To Save a Tree

 We now move westwards from the Senior Central School (Fleetville Juniors today) on the third field to be sold by the Grammar School, but rather later than the fields incorporating the Fleet Works and Fleet Ville.  Called Poor Six Acre Field we assume the name to reflect the quality of its top soil.  [Further along the road at the cemetery this top and sub-soil is brought to the surface when new burials are due]. So selling for development would have been an easy decision to make.  During and following the First World War the field, or at least a part of it, was delineated into allotment plots "for the war effort", partly to avoid the recreation ground being utilised for the same purpose, which was certainly a real risk. 

To fully understand which plots today occupy the front of this field, the first to the west of the school's vehicular entrance is Grimsdyke Lodge, then BC Cycles and Magnet.  Although Topps Tiles is also part of the modern range of development this will form part of the next post.

The Valuation Office records from 1910 to 1915 reveal that during the lifetime of its data, W H Lavers, the owner of the timber yard nearby, also acquired the frontage land to the west of the school entrance, 206 to 202 and possibly 208 as well.  So, we will consider number 208 first.  It is doubtful if many current residents of the district recall a detached house to the west of the school entrance, but a photograph in the St Albans' Museums Archive shows one to be there.  

The house behind the railings was built for the school caretaker.  The large detached house behind
the bus stop had two owners in its short lifetime before being demolished shortly before 1967.
It is possible the tree in its front garden may be the one referred to in the text below, but it
certainly did not survive the next stage in the site's life.
COURTESY ST ALBANS MUSEUMS

It was erected shortly after the First World War and its first occupant was Mrs Bell; her name appears as the occupant in the 1930 and 1934 street directories.  From then on the occupant was Mrs Wilkins.  In both cases we only know their names.  If Mrs Bell was the owner of the house she may also have purchased the adjacent  land, the plots taken over by Mr Lavers from the Grammar School.  From then on numbers 208 to 202 were treated as a single plot of ground even though no further houses were built there.  However, a row of lock-up garages existed at the back of 206 to 202 from c1930 until 1967.

An article in the Herts Advertiser 19th April 1973 revealed that Mrs Wilkins had planted an oak seed on her land in 1935 to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of George V and Queen Mary.  She very much wanted to protect the tree from development by Fairview Estates to whom she had sold her property in 1967.  Your Editor cannot recall such a tree being present, although a photograph from the archives of St Albans Museums proves it was growing in the front garden. The oak tree – which would now be 86 years old – is not within the boundary of Grimsdyke Lodge today.

The left section of Grimsdyke Lodge was the location of the former detached house.

Grimsdyke Lodge, a development of eight 1-bed flats, dates from 1967 and a central throughway gives access to rear parking.  It is thought that the name of the building came from Grimsdyke Developments, a development arm of Fairview Estates. 

Three of the four eventual sections of the ironmongery (DIY) shop begun by James Andrew, and successively by the Tuckett family and then Leon Reed. On the left is part of the open ground
owned by Mrs Wilkins of the detached house, now part of Grimsdyke Lodge.
COURTESY ST ALBANS MUSEUMS

Numbers 200, 198 and 196 were created in 1910 by builder James Andrew, who also occupied the western end of this multi plot.  He also had a shop on the north side of the road directly opposite from which he sold building accessories and fittings.  Mr Andrew  constructed a two-bay unit consisting of shops on the ground floor  with living accommodation above – often the upper floors were converted into storage areas, but it is not certain whether that was the case here. Two ground-floor-only shop units were added later, one on each side of the original structure, and this part of Hatfield Road became a very successful DIY centre managed by Leonard Reed – until the industrial estate DIY warehouses popular from the 1980s motoring boom, and suddenly Reed's became no more.

The fullest four-section extent of Leon Reed's DIY Centre shortly after its closure.
COURTESY DIANA DEVEREUX

But this is putting the cart before the proverbial horse, because one of the original shop units, number 200, remained a drapery and then ladies' outfitter from c1912 through to the 1960s. Number 198 was held by builder James Andrew until he opened his shop opposite, and was then taken on by Harry Tuckett, whose family had previous ironmongery experience working at Hallam's, a well-known ironmongery on the corner of Chequer Street and High Street (the giant letter H still features on an external wall of this building, now a bank).  The Tuckett family also managed a general store in Camp Road on the premises which later became John Dearman's ironmongery, now private houses.

Leonard Reed took over in the mid-1950s and gradually expanded into the ladies' outfitter unit and then built first one wing on the eastern side, followed by a second on the western side, on the land previously occupied by James Andrew's open depot for his building trade, although that must have gone by the time I first knew Fleetville in the 1950s.

200 and 198 were demolished and replaced by the modern Richmond House, home to Weddings Unlimited and now BC Cycles. It is a mixed site incorporating retail and apartments.

This part of Hatfield Road has seen plenty of variety in its urbanisation since it was a field with poor soil, with many changes too.  And Mrs Wilkins' oak tree was only one of the oaks failing to survive to the modern day.  Seven mature oak trees quietly growing  in the field were felled and offered for sale, possibly to make sale for development much easier.

Next time we will be introduced to a member of a very well-known family.

Workshops and Motors

 In the previous post we finished with a memory, for some, of the hardware shop known as The Handy Stores.  Although a few shops have never altered what their owners, or subsequent occupiers, traded through more than one hundred years of Fleetville retailing, there inevitably comes a point when change finally arrives

Numbers 222 (formerly a cafe), 220 ( one half of The Handy Stores) and 218 (the original
unit of The Handy Stores) in 2012.

Domestic servicing has given way to car servicing, one half of the current premises of Prestige
Experience.

We should remember that these units were treated much like houses in that they had back plots – gardens – though they did not survive long as such. Behind number 218 was a workshop called St Albans Plating, whose owner also had the frontage shop unit. As a child the Editor used to wonder what he might buy with his pocket money if he was to walk through the shop doorway? To my recollection I do not recall seeing anyone with business to transact here, and certainly not leave with any plates!

The first premises to be built on the front part of the field, as seen on a white winter's day.  This
name is Carter's Garage at number 212 in 1934
COURTESY CAROLYN HAYWARD

Charles Mears Carter with his wife Daisy, off on honeymoon on Charles' motor bike.
Daisy was a teacher, so she may have taught at the Central School, Fleetville or 
Camp.
COURTESY MARK CARTER

The next premises was quite another matter. In the 1950s this was Hobbs Garage. But until 1934 it was just another open space, land not yet developed. Then, engineer Charles M Carter arrived in the district. He was the brother of nurseryman Thomas W Carter from the partnership of Sear & Carter further along the road. While Charles, and wife Daisy, were living in a small house across the road. Charles set up his car servicing and repair business. Charles' business may have been one of the first in Fleetville to dispense petrol from the forecourt; although Charles Tuck may have beaten
him to it.

Number 214 was acquired by Alfred Hobbs.  Carter's garage business was also purchased by him
c1946 and the site modernised in the 1950s.  He continued to dispense petrol.
COURTESY ST ALBANS MUSEUMS

In the 1950s Alfred Hobbs, from Colney Heath Lane and owner of agricultural machinery factory Tractor Shafts, acquired Charles Carter's business, rebadged the shop as Hobbs Tools and later still rebranded it HobbCo.  The frontage of the garage premises was modernised and rebuilt in red brick, with a glazed first floor.  The frontage extended over the access to the rear workshop, joining onto the tool shop building – most of us today have forgotten that arrangement.  Neon lighting for Hobbco Tool Company and Hobbs Garage was fitted to the side and front walls, bringing some colour to the street in the evenings. No doubt it was also intended to attract younger customers and their new post-war cars.

The site was cleared once more when Kwik Fit opened a service branch here.
COURESY GOOGLE STREET VIEW

In the 1980s the premises became a branch of Kwik Fit.  The Hobbs frontage, in fact the whole building, was replaced, presumably to enable shorter servicing periods to take place and therefore faster turnarounds.  So for almost a century number 212 has been home to car-owners in need of servicing, replacement tyres, motoring technical advice and inspections.  Charles Carter started that.

Meanwhile, the editor continues his quest to discover more about the St Albans Plating business, where it moved to, if anywhere, and who it served.

Kwik Fit completes the range of plots which sit in front of the Central School.  Next time we move across the school's vehicular entrance to a building no longer extant.

The Handy Stores

 Following a brief break we return this week to the south side of Hatfield Road where a new replacement building for the Girls' Central School was opened in 1931.  The County Council had no need of a road frontage in its day-to-day management of a school, and so from now on many of these sites would make use of passing trade and all would be developed in the same period as the school, around 1930.

The first property west of Morrison's car park, the timber yard of former times, is the Campaign for
Real Ale (CAMRA) building.  It was formerly West & Sellick, motor accessories and repairs. From above the plot is almost wedge-shaped and there is no back land the business can use.

Next door to the timber yard of W H Laver was the motor accessories and repair shop of West & Sellick.  Although today it is a headquarter building for the organisation Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) no changes have been made to the external structure, remaining as built.  Internally,  evidence of the original workshops and warehouse stores can still be detected, although today's use is administrative. The forecourt provided good space for parked cars and vans, but there was always room for stacks of tyres, presumably used ones which the company would not have minded disappearing overnight, so saving on disposal costs!

Businesses occupy the frontage plots while the school sits behind them.
COURTESY GOOGLE EARTH

Next door was the entrance to the school.  It has come to be referred to as a pedestrian entrance, but when first opened it was the only entrance.  However, the number of vehicles would have been few in number and such routines as "the school run" non-existent   But a  separate vehicular entrance was created later in the decade.

This photo is from 1964.  The police pillar phone box is to the left of the school entrance, followed
by a pair of semi detached houses, in recent years replaced by a residential building in similar but more   modern style. Beyond is a group of three shops.  This is the period of Pat's Cafe and a year after Geoffrey Golding's business opened here. In this period the bus stop, minus lay-by, was still further along the road.  Today, it has moved to where the car is shown parked.
COURTESY ST ALBANS MUSEUMS

From memory many of us imagine a small number of shops following on, but there has always been a residential building next to the school pedestrian entrance, a sizeable semi-detached pair, remarkably similar in design to the current building, although these are now apartments.  First identified in the 1928 street directory and soon named St George's and Moorshill by their respective owners, ex military camouflage officer Howard Edwards moved into St George's at the end of the war and launched his sign and screen painting business, which included substantial exhibition panels and murals. As the business grew – and included back screen cloths for major exhibitions at London exhibition centres –  lack of space forced him to move to former straw hat premises in Victoria Street as Falcon Displays.  The firm remains today though not in St Albans.

Adjacent premises went up at the same time, c1928, and became a group of three retail premises, 222, 220 and 218.  The first spent the majority of its time pre-millennium as a cafe.  As The Rendezvous it was a popular weekend meeting spot for cycling groups, and was later taken on by Jack Hart who also ran a cafe in Verulam Road. There were other owners in succession, including the Timms family who also used the premises as an aquatics shop – restful ambiance while sipping a cup of tea!  Today it is Claims Solutions.

The parade as it was in 2012 ...

... and recently.  In pulling the camera lens back a little the symmetry of this block is revealed,
with the soaring roofline of the two ends. An added point of interest is the inclusion of boundary
railings which was a feature of the next door cafe for many decades.
COURTESY GOOGLE STREETVIEW

The 1950s during the period of the twin units.

Looking eastwards in the era when ironmongers' shop windows often spilled onto the footpath,
although in this case it would have been the front garden!
COURTESY ANDREW FREEMAN

The Royal Warrant above Mr Golding's business.

Although G D Golding comes next today, the first three decades at 220 and 218 belong to a different trade.  Percy Sharp opened as the first retailer at number 218, calling it Household Stores.  Within three years Cyril Etches, who had successfully run bus services in the district with partner W Flowers, were bought out by London Transport in 1933.  They had a small bus garage at the eastern end of Wychlands Crescent.  Using his share of the buyout Etches purchased the household business from Sharp.  Within a short time he also moved in next door.  It took him a few years before his next move, renaming the business The Handy Stores.  However, he encountered strong competition, especially from Leon Reed a short distance away, who had eventually spread into three shop units, and so The Handy Stores returned to a single unit. In 1963 began the business opportunity taken on by Geoffrey D Golding.  Golding's bespoke tailoring business has remained at number 220 ever since and there can be few people unaware of the accolade of Geoffrey being awarded a Royal Warrant which he displays proudly above the shop front.  In 2021 Mr Golding announced his retirement, although he has ensured his business continues.

The closure of The Handy Stores also begins the consolidation of services to car owners, which will be detailed in the next post.