Southall 830-
Richard J. Meads
On entering the Manor House on the right hand wall is a wall panel, the names on
which are in themselves a history of what must be the oldest institution in the town.
Formed in 1902 as a local Tradesmen's Association, the first President was Mr W.
G. Beckett, with Mr Rowe Secretary. Mr Beckett had a drapery business in the High
Street, thus was the beginning of the Southall Chamber of Commerce. The 58 names
on the board reads like a Who's Who of many who have shaped Southall over the past
80 years, for named are ten builders, seven works owners, 26 of the very old established
tradesmen. These have all been past Presidents of the Chamber, some of whom have
held office for two or more years. Only two women have been in office -
Over the years the Chamber has had its meetings at various places but a breakthrough
came in 1970. When in 1965 the Borough of Southall was incorporated into the Borough
of Ealing, the Manor House -
Work was put in hand to get the building fit for use and the Chamber added its own
furnishings. Thus it came about that the Southall Chamber of Commerce, which must
be the oldest organisation, is now housed in the oldest house in the town. Over the
years the Chamber has at all times kept the tradesmen's welfare in mind and reported
anything that they wished to improve in the town to the proper authorities. One such
-
The social side has always been catered for and, at the Manor House, they have a Conference Room which serves for Executive Committee Meetings and social events. Mr Gilbey is the present secretary.
List of Presidents:
1902-
1906-
1908 W. C. Talbot 1953 C. W. Cook
1909 E. Cheal 1954 A. E. Smith
1910 W. C. Clements 1955 G. A. Phillips
1911 T. J. Hallam 1956 J. Edkins
1912 C. Thomson 1957 A. Green
1913-
1919 H. S. Naylor 1960-
1920-
1923 W. A. Rowe 1963 J. Hilton
1924-
1928-
1930 C. Wadham 1965 Mrs. G. W. Taplin
1931 C. Hutchings 1966 P. L. Bolding
1932 F. Cooper 1967 S. J. Evans
1933 D. Easton 1968 A. H. Barber
1934 P. G. Soulsby 1969 D. J. Sinclair
1935 H. W. Welsh 1970 B. Bass
1936 P. Hopkins 1971 H. E. Meak
1937 F. Cooper 1972 H. G. Hallett
1938 D. Clifford Evans 1973 A. A. Hurst
1939 H. Baker 1974 R. H. Freeman
1940-
1943 W. J. Brown 1976 A. G. Jennings
1944-
1946 F. S. Honey 1979 A. T. Frost
1947 W. O. Wood 1980 D. Casey
1948 E. W. Ward 1981 D. Spires
1949 S. Sabel 1982 R. J. Kew
1950 F. J. Richards