Southall 830-1982

Richard J. Meads

 

1960-61-62

 

The Minutes of the Council show that Civil Defence was still a major factor in the Borough. Councillor J. Woodruff was appointed Chairman of the Civil Defence Committee. There was an appeal for more recruits and more money was being spent on the shelter in Beatrice Road.

 

Road Safety was also high on the agenda and a great many road signs began to appear. The Clean Air Act of 1956 and Smoke Control Order No 2 came into operation 1st May, 1961, and several local firms received warning notices regarding smoke nuisance.

 

The deaths occurred in February 1961 of Mr and Mrs Amos. She was the first Lady Mayor of Southall (1944-45). Councillor Ward was elected Mayor for 1960-61.

 

A Works Centre for the elderly was established at the Municipal Sports Ground. A proposal to build offices for the Parks Department on the site of the Cemetery Lodge in Havelock Road, which had been pulled down in 1958, did not take place. Also, once again, the question of providing Slipper Baths at the corner of Hartington and Featherstone Road was discussed but nothing done. The Council was notified by British Rail that work to strengthen the Station Bridge would result in part of the station being demolished. This took place in 1961 and Southall has still half a station today.

The General Rate in 1962 was 21/4d in the pound. Councillor J. Barrett elected Mayor for 1961/62. Holy Trinity Church had built a Parish Hall and Social Centre next to the Church in Park View Road and offered Trinity Hall Lady Margaret Road to the Council but, after several debates, the offer was rejected. It was later sold to `Vishua Hindu Mandet', an Indian Religious group.

 

£5,000 was spent on the lay-out and improvements to Brent Meadow.

 

From 1960 onwards the number of new Southallians gradually increased and began to settle in large numbers on the Hambrough Estate. The price they were prepared to pay for houses encouraged the original tenants to sell. Of course they were exploited by moneyed members of their own clan and, usually, in order to pay the high rents charged one or two families shared a house. This caused the Borough Councils quite a lot of problems. By the time Southall Borough became incorporated with Ealing the number of new Southallians had reached about 45,000, and had spread all over the town.

 

Although officially no Ugandians were to settle, 870 managed to arrive. they began to acquire businesses and shops, and the High Street and King Street began to display all types of Asian goods and vegetables. In order to try to keep the ratio of white and coloured children in the schools, and due to, lack of places in the schools, a fleet of coaches was hired by the Education Committee to take children to out-lying schools each morning. All the various religious bodies fitted themselves in and Southall Council Minutes recall several applications of help towards accommodation for social events.

 

On the north side of the town, towards the end of Allenby Road, a water tower was built and several more houses, and this meant that the Church of the Redeemer was also built in Allenby Road in 1963 as an off-shoot of Holy Trinity.

 

The population in 1961 was 52,985. The Mayor elected for 1962-63 W. J. Hopkins, JP. Mrs B. A. Chard died on 21st January, 1968 — she was Chairman SNUD Council 1926. All property had been reassessed for rating and the rate for 1963-64 was 7/6d (37½p) in the pound.

 

The Works Centre for the elderly was established in Featherstone Terrace May 1963 at a cost of £3,000.

 

No 3 Smoke Control Order came into being on the 1st July, 1963. No 5 order came later in the year. Grants were made to householders towards the cost of adapting their fire to smokeless fuel.

 

Mr C. R. Syrett, former Town Clerk died 18th September, 1963.

 

The death occurred in December 1968 of Mr W. Haigh, JP. He founded the Haigh Picture Frame Factory in the old Robinson Mill at Norwood Bridge. He took a great deal of interest in local affairs and was a Councillor on the SNUD Council for some years.

 

The Freedom of the Borough was conferred on Aldermen J. Haigh, A. T. Dane, H. Douglas, W. J. Hopkins.

 

The general rate for 1963/64 was 7/6d in the pound.

 

The Mayor elected for 1964/65 was Alderman A. T. Dane. On the 3rd May the death was reported of Mr J. B. Thomson. He served the town for 42 years. First as Assistant Surveyor and, after war service, as Borough Surveyor for 14 years. On his retirement in 1950 he was made a Freeman.

 

The population of Southall in 1964 was 57,200. Under the provisions of the London Government Act 1963 the Boroughs of Southall and Acton were to amalgamate with Ealing to become Ealing Borough and become part of Greater London. Two years grace was allowed to assure a smooth take over. The last meeting of the Southall Borough Council was held on the 23rd March, 1965. Prior to the business the Mayor's Chaplain, Revd M. Rowlestone Jones - Vicar of Holy Trinity — led the Assembly in prayer. We are now a part of Ealing and older residents still feel that we are the poor relations. It only remains for me to record the major events and changes that have taken place in Southall between 1965-82.

 

Three purpose built Old Peoples' Homes have been opened by the Council. 'The Limes', Bridge Road; opened in November 1966; 'The Cedars', Norwood Green, in September 1966; 'Martin House', Havelock Estate, May 1977.

 

‘Phoenix House', a seven-storey office block built in 1959-60 on the right hand side of The Green. It houses several Government Departments including that of Social Security. There has also been developed a small Trading Estate leading in from South Bridge Way.

 

In April 1968 a public enquiry was held regarding the proposed construction of the King Street bypass which would go between Norwood Bridge, following the line of the Church Path to Bridge Road, then come out at the Station Bridge. This was ultimately started in 1981 but by the end of 1982 was still far from finished.

 

The last rate to be levied by the Southall Borough for 1964-65 was 8/-d in the £.

 

Between 1965-82 the number of children so greatly increased that three large new schools were built. Havelock First School officially opened on Thursday, 8th March 1979 by the Mayor of Ealing, Mrs Lavinia Blake; Wolf Field School opened in 1980 and Hambrough Nursery and Middle School opened June 1981. In 1980 the old Infants School in the School Passage was pulled down and a new wing was added to North Road School on the site. There were also several extensions built on to other schools.

 

In 1975-76 the new Police Station in the High Street was built and opened by Sir Robert Marks, QPM, Chief Commissioner, on the 25th November, 1976.

 

More Council houses have been built, quite a lot at the end of Havelock Road. But others have been demolished. Featherstone Terrace, and a block of thirty small flats in Dudley Road, also twenty old cottages (Garping Terrace) Western Road, all pulled down. Premises for Social Services have been built in Bridge Road, and in Western Road the Albert Dane Centre opened January 1974. This is a day centre for the disabled. A Nursery School named 'Green-fields' just inside the Recreation Ground on the 3rd November, 1980.

 

Our new Southallians have been very active in building new, or altering old, buildings to house their various religions. In Havelock Road 'The Sira Guru Singh' Sikh Temple has been established and plans have been passed for much larger premises. Another Sikh Temple has been opened in Oswald Road, which has cost £1 million and can seat 2,000. It is also planned to build a Sikh Library in Southall Broadway. In Montague Road an old factory has been converted into a Moslem Mosque. The Mission Hall, Western Road; St Johns Hall, King Street and Holy Trinity Hall, Lady Margaret Road have all been turned into Meeting Places for different New Southallian religions. The old Congregational Church in Villiers Road is now known as `Granth Gurdwara' Church.

 

Businessman Tarsem Singh Foor has had plans passed to build a four-storey hotel costing around £3 million on the Prices Bakery site in the Uxbridge Road. Belmont House, Western Road is now used as an aged Asian Hostel for men. A Hostel for elderly Asian women has opened in Avenue Road.