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Brentford Families - Howard

Howard and Sons, ironmongers, of 298-299 Brentford High Street

Signage reads 'Engineers Stores, Ironmongers, Metal Merchants, Tool Dealers'	Second view looks eastwards; Howard and Sons was on the north side of the High Street

The firm of Howard was founded by Daniel Howard in 1860. His sons Charles and Henry went into business with him and the partnership became Howard and Sons (Ironmongers). Daniel died in 1903 and Charles and Henry became the sole owners. Henry died in 1920 and his wife Annie Howard took on the partnership with Charles. On Annie’s death in 1926, her sons Bernard and Frank took on the partnership with Charles. In the 1940s, Charles, Bernard and Frank died, and their shares in the partnership passed to their wives Edith Howard (second wife of Charles), Mary Howard (wife of Bernard) and Dorothy Howard (wife of Frank).

Records show that, in 1910, the premises at 298-299 were owned by Mrs L Stevens. At some point after this date, the freehold was purchased by the Howards. In 1937, St George’s Court, an area of vacant land behind no 297, was purchased by Howard and Sons.

Under a Compulsory Purchase Order made on 21 June 1961, 298-299 and St George’s Court were acquired for demolition by Chiswick and Brentford County Council. In the schedule to the Order, the owners of 298-299 were stated to be Mrs M J Howard, Mrs D M Howard and the trustees of C W Howard (deceased). The owner of St George’s Court was described as Howard & Sons (Brentford) Ltd.

Dorothy Howard died on 25 January 1963. At the time of her death, negotiations relating to the sale of 298-299 and St George’s Court were taking place. When the sale went through, Howard and Sons moved to a freehold site at the corner of Field Lane and London Road. Dorothy Howard had no children. She liaised with her nephew, John Henry Howard, concerning the running of the business. John was the son of Bernard and Mary Howard.

Dorothy Howard lived at 9 Windmill Road, Brentford. Her parents, Charles and Kate Bryant, lived at 7 Windmill Road. She had two brothers and a sister. Her brother Charles Marrable Bryant died at the battle of the Somme on 1 July 1916 and is commemorated on the Brentford War Memorial. Her other brother, Philip Harry Bryant, was my grandfather. Her sister Kate Bryant, emigrated to Australia.

Can you help date the photos? The bus and a couple of cars could be 1950s (the cars do not look bulky enough to be 1930s)? There looks to be a building under construction to the right, which would be somewhere between Goat Wharf and Smith Hill, around where Ealing Road goes off to the left. It looks very different now in Streetview. If you have any ideas please get in touch.

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Page published January 2020