Rates in 1887 1/10d (9p) in the pound.
Major Unwin at Norwood Hall October, 1887.
Work started on The Subway 26th November, 1885, also the widening of Station Approach on the north side.
Prices
Tenders accepted for coal for school at 16/9d (84p) per ton.
Rose trees 3/- (15p) per dozen.
Seeds, all types, 2d, 3d, 4d, 5d per ounce.
Rents
House to let in Kingston Road 6/6d (32½p) per week. Dudley Road 5/6d (27½p). York Road 5/- (25p); Mount Pleasant Cottages 5/-;Adelaide Road 6/- (30p ) and shops to let at 15/- (75p) per week, including rates.
1890-1900
This decade will show how the industry and the standard of roads and house building set the pattern of Southall for at least 50 years.
The population in 1890 was 7,300 and by 1900 it was 8,500. Excluding the large houses, residences built in South Road were mainly for the upper class, most of whom had servants. This was followed by Osterley Park Road, Lady Margaret Road and Avenue Road, all with a better class of house.
On the left hand side of Norwood Road were – first, two old cottages (Kingston Villas), then Ossulton Villas. These were three-storey and some of the residents kept servants who lived in the basement. In number one a family by the name of Ham came to live in 1889. Mr Joel Ham was ‘Clerk in Charge’ for the building of Norwood Green Police Station, which was opened in 1890. His son, Ernie (more later), left a legacy of paintings of Southall which are in the possession of Ealing Borough Library.
Denmark Road (King Street) was gradually developing into a shopping centre, but there was still a blacksmith’s forge on the Swan corner. The St Johns Hall was built in 1892 by. Hanson, to hold 200. A proposal to build a public hall on the Featherstone Road corner was rejected and along came the London Co-operative Stores building, and later the Western Road corner.
In 1893, a site of 68 acres adjacent to the railway, was purchased and a start made on what was to become the largest margarine works in the world, Otto Monsteds. The architects Bird and Whitenburgs of Manchester, and the first contract worth £300,000 went to A. & B. Hansons. A private road was made to the works, and a railway siding constructed. This meant an extension of the foot bridge by 20 yards. The first margarine was produced December 1894. The formal opening of the factory by the Earl of Jersey on 20th March, 1895 was followed by a dinner and ball for all employees. About 30 Danish staff came with the firm and settled in various parts of the town. Much more detail about the 36 years of the works in the town can be found in The Maypole and Southall Green, published in 1980 by myself.
With the increasing population more schools were needed and, in 1891, the first Featherstone Road School was built on a site which cost £175. Mr Dunn was Headmaster from 1892-1902. This was a boys’ school and the number of pupils in 1894, 263. Miss Nightingale was Headmistress 1902-1931. The caretaker in 1894 was Mr Tilley at 13/- (65p) per week.