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From 319 to 334 High Street, Old Brentford

In 1965 the new Red Lion pub was built on the eastern side of Ealing Road to replace the old Red Lion (no. 318), which was demolished in 1970. The new Red Lion was demolished to make way for McDonalds fast-food outlet in the 1990s (S23, S24).

The trade directories for 1928 and later do not list numbers 319, 320 or 321.

Properties

Notes prepared for numbers The Drum PH (319), 320, 321, 322, 323 - 324, 325, 327, 329, 330, 331, 332, 333 and 334; also a list of photos, ephemera and maps

The Drum PH (319)

The building was altered in 1908 (C53). The Valuation Record covers number 319 and numbers 1 – 3 Ealing Road together. ‘This is very old property and chiefly constructed of wood and brick’. It was sold for £625 in 1908 and is described as a ‘large corner shop and three lock-up shops’; there are no details of the owner or occupier, maybe the Valuer was not able to inspect the premises: there is a note regarding a Form 75A being sent to ‘Robinson?’ on 11 January 1915.

In the 1913 trade directory a Mrs E Hibberd, clothier, is recorded at no. 319. The building was demolished in 1921 and a new Red Lion opened on the site in 1965 (C53).

Number 320

By 1861 Alfred John Evans or Evens had taken over the grocery business and he remained here until at least 1881. A 1890 trade directory listed Henry Entecott, grocer at no. 320, by 1891 Richard W Dunn, from Deal Kent and ‘deaf from childhood’ was running the shop, then Henry Smith, locally born, in 1901. By 1913 a butcher, Robert Read, worked here and no. 320 is not listed in 1928 – 1940 trade directories.

When the 1909/10 Valuation took place it was described as ‘very old and somewhat dilapidated’, owned by Catherine A Hooper (who also owned no. 321), with a timber built WC in the yard. The frontage to the High Street was 17’ 9” and the plot depth was 75’. By 1913 a butcher, Robert Read, worked here and no. 320 is not listed in 1928 – 1940 trade directories.

Number 321

Number 322

William Ricket is recorded in the 1913 trade directory; in 1928 – 1940 no. 322 remained a tobacconists, run by Miss Emily Sarah Ricket 1928 and George W Wood in 1933 and 1940.

Numbers 323 & 324

In 1913 this was still a lodging house, run by Walter Taylor. In 1928 – 1940 Nelson Larkham lived here. There is an article about Nelson in the West Middx FHS Journal, June 1992.

When the 1909/10 Valuation took place numbers 323 and 324 were evaluated separately, there is note in both regarding a form 75A being sent to a W J Strang on 17 December 1914: presumably he was the owner. No. 323 had a stable and slaughter house to the rear and was ‘to let’, according to the tenant of no. 324, who provided information to the Valuer. No.324 is described as a lodging house and there is a simple plan showing an L-shaped building.

See Photos/Ephemera/Maps for a link to a 1945/6 photo.

Number 325

When the 1909/10 Valuation records were prepared there is a note that the owner, James Bovindon had just died and the owners were his executors, Thomas Bovingdon of 18 Hamilton Road Brentford and Christopher Bovingdon, ‘in occupation’. It was a terrace house and shop of 3 storeys with a frontage of 19’ to the High Street.

‘At rear is a slaughter house and 3-stall stable. Another stable at rear and at extreme rear with entrance from Walnut Tree Road is a 2-stall stable with loft over.’

By 1928 Edwin State was running a grocers shop from here, also in 1933. By 1940 Thomas Bovingdon, fruiterer had taken over the business.

Number 327

The Newens references are:

• Henry (1839 Pigot, 1841 census and 1842 PCC will, with further notes about the family)
• Sarah widow of Henry (1845 directory and 1851 census – where she employed 2 men)
• Edward son of Henry (1861 census: 3 servants, 1871 census: employing 12 men, 1874 directory which mentions he also ran the Post Office, 1881 census, 1890 directory)
• Mrs Marie Newens widow of Edward (from Bray, Berkshire) (1891 census, 1901 census)
• Edward (1913 directory ‘Newens, Edwd., baker; Post, Money Order, Savings Bank & Telegraph & Telephone Office’).

There are references to the Newens family in ‘The King of Brentford’ by Robert Henrey, published 1946: ‘Edward the Seventh was once held up for ten minutes in a traffic block and the royal car was jammed between the vicarage slop and the bakery opposite, owned by jovial Mr Newesn and the two Misses Newens, whose weighty bosoms and rolled-up hair gave them dignity and importance’. The royal traffic jam must have taken place between 1902 and 1910.

H J Newens, probably the son of Edward Newens, was a jovial-looking councillor ca 1915 (photo from Chiswick Library’s Local Studies).

When the 1909/10 Valuation took place no. 327 was owned and occupied by ‘H J Newens’ and was a post office, house, shop and premises. It was a 3 storey property with a bakehouse, a dilapidated stable for 2 horses and a coachhouse with exit to Baileys Row at rear.

By 1928 Thomas J Ford had taken over, he too ran both a bakery and PO, as did the magnificently name Frederick Justus Landgrebe (1933) and William Shields (1940). Frederick Landgrebe is probably the 18 year old pastry cook listed in the 1901 census of Richmond at 11 Jocelyn Road: his father Justus Landgrebe was a retired baker and naturalized British Subject born Germany.

Number 329

The 1909/10 Valuation Records describe it as having a ‘dirty old shop’ on the ground floor and a very large garden. ‘At rear is a large rag sorting building with a loft over. At extreme rear is another sorting shed with exit to Walnut Tree Road. The whole of the property including the sheds at rear is very old and very dilapidated’. At this point the owner was H. G. Gomm of Drayton Court Hotel, Ealing who let the property for an annual rent of £40. Frederick Nash owned no. 330 but lived at ‘Melrose’, Carlyle Road Ealing.

See Photos/Ephemera/Maps for a link to a 1945/6 photo.

Number 330

Robert Hall, chemist and druggist, lived here in 1871 and 1881. By 1898 William Heath, undertaker (and Jan Chinnery's maternal grandmother's brother), lived and worked here: Thomas Heath previously ran an undertakers from Drum Lane in 1878. If you are interested in the Heath family, see Jan Chinnery's list of Heath entries extracted from trade directories. The premises continued to be used as an undertakers until at least 1945, by W.C. and then W.G.Barratt.

At the time of the 1909/10 Valuation the property was owned by Frederick Nash: see no. 329 for more about the Nash family. The property had been sold, along with numbers 331 – 334 and stabling, for £1300 in 1893. It is described as a brick built terraced house and shop on 3 floors plus a basement with a High Street frontage of 14’ 9”.

Number 331

By 1881 331 was a refreshment house run by James Skinner, then dining rooms or a coffee house run by the Dean family (1890, 1891, 1901, 1913).

When the 1909/10 Valuation took place no. 331 was described as having a frontage of 16’ 10” to the High Street and ‘a large piece of ground at rear’: this is visible in the tithe map and the 1894 OS map – see below for links.

In 1928 and 1933 Arthur Henry Bradshaw, ham & beef dealer had his shop here; by 1940 he had been succeeded by Albert Poole, ham & beef dealer.

The 1945/6 photo shows no. 331 as Adnams, newsagent, however the 1940 trade directory lists George Adnams, newsagent at no. 332. It seems unlikely the photo is wrong and it also seems unlikely that these properties were re-numbered during the war. In 1933 Pinchbeck, newsagents, used numbers 332 and 333 (but this doesn't explain how no. 332 became no. 331.

See Photos/Ephemera/Maps for a link to a 1945/6 photo.

Number 332

By 1851 Charles Lance, carpenter later sergeant of the Royal Westminster Militia no pension, lived here.

Richard Rapkin(s), a tailor lived here in 1861 – he was living near no. 310 in 1851.

Philip Moore, who alternated between being recorded as a blacksmith and a tobacconist, lived here in 1871, 1874, 1881, 1890 and 1891. He was born in Blofield, Norfolk.

The property was then used as by confectioners (Mrs Jane Ricket, 1901; Mrs Ada Stratford, 1913). The 1909/10 Valuation around this time described 332 “this is very old property, probably about 300 years old”.

No. 332 was a newsagents in 1928 (Josiah Porter), 1933 (Charles D Pinchbeck) and 1940 (George Adnams) – but see notes under no. 331 regarding a possible renumbering of this stretch.

John Walker (see no. 303) writes ‘No. 332 The furniture store was owned by Wilton Goddard (brother of Stan Goddard). This shop later specialised more in electrical goods rather than furniture.’

I replied: ‘I haven't come across Wilton Goddard at this address, various newsagents were recorded here in the 1928 - 1940 trade directories. I did wonder if this stretch of the High Street was renumbered in the C20 as I had difficulty in tying down the details from the trade directory and the 1945/6 photo.'

'I found Wilton Joseph Goddard, electrical engineer at no. 267 in 1940, on the corner of Cannon Alley. Percy Goddard, furniture dealer, was at no. 277 in 1928, 1933 & 1940 and before him Joseph Goddard, china dealer (1890, 1891, 1901, 1913). I haven't come across Stanley Goddard yet, but this could be because the trade directories I'm using include business rather than personal names. There was a Stanley Goddard born in 1899 son of Frank Goddard who was a glass & china merchant just off the High Street in the Market Place in 1901. I am sure Frank must be a relative of Joseph but haven't found out how.’

See Photos/Ephemera/Maps for a link to a 1945/6 photo.

Number 333

From 1913 to 1940 there were regular changes of hand and business. The 1945/6 photo shows a rundown shop, built at the same time as no. 332, which was assessed as about 300 years old.

See Photos/Ephemera/Maps for a link to a 1945/6 photo.

Number 334

In an 1890 trade directory no, 334 is recorded as ‘Andrew Pears esq president and Samuel Garratt secy, Brentford Liberal & Radical Club’ and resident here in the 1891 census was John Smith, bricklayer from Norfolk.

In the 1909/10 Valuation Record the building is described as a double-fronted club house and premises known as the ‘Brentford Liberal Club’. It had a large concert room and flat over the new billiards room (which could hold 2 or 3 tables). On the ground floor were two card rooms. In 1909 the garden extended to and included 2 old stables on Walnut Tree Road, ‘but since that date a large portion (of the garden) has been cut off’. The frontage to the High Street was 30’ 2”.

The use by the Brentford Liberal & Radical Club continued until at least 1933. In the 1940 directory, no.334 was ‘Brent House Club (affiliated to Working Men’s Club & Institute Union) (L. F. Pett sec.)

Photos/Ephemera/Maps

Roads Off