With a big hospital at Northolt and the Heston Airport so near; they behaved themselves well and, of course, several married local girls. Children who had been evacuated returned home and, gradually, food and clothes rationing finished. Norwood Hall, which had been bought by the MCC, was turned into an Old Peoples’ Home and remained so until 1956.
After the war ended the Norwood Green Residents’ Association called an Extraordinary General Meeting on the 23rd July and took up from where it left off, its main object being to look after the interests of the residents. By this time there was only one farm left in the Southall area, Snells Farm, Dormers Wells, and this was gradually losing its land which was being taken to erect prefabs.
Around about now the Air Ministry began to make plans for a new London Airport, and Heston Airport was thought to be suitably placed. Plans were drawn up to greatly enlarge this and the Ministry began to buy all the land required. This included all Cranford village but, as we all know now, this plan was dropped and London Airport built on land about three miles away. With the coming of the airport a great change started in Southall’s population.
Council doings seem to dominate 1946. Financial matters were a continual source of worry. Losses on Borough Cafe Meals, Market Garden and Piggery amounted to nearly £3,000, but the sale of 2,000 tons of salvage raised £7,400. Education cost £231,090 – this was £31.9.0d per head for 7,350 children. The school leaving age had been raised to 15. 850,000 school meals had been served. Mr Tom Shaw was appointed Borough Treasurer. Rates go up again by 6d in the £. Two tenders for houses were accepted – £1,303 each for 36 houses on the Holly Lodge Estate and £135,622 for 100 houses at Dormers Wells. In May the first tenants, Mr and Mrs L. Fuller moved into the first prefab, on the Golf Links Estate.
`Victory Week’, organised by the Council, with a grand opening in Southall Park, was sadly spoiled by rain. This continued most of the week and only indoor functions were held.
The Mayor raised £392 for the YMCA; at the County Council election Councillor J. Lowe and Mrs E. Jackson elected; and at the Borough elections, the Labour majority was reduced by one. Three former Councillors died – Mr C. Moss, aged 47, chairman 1927-29, and ex Alderman C. Hutchings, Chairman 1929-30 – he had served 20 years on the Council. Both were butchers. The other was Mr Holmes, aged 82, Councillor for three years. Mrs Amos, Mayor in 1941-42, resigned after eleven years as a Councillor.
The Council, after a very great deal of opposition, passed a motion to introduce a ‘Closed Shop’ for employees, to come into effect March 31st, 1947. Mr J. Silvey, an ex-Southall policeman who became the first adult Crossing Controller, died at the age of 74. Other news – Outside air raid shelters were being demolished. Rusticum Cottage, Frogmore Green, which dated from 1580, and thatched, was pulled down. Most of the old timbers were sold for £1,000 and shipped to America.
In the battle for The Bat, between The Lamb and The Wolf on August Monday The Wolf retained The Bat. This raised £21 for hospital. Mr Percy Reading, a Southall man, broke the world non-stop walking record on the 15th June, covering 129 miles 749 yards in 24 hours.
