Welwyn Garden City Industrial Growth - pre 1940
Do you know anybody who worked for any of these companies?
By Robert Gill
The growth of industries in Welwyn Garden City followed the growth and expansion of the town and its population.
In line with the Pioneers planning model, industry started to the east of the town and expanded north and south. Rail links were considered vital at the time which is reflected in the industries being adjacent to the existing rail system with new connections made into the industrial areas .
The early industries were mainly associated with the requirements of the growing town, but as the population grew, other industries developed. Although there were a number of purpose built factories, eg Dawnays and Shredded Wheat, the majority of the new factories were housed in Sectional Factory Units built in Bridge Road East, Broadwater Road, Hyde Way and Tewin Road. These Sectional Units were a standard configuration able to accommodate a variety of different industrial processes.
Many of the companies survived for only a few years to be replaced by new ones. However, a few did survive for decades, their products to become household names.
The following information is taken from the annual Welwyn Garden City Directories . The words quoted are as published at the time and reflect the feelings and thinking towards this new town.
Welwyn Garden City Directories quotes:
1926
The town is planned with an industrial area, which is specially laid out with railway sidings, roads, and public services.
The factory conditions are claimed to be ideal, and the factories are so placed that they have plenty of light and air with convenient access to the residential parts of the town and yet do not interfere with the town’s amenities. Indiscriminate factory development will not be permitted in Welwyn Garden City.
The Shredded Wheat Factory is a type of the handsome factory premises of the town. This factory may be visited at certain times.
New Companies:
Company Name | Product | Address |
Shredded Wheat Co Ltd | Foodstuffs | Bridge Road East |
Archibold Dawney & Sons Ltd | Steelworks | Bridge Road East |
F Palmer | Builder | Bridge Road East |
F Barnes & Sons | Carpenter | Bridge Road East |
Herts Gravel & Brickwork Ltd | Gravel | Bridge Road |
Walter Wilkes & Co | Decorator | Bridge Road East |
Welwyn Garden City Electricity Supply Co Ltd | Electricity | Bridge Road East |
Welwyn Builders Ltd | Builder | Bridge Road |
Welwyn Brickworks Ltd | Bricks | Bridge Road |
Welwyn Poultry Farms | Poultry | Handside Lane |
1930
The industrial area has been laid out so that good roads, railway sidings, roads, and public services can be economically provided to sites of any required size. The factory conditions are ideal, and the factories are so placed that they have plenty of light and air and room for expansion and are convenient to the residential parts of the town and yet do not spoil the town’s amenities. Objectionable trades are not permitted.
During 1929 a larger number of new industrial firms have come to Welwyn than in any previous year and the number of people employed has very substantially increased. The new buildings include the factory of Messrs. Young, Osmond and Young Ltd., manufacturers of electrical heating apparatus which was removed from Bexley Heath, Kent; the factory of Kelacoma Ltd., built to develop an important new process of wall-tile manufacture; the ‘Talkie’ studio of British Instructional Films; Compound Gas and Power Co., Akis Chemical Co. Ltd., Captain H R S Birkin (the famous racing motorist) and a firm manufacturing silk stockings.
New Companies:
Company Name | Product | Address |
Welwyn Foundry Ltd | Iron Products | Bessemer Road |
Kelacoma Ltd | Plastics | Broadwater Road |
Young, Osmond and Young Ltd | Electrical Heating | Broadwater Road |
Miss N Catford | Toys | Bridge Road East |
J P Steele | Metalworker | Bridge Road East |
S M Enginering Co | Engineering | Hyde Way |
Barclay Corsets Ltd | Clothing | Hyde Way |
J Combe and Sons Ltd | Heating and Ventilating | Broadwater Road |
Akis Chemical Co Ltd | Chemicals | Broadwater Road |
Transplanters (Holding Co) Ltd | Agricultural Machinery | Broadwater Road |
Bickiepegs Ltd | Foodstuffs | Broadwater Road |
British Instructional Films Ltd | Film Making | Broadwater Road |
Welwyn and Hatfield Gas Co Ltd | Gas | Tewin Road |
Broadwater Press | Publishing | Broadwater Road |
Welwyn Dairy Farms Ltd | Milk Products | Digswell Road |
Digswell Nurseries Ltd | Plants | Digswell Road |
Bridwell Gardens Ltd | Plants | Digswell Road |
Welwyn Garden City Laundry Ltd | Laundry | Bridge Road East |
Capt H R S Birkin | Motor Mechanic | Broadwater Road |
Cresta Silks | Clothing | Broadwater Road |
Murphy Radio Ltd | Electrical Products | Broadwater Road |
Compound Gas Power Co | Gas | Broadwater Road |
C C Rawlinson | Wood and Metal Fabricators | Bridge Road |
Welwyn Bakery Ltd (Bakery) | Foodstuffs |
1931
During 1930, a large number of new industrial firms came to Welwyn and the number of people employed increased substantially. Outstanding among the new buildings was the imposing works of the Norton Grinding Wheel Company, an American firm whose headquarters were at Worcester, Mass. The Welwyn factory of this firm stands on an 11 acre site with its own rail sidings and is a striking example of how utilitarian building can be dignified and architecturally pleasing.
New companies:
Company Name | Products | Address |
A Buchanan and Sons | Confectionery | Broadwater Road |
Chemicalco Ltd | Chemicals | Broadwater Road |
City Cabinet and Joinery Works | Joinery | Broadwater Road |
Feddon and Bond Ltd | Hosiery | Broadwater Road |
Norton Grinding Wheel Co Ltd | Grinding Wheels | Tewin Road |
Stable Tables Ltd | Furniture | Hyde Way |
London Oil Refining Company Ltd | Oil Products | Hyde Way |
1932
An important new factory was erected in Broadwater Road for Murphy Radio Ltd with a floor area of over 17,000 square feet. Two new foodstuffs firms had also taken premises in Broadwater Road – Messrs Fostock Ltd who make irradiated poultry and stock foods and the Pure Extracts Company who produce vegetable extracts and other health foods.
1933
New Companies:
Company Name | Product | Address |
Beirsdorf Ltd | Medical Products (incl Nivea) | Bessemer Road |
The Welwyn Match Co | Matches | Broadwater Road |
Berner and Flury Ltd | Silk strings for rackets and violins | Broadwater Road |
British Benzine Products Ltd | Petroleum Products | Hyde Way |
British Lead Mills Ltd | Lead products | Bridge Road East |
Welwyn Lock & Fittings Co Ltd | Locks | Broadwater Road |
Preh Manufacturing Ltd | Wireless Components | Broadwater Road |
Southern Match Co | Matches | Broadwater Road |
Welwyn Marconi Co Ltd | Electrical | Bridge Road East |
1934
Welwyn in common with industrial towns throughout the country has felt some effects of the depression and no large new factories have been built during 1933. On the other hand, a good number of firms have established themselves and have felt the need for larger premises. These included A Buchanan & Sons, British Lead Mills Ltd, Murphy Radio Ltd and Welwyn Foundry Ltd.
New Companies:
Company Name | Products | Address |
Scolite Ltd | Paints and Enamels | Broadwater Road |
Eric Munday Ltd | Signs and Lettering | Bridge Road East |
The Haurand Castor Manufacturing Co Ltd | Castors and Truck wheels | Bridge Road East |
Zander & Co | Proofed Fabrics | Hyde Way |
Railway & General Products Co Ltd | Light Railway Material | Bridge Road |
Mouldrite Ltd | Plastics | Broadwater Road |
1935
New Companies
Company Name | Product | Address |
A Skarsten | Scrapers for builders | Hyde Way |
Ferramic Industries Ltd | Raw Enamel | Hyde Way |
Barnet Comb Co Ltd | Combs | Hyde Way |
1937
New Companies:
Company Name | Product | Address |
Fred W Amend & Co Ltd | Confectionery | Broadwater Road |
British Braids & Bootlaces Ltd | Bootlaces | Bridge Road East |
Gerald Carter & Co Ltd | Varnishes | Bridge Road East |
Catomance Processing Co Ltd | Waterproof Fabrics | Bridge Road East |
General Stampers Ltd | Door Furniture | Bridge Road East |
Neosid Ltd | Radio Accessories | Hyde Way |
Pocklington & Johnson | Coil and Helical Springs | Bridge Road East |
John A Weir Ltd | Car bodies and Sliding Roofs | Bridge Road East |
Welwyn Metal Products Ltd | Sheet metal work | Bridge Road East |
Lacre Lorries Ltd | Road Sweeping Machines | Bridge Road East |
Carnegie Chemicals (Welwyn ) Ltd | Pharmaceutical Products | Tewin Road |
The Vigormilk Co Ltd | Milk and Dog Foods | Bridge Road East |
Roche Products Ltd | Pharmaceutical Products | Broadwater Road |
Lincoln Electric Co Ltd | Electrical Products | Broadwater Road |
1938
New Companies:
Company Name | Product | Address |
The Garden City Candy Co Ltd | Confectionery | Broadwater Road |
Celtis Ltd | Chemicals | Tewin Road |
City Tool & Engineering Ltd | Manufacturing & Experimental Engineering | Broadwater Road |
Ferdinand Fraenkel | Aluminium Foil | Hyde Way |
Wellinlith Ltd | Building slabs and blocks | Tewin Road |
Welwyn Coachworks Ltd | Body Builders | Tewin Road |
Welwyn Electrical Laboratories Ltd | Electrical Resistances | Bridge Road East |
1939
New Companies:
Company Name | Product | Address |
ICI (Plastics) | Plastics | Black Fan Road |
1940
Industrial development continued unchecked during 1939 despite the effect of disturbed conditions in Europe.
Roche Products Ltd carried out substantial extensions to their pharmacological laboratories and ICI (Plastics) Ltd acquired a further four acres for future development. A new factory of striking modernistic design was completed for Barclay Corsets Ltd.
Local firms continued to expand and factory extensions were started or completed for: Biersdorf Ltd., Carnegie Chemicals (Welwyn) Ltd., Dawnays Ltd., General Stampers (Welwyn) Ltd., Murphy Radio Ltd., Wellinth Ltd., Welwyn Electrical Laboratories Ltd. And Welwyn Metal Products Ltd.
New Companies:
Company Name | Product | Address |
Aviation Developments Ltd | Aircraft Components | Woodfield Road |
Bourne Chemical Industries | Red Lead manufacturer | Woodfield Road |
British Rubber Producers Research Association | Laboratories | Woodfield Road |
Danish Bacon Co Ltd | Offices | Broadwater Road |
Efex Ltd | Display Fittings | Tewin Road |
Ferro-Concrete and Steel Structures Ltd | Steel Doors | Broadwater Road |
Frank Coleman (Luton) Co Ltd | Cardboard Boxes | Woodfield Road |
Harland Manufacturing Co Ltd | Machines & Machine Parts | Woodfield Road |
Hitchins Assembled Interiors Ltd | Laminated Interior Building Blocks | Broadwater Road |
O&M Kleeman Ltd Ltd | Plastic Products | Woodfield Road |
The Marbloid Co Ltd | Synthetic Marble | Broadwater Road |
Secura Incubator Co Ltd | Incubators | Hyde Way |
Stafford Miller Ltd | Drug Manufacturer | Woodfield Road |
Add your comment about this page
My Mom worked for Norton Grinding Wheels. She was a formula writer. I still have the photographs of the office staff and her Norton’s pin. She married my dad, a Canadian soldier, in 1945, and moved to Canada, but Norton’s was often a topic of conversation when I was growing up. The Norton name is still a part of our household as my husband always has a collection of grinding wheels for his hand held grinder.
My grandfather Barton worked at Norton and traveled to underground factories during WW2. One night the air raid sirens alarmed and everyone ran out of the pub, which blew up.
In reply to Barry Aarons comment, my Great Grandfather was Leslie George Wilkinson (LG Wilkinson) who along with his brother Norman Wilkinson owned (I believe that to be correct) Gerald Carter & Co Ltd.
My dad, George Manifold, worked for Ferramic Industries. Mr. C.P. Stone was the original owner of the company and his nephews, Herrick Stokes, Ronald Stokes, Colin Stokes, my dad and many other hardworkers kept the firm going. In the late 60’s Mr. Stone decided to hand over the business to his nephews and George Manifold and made them partners in the company. Mr. Stone died after drawing up the papers, but he left the company in good hands. Unfortunately, with the early deaths of two of the partners, Colin Stokes and George Manifold in the mid 70’s, and the company facing challenges in the extremely competitive market it had to close down. Ferramic Industries and it’s “frit” was to found on many a household appliance including my own very first gas oven.
Before I started working at ICI (Plastics Division) in 1966 – which I used to walk too along Tewin Road, past Roche – I worked as a young laboratory assistant for a lacquer and paint manufacture. I only remember the name ‘L.G. Wilkinson’ which I think was the name of the parent company, but I can’t remember the actual company name on the site in Tewin Road. I would love to have some more info about that company. I remember that my boss was ex RAF and used to talk to me about his work on Radar in WW2. He was instrumental in exciting my enthusiasm in chemistry, which I have been involved with most on my life.
When I turned 15 (in 1957), I decided I wanted a change from working at Woodhall Stores so I started working after-school for one hour every day for Welwyn Coachworks Ltd on Tewin Road. I was employed fitting parts on the dashboard at the front, where the driver would drive the coach/bus. I earned £4 a week, 10/- an hour which included working 3 hours on Saturdays. I loved the job, and worked with very nice people. The boss we all hated, but nevertheless we dealt with it. After I finished my O Levels in July 1958, I worked a 35 hour week until September when I left.
Welwyn Coachworks was part of the Hertfordshire Building Company (Welwyn Builders was also), and I remember they transferred many staff to Barnet Bus Company in 1967. Coincidence that I moved to Barnet in 1967, but finished working there by then. In 1968 they declared bankruptcy – the major building closed down but then they continued manufacturing in a smaller factory on Hydeway but I don’t know how long for.
My dad worked as an iron moulder for Welwyn Foundry for roughly 20 years. He made moulds out of sand, he poured malt and iron into the moulds which were later guttering and manhole covers. His name was Bill Johnson.