their anti-semetic days?
Grandpa worked there (Rouge) intill he was fired for being Jewish. Went on to work the Budd plant punching out shimy's for crankshafts till he retired. Was involved in the start up of the UAW and in the riot at the overpass since he was friends with many workers in the Rouge. His head was split open and continued to wear that scar untill he died in the early 60's.
I for one would like to check him out. His name was John Faulkenthal or later changed to Falk on account of the A-S in that era.
(Message edited by purpleheart on February 16, 2009) |
Cambrian
Member
Username: Cambrian
Post Number: 2005
Registered: 08-2006
| | Posted on Monday, February 16, 2009 - 12:49 pm: | |
I saw my gramma last night and asked her about Grampa, turns out she spent some time at Rouge herself doing her Rosie the Riveter duty during the war, her job was to manage the part drawings for the machinists, she said it was gun drawings when she worked at the DeSoto plant on Warren and Lonyo, and B-24 part drawings while at the Rouge. She told me "Daddy hated working there, (Rouge) there was always someone standing over your shoulder watching you work" I remember him saying you couldn't look up from your work station when Henry walked through, if you did a foreman would be showing the gate. I remembered this while I was reading my 'Rouge the Glory years' book by Ford Bryan, all except one of the photos, is a worker looking at the picture taker, the rest are looking at thier job task. |
Purpleheart
Member
Username: Purpleheart
Post Number: 55
Registered: 01-2009
| | Posted on Monday, February 16, 2009 - 8:30 pm: | |
ah yes the company men
Depicted quite well in the murals by Diego Rivera at the Detroit Institute of the Arts wearing their fedoras proudly. Grandpa said they were legal hoods on the pay roll of ole' Henry himself, licensed to assault whomever they wished with impunity. |
Switchmanjim
Member
Username: Switchmanjim
Post Number: 24
Registered: 10-2008
| | Posted on Monday, February 16, 2009 - 8:31 pm: | |
I believe all records are stored at the Highland Park facility. |
Detroitnerd
Member
Username: Detroitnerd
Post Number: 3534
Registered: 07-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 17, 2009 - 8:59 am: | |
Re: "Company Men" -- I believe you're discussing the Ford Service, which was the largest private police force in the country, run by a gangster named Harry Bennett. Bennett was so out of touch, even in 1941 he was still calling the UAW "terrorists." |