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Brentford Festival 28 June 2008

The Festival took place over a couple of weekends in June: thanks to Janet McNamara for the invitation and in particular for setting up everything so I could turn up, plug in my laptop and go! Attendees included...

Dave STONELEIGH, whose family ran coffee rooms in the 1890s through to the early 1900s at 156 High Street - very near to Brentford Bridge at the western end of the High Street. The STONELEIGH family has not been easy to trace prior to their arrival in Brentford: Harold STONELEIGH appears in the 1881 census but there are no sightings in earlier censuses nor a death registation.

Whilst finding Harold has been problematic, some oblique views of no. 156 are available in images of Brentford Bridge in local history books.

During his visit to Brentford Dave took photos of a number of New Brentford High Street locations, including the WW1 war memorial at St Lawrence's church.

Lynn HAYTOR is researching the PITHER and HUTCHINSON families: James PITHER was a bricklayer at no. 256 in the 1901 census and there is an earlier sighting of him in The Ham in the 1881 census. As he lived a few doors away from the British National School on the High Street, it is possible to spot where he lived in some of the photos of the school. Lynn remembered there being a maternity home near to Dr. Moore's (no. 295) in the late 1920s/early 1930s.

Roger DAVIS has provided a number of postcard images which I am slowly adding to the site. He is descended from the DAVIS family, members of which include local builders, a cycle dealer and the superintendant of Brentford Fire Station, Frank DAVIS. Frank DAVIS's building business was based at no. 276, opposite the Fire Station. The Fire Station features in many local histories and also was a popular subject for postcards and some oblique views include no. 276.

Olga RIX (nee FRAMPTON) remembered a Mr & Mrs Frank PENK, who lived on the corner of Dock Road at no. 78. This was around 1956/7 prior to a rebuild on this site. A third storey was added to the building at a later date and the building is now derelict. Next door at no. 77 was Pharos Marine, also known as the Gas Accumulator Co. This was a company of beacon and lighthouse engineers for whom her father was chief fitter. The company was established in Brentford in 1913, remaining here for over 80 years, and also had premises in Sweden.

Across the road was St Paul's Road and on one corner was a coffee rooms run by Ann Bond in the 1940s./ It was known as the Feedwell Cafe. The Brentford Dock web site used to have photos of this area in the early 1980s, shortly before demolition to create the site currently used by Somerfield Supermarket.

Olga also recounted how the barge children used to attend the nearby St Paul's School and that they were allowed to go home early if it was a 'pea-souper' or at the high Spring tides.

The Girls' Friendly Society (GFS) was remembered by Olga and also Barbara PARSAN nee SHAILERS. A Miss SHORE and Miss TYRELL were associated with the GFS, the leader and the lady who instigated embroidery work respectively. Barbara recalled Brenda BROWN of Carlyle or Murray Road, also a member of the GFS. Olga's aunt & uncle lived next door to Miss SHORE on Carlyle Road.

Jean HARRISON remembered the 'three farthings shop', as no. 235, Miss Daisy BROOKS' drapery shop was affectionately known, on account of everything costing a number of pence plus three farthings. Instead of change of a farthing a twist of pins would be given to the customer.

Jean also reminisced about the 'Brentford Bun' which used to be sold by SIMMONS the baker (no. 290). She thinks this died out when the Brentford Carnival ceased in the 1980s. As she said, every town seems to have its own recipe for a bun or cake (and they were probably all pretty much the same!).

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Published July 2008; updated May 2023