We first moved to Stanwell in 1965,my father having obtained a two bedroom property through the good graces of B.A.S.H.S (says it all, really), the Airways Housing offices. As we alighted from the 203A bus at the top of Clare Road, our nostrils were assailed by the delicately fragrant combination of 1. Aviation Fuel and 2.Smithfield Animal Products Ltd (aka "The Bone Factory").This latter could best be described as an amalgam of Marmite and dogshit.
A brisk 10 minute walk (believe me, we couldn’t get indoors fast enough) saw us arrive,gasping and retching, at our new home.At first sight, the immediate environs presented us with all the basic necessities for a small family, a pub with the name partially spelled out in off-white letters (The "(H)appy (Lan)ding") and a grafitto in blue spraypaint of one of the better known local "faces" ("Jimmy Hogg shagged a Wog and a Dog"). There was a small supermarket…Shaws by name, Fader’s Toyshop, a post office, TWO butchers, ditto greengrocers, and a chippy,run by the redoubtable Mrs Church and her strapping son.Just opposite the pub was Dr. Collins’ surgery, and 100 yards farther up Hadrian Way, the Dental surgery.Everything one required, in fact, after an evening in the "Appy Ding", a cheery hostelry where one would like as not receive a cheery greeting peculiar to the locale;"Wotchu lookin a’? Wonna smack in the maahf, caaahnt?". Two primary schools, Town Farm Juniors and St Annes infants and Junior school, and a fair sized park (the "Rec") catered to the needs of the younger residents.
A word about the aforementioned Smithfield Animal Products Ltd. This fine, well established company had its premises on a large plot of rough ground situated between Long Lane and Clare Road,the tall brown brick chimney being something of a local landmark. It was a common sight to see a convoy of dark green wagons bearing their cargo of putrefying animal carcases into the factory grounds, eagerly pursued by a gigantic swarm of bluebottles buzzing merrily behind them. These loads of offal would be boiled, steamed,and rendered to their component parts of a.bone, for fertiliser, b. fat, for the tallow industry, and c. the most appalingly stomach turning stench known to man. The "Boney", as it was affectionately known, had been operating since time out of mind, until that glorious Sunday afternoon in the mid Seventies when one of the huge pressure cookers exploded, blowing the entire roof off the factory and unfortunately taking the lives of three workers in the process. My mother and I had been watching the "Eric Sykes Show" and eating our tea when suddenly, our living room window appeared to bulge inwards (how the panes remained intact I will never know), followed by a bang worthy of Hiroshima.Rushing into the front garden, we were greeted by the sight of tiles, roof joists and masonry falling delicately earthward, apparently in slow motion. One rumour put about later was that the I.R.A. could smell the place as far away as the Falls Road, and had decided to eradicate the problem once and for all with a huge fertiliser bomb. Of course the Priest at St David’s, the local Catholic enclave,tried to claim it was an Act of God. Who knows though, how far up the stink travelled? He may have had a point.
After the rubble was cleared, Smithfield Ltd decided to move their base of operations elsewhere, to the joy of the local residents and, after lying fallow for several years,rebuilding finally commenced some time in the early 90s. The site is now occupied by the Northumberland Close Trading Estate.
Hello there,
I was wondering if anyone could tell me the history of ” The Old School House” in Park Road, Stanwell which is now been converted into flats?
What was the name of this school and when did it close?
I am interested in the local history, so any information would be gratefully appreciated.
Thankyou.
Marcus Knight
Re Stanwell, I was born there of an old local family and lived there until retiring to the country. Some info that you may like
Stanwell Place was owned and lived in by King Faizal nas a weekend homw whilst he was at Harrow, shortly after he completed his studies he returned to Iraq and was executed.The house was shut up and frequently ransacked and vandalised until it became unsafe and was demolished, and the gravel gang moved in. The house was described to me by a cousin of mine who was a cleaner there as Ok if you like dark and draughty<
St Marys church in stanwell is haunted by the builder who built the spire, who after its completion saw it was crooked and promptly hung himself on the apple tree in the cemetry.
As an old Stanwellian I have many stories of village life,
I would love to hear more of your stories Mary and also when and where you lived in Stanwell and for how long, and also your family’s history.
If you lived there from 1949, Linda, then you’re of an even riper vintage than me.
I’ve always assumed that the New Estate was bulit on land given over to market gardening – field after field of vegetable crops. Is that true? Or were there woods, etc? The patch of woodland just south of the church lasted a couple of years into my time. In the middle of it there was a sunken, marshy pond that was ideal for getting yourself muddy from head to foot.
When you mention the “village school”, do you mean the girls’ school in Park Road?
My brother worked at Acland Snow for a time, making daleks for Dr Who. As for the Lintotts, I had a bicycle bought for me from their premises in Oaks Road, where they apparently made a living reconstituting bikes out of old scrapped parts, and recharging car batteries. It seemed a meagre basis for a viable business, which may be why they disappeared quite early on.
I haven’t looked at this blog for a few months – hence the delay in replying! The Lintotts were from a very long line of Stanwellians – most of whom are buried in the church yard, and the Lintotts that ran the little bicycle shop in Oaks Road were very old when I lived there (or seemed that way!) I can’t remember what happened to them, obviously must have died, but I do remember their cottage being vacant for quite a while and being burnt down, and I do have some inside info on ‘who dun it’ too!!!!
I can’t remember if the village school was entirely a girls school or not – I think it may have been, as my brothers went to Lord Kynvetts for a time. I believe the village school has been made into an aged care residence now, but it was in Park Road and I went there for a year or two before going to Town Farm, around 1958 era. You and I must be about the same vintage Nigel!
I was interested to hear about your brother working at Ackland Snow- I remember seeing the Daleks from Dr Who standing about in the yard there and also the blue police telephone box! There were always big flash cars parked along Oaks Road outside Ackland Snow – obviously big wig executives from the BBC and ITV!!
All I remember about the woods at the back of the church was that it was called the ‘Soldiers’ and was a favourite place for my brothers and his friends to play. I do remember coming home from Town Farm school one lunch time and taking a short cut through there and being terrified as I thought someone was following me and I ended up getting lost for a while and was very very scared! I never went back in there after that, and always walked the long way round to school, past the prefabs and the reservoir.
I have very happy memories of Stanwell in the 50′s and 60′s and had a great childhood there. I live in Australia now, but whenever I go ‘home’ I always visit Stanwell and relive all those happy memories!
Dont even know where stanwell is but was is really, really fascinating to read
Sounds just like you think the 50′s was – but I thought it was only like that in books.
Cheers guys!