M25 Coombelands Addlestone
Post to the north Addlestone
Caxton Avenue
The houses at the north end this road date at least from the early 1930s and were adjacent to Coombelands Printers – some houses are described as ‘printers cottages’ and thus this was probably company housing.
Coombelands Lane
Company houses – some houses in the lane were built for employees at The Press at Coombelands in 1926,
Coombelands Farm. The farm was, or is, owned by DEFRA and used in conjunction with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.
M25
Milton Rise
Ongar Place Infant School
Ongar Hill
Holy Family Primary School. This is part of some Brighton and Arundel Catholic ‘multi academy trust’.
Redwoods
Printing works. This was The Press at Coombelands which covered the area now Redwoods and was set up around 1926. It is described as “a two acre mock Tudor facaded printing factory with 41,000 sq ft of space” surrounded by company housing.
(see comment below about ownership of the press)
In 1987 it was taken over by United Newspapers. Coombelands was eventually bought by Ian Allen the railway enthusiast publisher. The site was sold for housing in 1998.
The Bourne
Also called Windle Brook and Hale Bourne.
Sources
Hansard
Holy Family Primary School. Web site
Sparticus. Web site.
Variuous transport enthusiast forums on line.
Wikipedia. Web site
Caxton Avenue
The houses at the north end this road date at least from the early 1930s and were adjacent to Coombelands Printers – some houses are described as ‘printers cottages’ and thus this was probably company housing.
Coombelands Lane
Company houses – some houses in the lane were built for employees at The Press at Coombelands in 1926,
Coombelands Farm. The farm was, or is, owned by DEFRA and used in conjunction with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.
M25
Milton Rise
Ongar Place Infant School
Ongar Hill
Holy Family Primary School. This is part of some Brighton and Arundel Catholic ‘multi academy trust’.
Redwoods
Printing works. This was The Press at Coombelands which covered the area now Redwoods and was set up around 1926. It is described as “a two acre mock Tudor facaded printing factory with 41,000 sq ft of space” surrounded by company housing.
(see comment below about ownership of the press)
In 1987 it was taken over by United Newspapers. Coombelands was eventually bought by Ian Allen the railway enthusiast publisher. The site was sold for housing in 1998.
The Bourne
Also called Windle Brook and Hale Bourne.
Sources
Hansard
Holy Family Primary School. Web site
Sparticus. Web site.
Variuous transport enthusiast forums on line.
Wikipedia. Web site
Comments
Perhaps some historian has the Benns and Redwoods mixed up with Coombelands.
There are some interesting photographs on the Chertsey Museum's website. It also looks like they hold the original plans for the housing estate.
http://chertseymuseum.org/?location_id=22&previous_filter=coombeland&filter=coombelands
He met my mother there - she worked in the offices. They were married in 1942. My father continued to work there after the war and retired in 1978 (at 65). I remember (I think it was) Percival's wife whose flowery name I forget - begins with a 'B'. Just prior to his retirement the factory was closing and people were being made redundant. Though in some weeks he would have been retired in 2-3 months the union negotiated settlements - of 2 weeks pay etc for each year --- in stead of nothing he got £50,000 - a lot in 1978! The manager then was Mr Fisher - I remember him and I have a photo of him presenting my father with a B&W TV for 50 years service - I suppose 1977.... It was of course Benn Brothers at that time.
My father played cricket for Coombelands and ran in races on their sprts days!
He retired then at 65 but got another local job as a 'reader' - forget now the company
My brother was not sure of what to do on leaving school and my parents said apprenticeship -and in print would be good. However he could not get one at Coombelands - but did in Burrells - at Clay Corner --- we lived in Fordwater Road. My brother moved on when Burrells stopped to The Surrey Herald - and from there to Ian Allen. Of course that was in Coombelands --- what goes around some around. Times changed in Print. Origination was then being done by Mac computer - and my brother work at this for several printing companies - but it was not 'long term'. He retired 10 years ago now - and still lives in Addlestone.
Could say a lot more - martynottaway@hotmail.com 07972 918316