Roy Harris spoke little about his work. But he left a remarkable and unique legacy in the form of dozens of pictures of his colleagues at a hush-hush establishment near Wellington.
It was about 18 months ago that son Adrian came across the collection of around 60 photos taken by his dad at the Inspectorate of Armaments which stood on Overley Hill.
“It did prototype work for the Government and some of it was secret. My understanding is that it was more experimental - try this, try that. There were no weapons so far as I’m aware, it was instruments,” said Adrian.
However, Adrian says the truth is that he doesn't really know what they did at Overley Hill.
“I’ve tried Googling it, and very little comes up. Dad never spoke about it much.”
He has a vague childhood memory of going there once with his dad in 1965 or 1966, which would have been very shortly before it closed.
Roy, who was a keen photographer, died in 1997, and his cousin Colin Lears, who had also worked there and had helped Adrian with naming some people on the pictures, on New Year's Day this year.
“I’ve asked around and to my knowledge Colin was the last survivor. There is nobody left alive to tell me who they are on the photographs. It’s a forlorn hope, but I thought if I put something in the paper that I just might have families come forward to say who is who.”
Adrian, who lives in Wellington, is happy for us to carry his phone number, 01952 255057, so people who recognise relatives can ring him.
His dad was George Roland Harris, but always known as Roy, and lived at the time in Lancaster Avenue in Dawley. Adrian has his offer of employment at Overley from December 1959, and he was there either until it closed, or shortly beforehand - Adrian is not sure which. Closure must have been around 60 years ago as it was reported in October 1965 that it was due to close “within the next 18 months.”
Roy had previously worked at Sankey’s as a toolmaker, and Coventry Gauge and Tool in Madeley as a precision engineer, and at Overley was a mechanic examiner.
An idea of what this involved is given by a December 1963 jobs advert for Overley Hill seeking skilled electronic mechanics “to work as mechanic examiners in the electronic field on the inspection, repair, maintenance and calibration of electrical and electronic indicating instruments”.
It may have been instruments in the field of aircraft, as Roy's job offer is headed "Ministry of Supply" but the word “Supply” is crossed out and "Aviation" is substituted by hand. The establishment came under the War Office umbrella and presumably dated back to the war.
Adrian’s late mum Margaret also worked for a time at Overley as a temporary copy typist, but was only there about nine months.
“She resigned in January 1961 as I was on the way,” said Adrian.
“People can contact me and I’ll have a chat with them. They may never have seen these photographs. I will be off the planet in a few years' time. I’m not married and don’t have family, and want to pass these back on to people while I can.”
1. Hilltop base
The main buildings at the Inspectorate of Armaments at Overley Hill. | Roy Harris
2. In front of the lens
Roy Harris photographed his Overley Hill colleagues in the 1960s - but is here the subject | Roy Harris
4. Man at work
This gentleman was clearly doing some fine precision work which needed good illumination to do properly. | Roy Harris