IT was an era of pistons and lots and lots of jobs. David Peek of Bridgwater has been rolling back the years to when he was an apprentice at Wilmot Breeden. He said: "I started work in 1960 at then Wilmot Breeden, in Colley Lane as an apprentice. In 1963 it became Wellworthy and later on T&N took it over, and finally it was called Federal Mogul until 2004 when it closed."

He said one of the charge hands was called Ron Taylor who stayed loyal to the firm during its various owners eventually being promoted to chief Inspector.

Mr Peek said after his apprenticeship he moved on to pastures new but returned to work there in 1987 timing his move to as Mr Taylor retired in that year and Mr Peek moved into his old office.

One of the workers at the factory in the late 1990s was the current mayor of the town Cllr Leigh Redman was was an electrical engineer. He said: "At its height there were a couple of thousand people working there - both men and women - along with ROF at Puriton, Hinkley and Cellophane - it was one of the big four employers."

Eventually with increasing competition from the Far East and elsewhere piston engineering in Bridgwater became uncompetitive and it began to lose orders.

The factory had its own football team and its own canteen along with jobs for more than 2,000 workers employing men and women in the grand old days of the Transport and General Workers Union. When it closed the Colley Lane site was eventually redeveloped as housing.

Me Peek said the apprentice cups and photos of some of the events ans social side of the factory were donated to Bridgwater Museum where they were on show for a while.

Mr Peek said the museum also was the final place for memorabilia from the former Cellophane works. He recalled: "I went to see them one day when the old welfare fund was wound up and on its closure any money left was to be donated to charity. The funds were divided equally between the children’s ward at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton and also to a charity for Parkinson’s Disease."

Did you work at British Cellophane, Wilmot Breeden or Puriton munitions site? We'd like to hear from you - especially if you have pictures of your old work mates back in day. Email harry.mottram@nqsw.co.uk