Packard works (Leonard Williams Ltd), Great West Road, Brentford - 1931 – Wallis, Gilbert and Partners
This site is where they assembled and serviced the Canadian Packard cars. In March 1945 a V2 rocket destroyed the factory and all the remains are the original steps to the showroom. The bomb left 32 dead and 102 seriously injured, which makes the sad loss of the building seem a bit insignificant by comparison.
It is now site to a remarkably dull Curry’s retail centre – rather ironic, as it is just along the road from the impressive former Curry’s HQ (see previous post).
hello,i own the snack bar on the former packard site on the golden mile,do you have any information on who occupied the site from1945 to when currystook over. very interesting article.many thanks,paul meder.
Hi Paul,
Thanks for your comment. Afraid I don’t have any info on who owned the site before Curry’s took over. I’ve got a very interesting book on The History of the Great West Road by James Marshall A.L.A, but it doesn’t mention anything in there. I think the book is out of print now, but it should be available at the local studies section of Hounslow Library (at the Treaty Centre), where they may have more info on who owned the site after the war. Sorry I couldn’t be any more help.
Mr.P.
hello mr p. thank you for your reply,hounslow library will be visited soon, many thanks . paul meder.
My mum (who used to work in Pyrene adjacent) says that Pyrene used to chrome-plate the bumpers for Packard cars. Out-sourcing, to a very local company, even then!
Dear Pickles, do you know what the Leonard Williams connection is?
There is also an architect (James L W), and I am intrigued if was working on this with Wallis, or if Leonard Williams Ltd was nothing to do with J L W the architect.
Thank you – and thanks for a super web site, I’m an absolute Pickles fan!
joss
Hi Joss, Sorry I haven’t replied before now. I don’t know the connection with Leonard Williams off the top of my head, but when I get a chance to do some research I’ll let you know what I find out.
Thanks for being a fan!!
Mr P
As a 8 year old Schoolboy I went to see they bombsite of the bomb that caused a small amount of damage to my School at Isleworth which was a very long way from where it landed on the Packard Factory
I wasn’t allowed along the Great West Rd but looking over the Syon Lane Station Bridge towards London I saw the Railway Cutting that runs behind the factory completely filled with rubble
It must have taken Days to get the trains running again, until then they were routed via Hounslow – Twickenham – Richmond to Barnes and Putney