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| Although this photograph came from a 1930's SBK catalogue, the layout
of the factory shows it to have been taken much earlier. During the
first world war the firm produced wooden tent bottoms in the the dome roof
building (bottom left) which was called Tent Bottom even in my days,
although it was the Sawmill then. The creosote to treat the sections was
stored in the stables which was not part of this site, we know this
because the spilt creosote contaminated a well under the stable floor. The
water from this well was used for toilet flushing and to feed my first
lorry wash.
Very interesting to see that this site only extended to a single row of buildings down the Main Yard (left side of photo) with only the Rykneld car factory behind the lower section, the Mass shop (or Stair & Door shop in SRS days) area was allotments. The black area to the left of Ess & Kay factory (top right) must have been the old marl-pit, where they burnt their wood chipping's. Older workers used to tell of the day a horse and dray slipped backward into this, while tipping. |
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The photo above and the two below are dated 1959 on the back, this ties in with my memories of that time. The space in front of the garage is open to the road with a car parked on it and the Top Office gardens are still there. |
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The Stables mentioned above, where situated towards this end of the works. |
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I date this photo to be in the mid to late 1960's, as Shed 77 is built for timber storage with Burton Albion football ground along side it. The old Timber treatment plant can be seen ,outside Tommy Limberts ply-shop. The Fourcutter and Tentbottem were still two separate buildings.Ess and Kay Tennis Racket Press factory stands along side my old garage. Top office gardens have gone, to make way for a bigger staff car-park. The old watchman's box, still has the in and out gates each side of it. The railway signal box with the horse water trough on Shobnal Road,can just be made out (see insert below.) The singnal-man delighted inclosing the crossing gates at 7-28 each morning so you missed the 7.32 deadline and lost a quarter of an hour. All visitors to the works, had to enter through reception in the top office.
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Unfortunately we only had a photocopy of this 1990 photograph to work on, so it is not that clear. It dose however give you the final layout of the factory, although shed 77 is almost cut off the top right conner. |
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Standing at what was the main gate in Wellington Road looking across the site of the old works, on a foggy afternoon in December 2006. The building on the right, is the last bay of Lloyd's Fetling shop, waiting to come down. |
