Comments for Dog and Deco

Comment on The former Packard works steps, Brentford by Phil Avison

Phil Avison — Sun, 17 Jan 2021 14:46:36 +0000

Hi Philip,
Was your Dad’s name Les and did your family own a caravan which was located at the Riverside Caravan Park on Hurley Farm ? If so, we have some great memories of staying at the Caravan which your dad used to let us use.
Regards
Phil Avison

Comment on William Burnett Chemicals – Great West Road by alysiamac

alysiamac — Mon, 28 Oct 2019 18:54:37 +0000

Apologies for very late reply Tony. Thanks for the notice about the planning application. I hope you don’t mind, but pasting link to your website with information about the now approved development.

https://osterleyspringgrove.org/2018/05/11/adini-building-891-great-west-road-new-planning-applications/

https://tonylouki.files.wordpress.com/2019/04/190404-adini-pi-letter.pdf

Comment on EMI factory, Hayes by john

john — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 11:05:29 +0000

I found these images whilst pondering where I have worked. I was at EMI Hayes 1993~95 when it was Thorn EMI Electronics Defence Systems.

All but the bottom right are the record factory and what I knew as Phoenix House. Vulcan House and Mercury House were behind it – these were generally not used in the time I was there.

Good to see they have been kept

Comment on Wills tobacco factory, Glasgow by Kate Bright

Kate Bright — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 03:37:24 +0000

I believe this was also designed by my late grandfather, Cecil Hockin, who designed the Newcastle upon Tyne factory.

Comment on Wills tobacco factory, Glasgow by Kate Bright

Kate Bright — Sun, 16 Sep 2018 22:28:50 +0000

My late grandfather, Cecil Hockin, was the chief structural engineer of imperial tobacco and who was the architect for the Newcastle upon Tyne factory.

Comment on Pyrene building, ‘Golden Mile’ by Debbie Dewar

Debbie Dewar — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 13:12:02 +0000

some great christmas storys do any of you have photos to share please i would love to re see that Christmas magic i remember it well

Comment on The former Packard works steps, Brentford by Colin Bowles

Colin Bowles — Sat, 24 Mar 2018 08:59:23 +0000

In 1945 I wa 9 years old and living close to the Packard showroom at 859 Great West Road. It had not been unusual to have seen and heard the earlier V1 flying bombs overhead. If we could here the motor there was no need to worry. If the sound ceased – then we would take cover. Agee weeks later I was in the West Middlesex Hospital with a burst appendix, and in the August evacuated to Nottingham with my mother, returning on the day that Glenn Miller disappeared.

At the time the V2 landed I was having breakfast at Busch House open air school, at. Busch Corner around a mile away. I recall the sound and the whole building shaking.

Comment on William Burnett Chemicals – Great West Road by Tony Louki

Tony Louki — Thu, 21 Dec 2017 21:07:23 +0000

Good evening, great site with smashing pictures of buildings in my Ward.

May I use you picture of Pickles and 891 Great West Road on a flyer for a meeting to discuss this planning application for its demolition?

http://planning.hounslow.gov.uk/Planning_CaseNo.aspx?strCASENO=P/2017/5069

Would obviously acknowledge.

Thanks, Tony

Comment on The former Packard works steps, Brentford by colin

colin — Tue, 19 Sep 2017 17:14:18 +0000

I own a 1936 and a 1937 Packard and am trying to trace the history on these cars. They were both supplied by Leonard williams.

Just wondered if there is any archive information saved on the companies.

The 1936 Packard has got a Carlton coach built body on it. Any information would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Colin

Comment on The former Packard works steps, Brentford by Philip Hughes

Philip Hughes — Tue, 12 Sep 2017 15:02:37 +0000

I believe that j Arthur rank s packard patrician finished up in a little garage near broughton gifford nor melksham in the 70s . The garage owner told me that it had trouble with the gearbox and or the air suspension . It was parked up for months then dissapeared .i think that it was nearly impossible to get parts or expertise for American cars at that time . Ph

Comment on St.Margarets factory, Twickenham by Anthony Lancett

Anthony Lancett — Fri, 23 Sep 2016 19:40:39 +0000

I worked in that building for Bell & Howell Business Division I worked in the film development lab where we processed Microfilm (business documents backup) and Microfiche using Diazo process. Within the building B&H had their business machine division. this would be 1967 1970

Comment on Suggest a Building by Roger Boyle

Roger Boyle — Mon, 25 Jul 2016 12:56:26 +0000

Pickles –

Check out
tinyurl.com/BurtonDeco
You’ll be spoilt for choice.

Comment on The former Packard works steps, Brentford by Timothy Auger

Timothy Auger — Mon, 23 May 2016 10:08:33 +0000

I well remember the impressive Leonard Williams building on the Great West Road. In the mid-1950s my father drove a rare 1937 Packard 120 ‘Woodie’. Around 1958, when he considered selling, he contacted the Leonard Williams company who send a representative to Farnham in a shiny Packard Patrician to inspect the vehicle. I think he must have slightly over-sold the 120, as when ‘Mr Packard’ rounded the corner of the house into the yard, his face fell quite dramatically. It was rather comical. In the end the car was sold locally for a mere £25.00, a sad end. And my father bought a new F-series Vauxhall Victor, one of GM’s most cynical products of all time.

Comment on Minimax factory entrance, Faggs Road Feltham by Barbara Hatton

Barbara Hatton — Sun, 10 Apr 2016 13:58:06 +0000

Re Minimax, I have a first aid box passed on to me by my father, think its from the 40’s, It has Minimax on the front and inside the address of Feltham Middlesex. Passing it on to my local history centre.

Comment on Suggest a Building by Catharine

Catharine — Fri, 08 Jan 2016 22:26:15 +0000

Re the demolition of the Firesrone factory.
All the stories about the demolition are true. I worked in accounts for Trafalgar House investment group services at the time (THIGS).
The demolition team were bought in as sub-contractors to carry out the destruction over the Easter weekend which had to happen before the Easter Monday. I was rushed to make sure the sub-contractors were paid before they worked. Which was very unusual at the time.
I saw the news at the time with my parents who were horrified when I told them about being rushed to make sure everyone was paid. They personally blames me. Why am I telling you this story now in Jan 2016. Well my son has just started work at the Sky 9 building and asked me to look at where he worked on google street view. I told him I recognised the place and he said don’t be silly I couldn’t know the place. Then the penny finally dropped and I told him my story which he didn’t believe. I then found this site and copied a few of the comments for him.
Needless to say he believes me now. And I have gone back to feeling a small amount of guilt at actually doing my job when this happened.

Comment on Trinity Square car park by Kevin

Kevin — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 04:48:36 +0000

I know this article is now six years old but I would like to add my view anyway. I recently bought the DVD, “Get Carter” and I found it to be dull, unexciting, and a possible cure for insomnia. Even for its day, it isn’t the kind of movie that jumps out and grabs the viewer; but more a typically subdued British film that comes across as being severely dehydrated. Add a drop of water to “Get Carter” and you end up with “The Sweeney”.

Comment on The former Packard works steps, Brentford by Philip Belcher

Philip Belcher — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 16:06:23 +0000

I was wrong in my comment about Packards moving next door. From photographs after the war the building looked much as it did before the V2 disaster, so must have been rebuilt. The only difference seems to be that the recessed part at the eastern end was rebuilt as a blank wall at the end of the workshop, instead of an extension of the original two storey office/showroom block, with a large garage door. They must have adapted the space at the west of the showroom to be a car park. I have a photograph of my Dad with two Packards at this spot, taken in the 1950’s, showing the Firestone building in the distance. I have another photograph of the Great West Road taken in 1970 showing the building is missing.

Comment on Coty factory, Great West Road by martina

martina — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 15:42:52 +0000

hey would it be possible for you to trace the history of this building to date?

Comment on Great West Road – “The Golden Mile” by Janet

Janet — Sun, 15 Mar 2015 22:27:42 +0000

Mentions of Firestone Factory where my Dad worked after the war instead of going into Civil Service; motor cars and tyres got the better of him. The Firestone Americans accidentally on purpose let a wreckin’ ball into the building.

Comment on The former Packard works steps, Brentford by Philip Belcher

Philip Belcher — Sat, 07 Mar 2015 16:04:02 +0000

Just came across your question of 2012- I hope this isn’t the first response!
My Dad worked at Leonard Williams before and after ww2. He was drafted into the Fairy Aviation factory throughout the war at nearby Heston. He went to see his old colleagues at Packards (as we used to call it) the day the V2 hit- he was cycling home westwards down the Great West Road when he heard it explode. He didn’t know where it had hit until later. After the war they moved next door, on the south side of the road (A4). In the summer school holiday in 1954 when I was 15, I helped out there cleaning cars and doing odd jobs. I was sent to the stores for a “long weight”, and was there for ages! Dad was a diagnostic and test engineer. When road testing he brought home some great cars, including J.Arthur Rank’s Packard Patrician, and gave us rides. Nearest tube (actually above ground there) is Boston Manor. Let me know if I can help further.