I’ve been photographing jewelry recently because all the reflections make it quite difficult so I wanted the challenge.
As I was searching for some jewelry to photograph I came upon Dad’s retirement watch from the Wallingford Steel Mill, later to become Allegheny Ludlum Steel Corporation. It’s about 30 years old because, I believe, he retired in 1993/1994 at the age of 60. It wasn’t long after he retired that he gave me the watch because he knew it would mean a lot to me. As for him, he could care less about a watch. What he did care about was the good living that he was able to offer our family, along with my Mother’s income as well, from his time spent at “The Mill”.
Allegeheny, during the end of Dad’s career, garnered $1.2 billion in worldwide sales. Not bad considering that their main competitor was forced out of business due to a decline in the market. Oversee’s pressures from China in particular made it very difficult to prosper as a U.S. Steel Mill. It was at the time of Dad’s retirement that Allegheny was hard at work putting together a manufacturing facility in China (to the best of my recollection).
Dad was extremely loyal to “The Mill” spending most of his career as a foreman and finishing his last couple of years as a General Foreman. He had a tremendous work ethic, hardly ever missing a day of work and having nothing but respect for the upper management. Long after his retirement he continued to praise “The Mill” for the opportunity it had given him all those years. I’m not sure you see a lot of that loyalty or gratitude these days.
I had a lot of respect for “Pops” as we called him. I’m thankful for the years we had him. Unfortunately, Covid took his life about (3) years ago while in a nursing home. RIP Dad. I’ll always love you.
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