A Model Employer
John Alexander Whitehead was referred to as a model employer, who paid his employees well. Whitehead knew that without an exceptional team, he would not have an exceptional business. With this in mind, he invested in the lives of his employees through supplying first class resources such as a well equipped canteen, with crested cutlery. It is rumored that on one occasion, when the canteen was running out of meat, Whitehead bought all of the meat at the local butcher to make sure his staff were taken care of.
We already know about the Mother's Day celebrations, including games, air displays and a river trip, that were put on for all staff and their families.
Here we see the munition workers hard at work assembling plane components. They hold up signs wishing the viewers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. They each wear a patch saying "Whitehead Aircraft", to show where they are. Whitehead was so forward thinking in that regard. How did he know that in almost a 100 years time, people would be watching this video that is easily identified by the patches?!
PDFs of Magazine Articles, courtesy of Flight Global Magazine
Whitehead workers annual dinner
Sporting Activities by the Whitehead Aircraft Employees