Nostalgia was in the air when a group of former Consol Glass workers got together for an historic reunion.
Old friends travelled from far and near to the Dundee Angling Club, which was the venue for the get-together which saw stories related of great deeds done, courageous rugby matches, friendship and humour.
Organised by Mickey Olivier – who worked at Consol Glass for 42 years – hopes are high that there will be other reunions to rekindle friendships.
First known as Union Glass, the factory opened in Dundee around 1906, and was later called Talana Glass.
“At it’s height in the 1950’s around 3 000 people were employed, with four to five furnaces operating,” said Mickey.
Consol closed under controversial circumstances in 1997, only months after management in Johannesburg had promised the then-Dundee Council that ‘the factory will stay in Dundee’.
Employees were given the option to take a transfer to other Consol factories or take packages.
Sadly, the houses that made up the Talana village were flattened – supposedly because of undermining.
However, that sadness was far away at the reunion during which old friends were only too happy to see each other.