Bull alarm brought back from the dead

Sep 28 2005 By Catherine Lillington, Evening Mail

PEOPLE living near to a Birmingham landmark will get a blast from the past when the Cadbury factory 'bull' - a horn so loud it can be heard five miles away - is brought back to life.

The device was traditionally used to call people to work from their homes in the surrounding area but until Saturday had been decommissioned for years.

Company spokesman Tony Bilsborough said: "It was known as the 'bull' and it hasn't been heard for many years.

"But the Cadbury Bull would be well known to the older residents of Bournville. Hearing it might be so nostalgic old employees might start running to work."

City historian Carl Chinn said the factory bulls were at one time commonplace but faded away over the last 40 years.

"People didn't need clocks," he said. "The bulls sounded at different times - for workers to start work, at dinner hour and clocking off. They were one of the most important sounds of the working class district."

Ted Lacey began working at the factory when he was 14 and well remembers trying to beat the clock before the horn died down and the gates were shut to late comers.

The 73-year-old, of Verbena Road, Northfield, said: "The bull was quite loud, you couldn't miss it if it went off.

"When I first started we always heard that hooter and you had so many minutes to get to work before they locked you out. It would really spur you on a bit to make sure you clocked in on time."

After Saturday's short test the company intends to carry out annual soundchecks of the bull, which will be used for emergencies.