In 1926 the London General Omnibus Company’s building staff began the erection of the AEC factory. This was the year of the General Strike — May — and after a short delay work was restarted; Mr S. Sharrod (General Foreman). The first part took about one year to build, unfortunately two men were killed and three seriously injured during the process. The Associated Equipment Company, which manufactured bus and motor chassis, moved from Walthamstow and, until its staff could find housing accommodation, employed several coaches to bring its staff to Southall each day. Production started at the end of September, 1927. At its peak and after great extensions (Wimpeys built a large extension in 1960 costing £430,000) it employed over 2,000 people. In 1961-62 it was taken over by Leylands and, in 1978, was closed down. The site was bought for a Great Western Industrial Park and, after clearing most of the buildings, a trading estate will develop.
Town Development
In 1924 an extension to Havelock Road Cemetery was consecrated by the Bishop of Kensington.
The new Norwood Bridge was opened on July 25th, 1925. Also in 1925, despite great efforts to save it, part of the west wing of the Manor House -which included the Clock Tower, together with the old Tithe Barn (over 360 years old) which had been the focal point of social meetings and, for a while the meeting place of Catholics for mass — was pulled down to make way for road widening in The Green.
At a meeting at the Kings Hall on May 13th, 1925 a Southall Hospital Committee was established. A new motor ambulance was already in use.
In 1926 the site of the Hortus Road Cemetery was purchased from the Maypole Company for £3,274. The Southall Station bridge widened at a cost of £21,700. Primitive Methodist Church (Western Road) celebrated its Golden Jubilee May 1926 (this was pulled down in 1960).
The Manor Way Council Estate was started in 1927. The new Southall Police Station was built in 1927. This was pulled down and the present one built 1975-76 – a fortress-like building, it was opened by Sir Robert Marks, QPM, Chief Commissioner, 25th November, 1976.
In March 1927 extensions to the Conservative Club included the Fairlawn Hall. This has been a great asset to the club.
The Salvation Army opened their No 2 Southall Citadel at the corner of Hambrough Road and Uxbridge Road. The Baptist Church extension opened in December 1928. HRH Princess Victoria opened the Parochial Hall in Allenby Road, Mount Pleasant, on October 12th, 1929. In November 1929 the Bishop of Kensington opened St Mary’s Parish Hall, Norwood Green.
Southall was expanding rapidly. Land which had been used for timber storage on the right hand side of Norwood Road was developed to form Witley Gardens and Norwood Gardens. Several large houses were built in the Norwood Green area. In 1929 there came what was to be the biggest housing estate. Wimpeys of Hammersmith had bought Waxlow Manor Farm with 138 acres of land. During the next four years they built over 700 houses on what is known now as the Waxlow Estate. They built the roads and houses very quickly, putting the houses up for sale from £425 each, with £25 down as a deposit.