Jensen Motors Staff Badges
Little is known about the staff badges in use at Jensen Motors. In part, it seems this is due to the fact these badges were only in use at the Carter’s Green Works, and for what ever reason were abandoned by the time the new factory was up and running at Kelvin Way.
Unfortunately today we have no idea what these badges were given for (merit, long service ?), and why – seemingly – some employees had them, and others didn’t.
The Museum looks at a few surviving examples of the badges, and hopes that further information about this small part of Jensen Motors’ forgotten history will emerge from this feature.
Jensen Motors Staff Badges | Chromed & Enamel Winged Badge | Numbered & Unnumbered
Badge detail: Base metal (possibly brass) chrome plated and with the centre finished in hard black enamel. Size 4.7cm x 1.6cm. Large button hole fixing to the reverse with stamped numbers. The un-numbered version with the same dimensions, but with a horizontal brooch pin assembly in place to the reverse.
Obverse and reverse of a numbered Jensen winged staff badge. The badge numbered ‘197’. The badge came from the estate of George Parker, the former Head of Maintenance at Jensen Motors.
Parker had been a ‘long termer’, having been employed at Jensen from the late 1940s. We are assuming the badge had been given (awarded ?) to him. However, since Parker took a multitude of ‘souvenirs’ from Kelvin Way during the closure of 1976, it is possible the badge was simply found while clearing down various offices.
Obverse and reverse of a un-numbered Jensen winged staff badge. The badge was manufactured by the Birmingham-based company, Vaughtons Ltd. Although the numbered versions with button hole fixing do not have a manufacture’s name on the back, it makes sense that Vaughtons would have held the dies for the badge, and made both numbered and un-numbered versions for Jensen Motors.
This badge came from the estate of Stan Sharman, the former Chief Production Engineer at Jensen Motors. Sharman had been a ‘long termer’, having been employed at Jensen from the late 1940s. We are assuming the badge had been given (awarded ?) to him.
George Parker.
Stan Sharman.
This photograph was taken at a Jensen Motors Christmas party held in the 1950s at Carter’s Green. Three of the employees wear the winged staff badge, The fact that the man second in top right (believed to be George Parker), is wearing his badge directly underneath his jacket button hole, tells us his badge is fitted with the brooch pin fixing. The fact that only three of the group are wearing badges may mean they were an award, or given for seniority. The man second in standing up is also believed to be Stan Sharman. A part of the George Parker archive.
Jensen Motors Staff Badges | Circular chrome & Coloured Enamel Badge | Numbered
Badge detail: Circular struck base metal (possibly brass). chrome plated. Smooth centre with inset powder blue hard enamel. Chromed designation, ‘JENSEN MOTORS LTD’ with translucent red enamel over engine turned base.
Plain and smooth finished reverse with horizontal brooch pin fixing. Size 3cm diameter. The badge bears no manufacturer details to the reverse, however, it seems very probable that Vaughtons would have manufactured these as well as the winged badges.
Obverse and reverse of the circular chrome & enamel numbered staff badge. The badge numbered ’49’. The badge came from the estate of George Parker, the former Head of Maintenance at Jensen Motors.
Parker had been a ‘long termer’ having been employed at Jensen from the late 1940s. We are assuming the badge had been given (awarded ?) to him. However, since Parker took a multitude of ‘souvenirs’ from Kelvin Way during the closure of 1976, it is possible the badge was simply found while clearing down various offices.
Obverse and reverse of the circular chrome & enamel numbered staff badge. The badge numbered ’64’. The badge came from the estate of Stan Sharman, the former Chief Production Engineer at Jensen Motors. Sharman had been a Jensen ‘long termer’, having been employed at Jensen from the late 1940s. We are assuming the badge had been given (awarded ?) to him. Sharman remained at Jensen Motors until 1976, and was then asked to join Jensen Special products.
This enlarged image shows the employee on the right wearing two badges. One is the winged staff badge, but is the circular badge above also a staff badge. The photograph taken at a Jensen Motors Christmas party held in the 1950s at Carter’s Green. A part of the George Parker archive.
Neil Freckleton, the son of former Jensen Motors Press Shop Manager Ron Freckleton, remembers this circular badge. He remembers having his father’s old Jensen Motors badge when he was young,
“I am pretty certain I had one of these when I was young, so I guess it must have been dad’s. When I eventually left home, many old toys, and bits & pieces in my room, were thrown out. Unfortunately I imagine the old Jensen lapel badge was in amongst the items thrown out.”
Freckleton was another Jensen Motors ‘long termer’. having joined Jensen Motors in 1951, and remaining with them until 1976. After the collapse of Jensen Motors, he was asked to move across to Jensen Parts & Service, and then moved again to International Motors.
Jensen Motors Staff Badges | Chromed & Enamel Winged Badge | Help
There are occasions where the Museum asks for help, and this is one of those occasions. If anyone holds surviving examples of these badges, or has information relating to them, please help us to enlarge on this feature. Any small piece of information may help us to unlock this area of ‘forgotten history’ further.
Contact us on archive@jensenmuseum.org
Jensen Motors Staff Badges
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Neil Freckleton, son of Ron Freckleton
COPYRIGHTS: Jensen Museum
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: If you have any additional information about this feature, please contact us at archive@jensenmuseum.org or telephone on: +1694-781354
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