Newspaper Articles about Brentford, Christmastide

It has been the custom of the Morning Post, for several years past, to lay before its readers at this festive season, an account not only of the treatment of the parochial poor of this vast metropolis on Christmas-day, but, at the same time, an interesting and statistical detail of the numbers in the respective workhouses and unions, enabling the public to ascertain, at a glance, the important fact of whether, during the year, there has been a decrease or increase of pauperism - a subject in which every ratepayer of the metropolis, and, indeed, the kingdom, is more or less interested.

(a report followed for each workhouse. Interestingly Brentford Union provided weights and measures, unlike the others!)

BRENTFORD UNION.-Numbers in the house, 415, viz., men, 146; women, 128; children, 141. Last Christmas, 129 men; 142 women; and 138 cxhildren; total, 409. Christmas fare, 1/2 lb. roast beef, 1lb. of potatoes, 1lb. plum pudding, 1 pint of beer, and extra tea and sugar each adult. The children regaled with fruit and sweets in the afternoon. Extra relief to the out-door poor at work in the stone-yard. Holidays after the Christmas festivities. Increase, 6.

Notes

For more about the Brentford Union Workhouse see Web Links.

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Middlesex Independent 22 December 1900

CHRISTMAS AT BRENTFORD

SHOPS TO VISIT
There is not a great deal in the appearance of Brentford to tell us that the Christmas festival is at hand, and it may be that the abnormally mild weather that has so far characterised the winter season has not encouraged many of our tradesmen to make a display of goods to any large extent. But although a number of shopkeepers have apparently ignored the time-honoured Christmas show, an INDEPENDENT man discovered several firms whose enterprise came under special notice.

MESSRS W. MCILROY, LTD.
This firm has on view an extensive stock of seasonable goods. A feature is made of toys in almost endless variety, this department being well worth inspection. There are also pretty dresses for children and attractive costumes for older people with every requisite for attendance at parties and dances. There is also a large stock of goods for the sterner sex.

MR. S. W. ROE,
Whose shop is at 189, High Street, has only to be visited to be patronised, for every article of stock has been well selected. There is a splendid collection of dinner and tea sets, handsome pedestals for flowers and plants, wine and other glasses, flowers for decoration purposes, and, in the words of the auctioneer, "other things too numerous to mention." Mr. Roe is making a speciality of coal wares with brass lids and otherwise excellently manufactured. These may be purchased at the lost cost of 5s 11d and are really a wonderfully cheap line.

MESSRS R. HAZEL AND SON.
Gilbey, Walker, Buchanan and Dewar are included in the firms whose whiskies may be had at Messrs Hazel and Son, 269, High Street. They have also beer from the leading brewers in bottles and casks to suit the requirements of all customers, together with various wines.

MESSRS GODDARD AND COMPANY.
If any of our readers wish to secure games for home entertainment, Christmas crackers, etc., they cannot do better than pay a visit to the shop of Messrs Goddard and Company, who are also exhibiting an array of dolls, each of which would be a source of great joy to any youngster.

MR T.T. PENNINGTON
Is showing an excellent stock of winter goods at prices to suit all pockets, also very smart hats, collars and ties.

MR J. RUGG
Guarantees fit, style and durability, and is prepared for any number of orders for suits, overcoats, etc., having just received a consignment of latest pattern cloth.

BEEF AND POULTRY.
Of poultry and game there is little to be seen, but several of the butchers have a good show, principally of beef, the shops most prominent being those of Messrs W. Lee, Angles and Company, F.F. Poole, T. Holton, and T. Bates.

MESSRS. BOX AND COMPANY
Have in their premises a fine assortment of wines and spirits gathered together gfrom all the best firms, and custmers are sypplied with any brand in large or small quantities. Hampers for sending away are alos provided. Box's Scotch (fine Highland malt) is exceptional value at 3s 6d per bottle. The specially low net cash prices also include: Gin from 2s to 2s 6d per bottle, rum 2s 6d to 3s 6d, brandy 3s to 4s, Irish whisky 2s 6d to 3s 6d, Scotch 2s 6d to 3s. Messrs Box and Company have in addition a great stock of wines, port from 2s, sherry 1s 7d, claret 1s per bottle upwards. A visit should be paid to "The Old Vaults," 120, High Street, during the festive season.

PLATT'S STORES.
No. 220, High Street, had had a most animated appearance during the present week, and the extensive supply of goods laid in for Christmas here and at the branch establishments at Windmill and Ealing roads, is rapidly disappearing. There still remains some excellent lines in grocery and provisions, not to mention iced cakes, fancy boxes of chocolate, tins of biscuits, various kinds of fruit, bon-bons, etc., etc. Cox's non-alcoholic wines are meeting with a ready sale, and on Thursday the genial manager was preparing for a great supply of poultry.

MESSRS GRIFFITH BROTHERS.
Some very useful article for Christmas presents may be seem in the shop of Messrs Griffiths Bros, 188, High Street, an enterprising firm of clothiers and outfitters. An interesting guessing competition concluded yesterday (Friday), but customers purchasing goods to a normal amount will still be presented with a useful gift, forming an attractive memento of the war.

WILLIAMS' BOOT STORES.
The new premises opened in High Street, are largely stocked with boots and shoes, suitable for all purposes, The brilliantly illuminated windows are most conspicuous during "lighting up" time, and the collection of goods on view should please the most fastidious person.

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Notes

The paper was published on Saturday 22nd December, so shoppers had only a couple of days left to make their purchases, assuming shops were open on Sunday 23rd and Christmas Eve. The piece was aimed at local residents as addresses were not given for all of the establishments featured; it was assumed everyone likely to buy from Williams' Boot Stores would know where to go.

As to the shops mentioned, there is more about them on this site:

Janet McNamara has sent information about McIlroy's, including a line drawing showing the shop as it was in 1900, before being extended
Mr Sydney W. Roes' ironmongery was at 189 High Street
Mr R Hazel's shop was at 269 High Street; a photo from 1948 shows the general area with no. 269 in the distance
Messrs Goddard and Company had placed an advertisement on the same page of the newspaper for "C.E. Goddard and Co.s' Toy Warehouse 136 High Street' that mentions dominoes, draughts, chess, writing desks, dolls, soldiers amongst other merchandise. A postcard sent in 1906 shows the area, although by this point no. 136 was a shoe store
Mr T.T. Pennington had prominent premises near Brentford Bridge, shown in a postcard from 1904
Mr J Rugg was a Yorkshire-born tailor at 182 High Street, in competition with longer-established Penningtons
A photo shows Messrs Box and Company still operating in the 1940s
Platt's Stores, 220 High Street; a postcard of Windmill Road shows a Platt's van, ca 1910
Research into Messrs Griffith Bros, who had two High Street shops
Williams boot stores may have been at 238 High Street

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Middlesex Chronicle 25 December 1915

IMPORTANT NOTICE
Owing to the depletion of the Staff, the BRENTFORD GAS CO. is compelled to suspend temporarily the acceptance of orders for GAS FIRES and other HEATING APPARATUS on Hire, while only certain FITTING WORK can be undertaken.

The Company's Show Rooms are closed every evening at 6 o'clock instead of 8.

Early Closing Days as usual at 1 o'clock.

Middlesex County Times 30 December 1922

West Middlesex Hospital

This has been a week of gaiety for patients and staff at the West Middlesex Hospital. On the Sunday night a carol party composed of members of the staff visited the wards. The wards had all been tastefully decorated by the staff and presented a bright and attractive appearance.

On Christmas morning special services were held in the wards by the chaplain, The Rev A W Fothergill. The Christmas dinner consisted of pork, brussels sprouts and potatoes and Christmas pudding. Ale (presented by the Isleworth and Brentford Brewery Companies) or mineral water was supplied to the patients. Every patient was given an apple, an orange and nuts; the women and children each received a bag of sweets and each man a clay pipe and some tobacco. Over 300 patients participated, including 80 or 90 children, for whose benefit a huge Christmas tree, electrically illuminated, fully laden with toys, was stripped on Boxing Day.

For the benefit of bed patients could not join the other children in attending the distribution of toys, smaller trees were provided in the wards. Every child received a toy from the trees. The large tree was presented by the Duke of Northumberland, and Mr Ince gave another tree. Evergreens for decorative purposes were given by the Earl of Jersey. The patients were given an entertainment by members of the staff, assisted by Mr Such, of West Drayton.

The pleasure of the patients having been ministered to, the festivities of the resident staff - who number about 130 - occupied the rest of the week. On Wednesday the sister's and senior nurses' dinner and fancy dress dance took place in the administrative block; the same part of the buildings was the scene on Thursday of the maids' dinner and fancy dress dance; yesterday a similar funtion was arranged for the junior nurses, and this afternoon the scrubber's tea will be held.

Notes and links

A photo of the West Middlesex Hospital in 1975 has links to related material.

Some clues to the life of a probationery nurse at this hospital in the early 1920s can be found here.

As to the scrubbers' tea, I think think this word had different connotations in 1922, although the hierarchy of celebrations suggest they were at the bottom of it. Presumably they scrubbed the wards, theatres and corridors? There were 656 scrubbers in the 1921 census of England and Wales, of which 248 were in Middlesex. I checked a few and found one scrubber who worked in a hospital, also men who worked as tram rail scrubbers.

West London Observer 17 December 1926

FATHER CHRISTMAS AND CHILDREN

Father Christmas, in all his typical array, has been paying visits to the canal boat children at Brentford as they arrive from their journeys up country, and great delight has thus been caused among the little ones as the gifts were distributed. "Lady Bountiful" and a Fairy Godmother have also been in evidence. The Grand Junction Canal Company kindly placed a large flat at the disposal of the London City Missionary, with a free passage though the Locks, a boatman also being supplied, who was ably assisted by the son of a well-known barge owner. There are large numbers of boat children yet to come, and Father Christmas will welcome those as far as funds allow. Local subscriptions to this good work would be glady received by the Hon. Secretary, Mr R.A. Knight, the Boatmen's Institute, The Butts, Brentford.

Notes

A view of the London City Missionary building at its openning in 1904 has a link to a more recent photo and a short history. A photo from 1973 shows the frontage clearly.

The site has quite a bit of information about watermen and lightermen.

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West London Observer 02 January 1931

CHRISTMAS AT BRENTFORD

The holy days at Christmastide were duly and fervently observed in the old county town, and notwithstanding the unpleasant, and at times very exacting weather conditions, there were large congregations at the various places of divine worship. The churches were chastely adorned with flowers and foliage, and the familiar hymns were heartily rendered by the choirs at St George's, St Faith's, St Lawrence's, St Paul's, St John's (Catholic) and other religious centres. In and around the neighbourhood the carols by bands of good-voiced singers enhanced the impressiveness of the occasion. Business, it must be confessed, was not very brisk, owing to the prevalent depression and its attribute unemployment, but "one and all" anticipate, and hope for, brighter prospects during the New Year that has just dawned.

Notes

The above upbeat piece was followed by a short item about Kathleen Batho, 55, who had 77 convictions for drunkeness. She was remanded at Marylebone 'in order that she might be sent to a convent'.
(Nothing to do with Brentford but it caught my eye)

Returning to Brentford's churches:
St Lawrence, New Brentford is Brentford's oldest church; Dave Stoneleigh took several photos of New Brentford, including some of the church exterior in 2008: see the photo index, bottom right, for details.
St George served Old Brentford, an early 1900s postcard shows the church setting. There are also later photos showing the church which was converted into apartments in 2017.
St Paul's church was built in the 1860s to cater for the growing population; it also served Old Brentford.
St Faith's was built on the western side of Windmill Lane in 1907; the revised OS map of 1912, published 1915, shows St Faith's with a detached hall behind it and behind that the vicarage - see the plans published in 1908.
There are no photos of St John's RC church as yet on the site - perhaps you have an image you are happy to share? If so please get in touch. St John's is on the northern side of Boston Park Road at no. 44 and was built in 1866: The History of Brentford website has a photo and brief history.

Finally, if you are researching your family history, the site has details of the parish registers.

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West London Observer 05 January 1951

Sperry Children's Christmas Party

On Saturday, in the Canteen of its Great West Road plant, the Sperry Gyroscope Company, Limited, gave a Christmas party to the young sons and daughters of its employees. At this, the fifth of such annual events, a record number of some 370 children were present, with about 50 adult helpers.

The festivities followed the pattern of previous years, starting off with various games such as musical chairs, etc. Then followed tea, during which the Menday Brothers provided entertainment by clowning and walking around the tables. Towards the end of tea, the Mayor of Brentford and Chiswick, the Rev, Oswald Brenton, J.P., and the Mayoress arrived, and a bouquet was presented by young Daphne Williams ot the Mayoress.

After this a stage entertainment was given to the children by the Menday Brothers. Eddie and Ernie, the latter being employed by the Sperry Gyroscope Company. Then followed two coloured cartoon films, one called "Aladdin" and the other a Mickey Mouse. This led to the final event, the entrance of Father Christmas. However, before Father Christmas officiated, the Canteen Manageress, Mrs Cattermole, was called up to the stage and presented with a gift by Valerie Gaffney, the daughter of the Company's Production Manager.

Father Christmas then distributed presents to every child ranging from tea-sets to toy trains, and from jumping rabbits to fountain pens.

Notes

The site has more than one reference to people who worked for Sperry Gyroscope, to find them try a search for 'Sperry' on the home page.

Read the memories of Eddie Menday, one of the Menday Brothers who provided the entertainment.

Did the reporter attend I wonder?

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer 27 December 1952

Double defeat of Barnsley
BARNSLEY 0, BRENTFORD 2
There was no Christmas cheer for Barnsley, a double defeat by Brentford helping to bring what may prove for them anything but a happy New Year.
Misfortune did not come singly over the holidays. Two experienced players, Yeuell and Blenkinsopp, were still absent yesterday for the return game with the Londoners for whom Lawton had scored two of the four goals by which they won on Christmas Day.

Yesterday Lumley was out of the home attack, injured, as well as Taylor, and of the two goals scored against the Oakwell men one was an "own goal" conceded to a Lawton-inspired attack inside six minutes. An attempted clearnce by Norman Smith in the congested goal-mouth struck McNeill and rebounded into the net.

In the 65th minute a perfect through pass by Lawton enabled the visitor's left winger, Legerton, to beat Hough. Barnsley's hope were raised by the dribbling skill of 19-year-old winger Kaye, playing at inside-right. Half-back Dougall, at inside-left, had a deserving effort headed off Brentford's goal line and McMorran saw a shot spin out of the visiting goal-keeper's hand only to rebound into play off his left shoulder.

Notes

Brentford's win put them at 15th position in Division II, with 19 points; Sheffield United were at the top with 37 points and Barnsley at the bottom, 14 points.

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West London Observer 30 December 1955

'Seductive' show at Pullin's party

The ninth Christmas party and dance of R.B. Pullin and Co. Ltd., precision instrument makers, of Brentford, was held at Hammersmith Town Hall. Six hundred and fifty of the employees and their friends were guests of the directors on this occasion. This annual event is now so popular that a hall of twice the size could have been filled without difficulty.

Music was provided by Tommy de Rosa and his Orchestra. A spectacular cabaret and floor show included a seductive performance by Eric Ross's Dazzle Girls, such as a taming scene in which the girls were dressed as tigers. More than 50 prizes, of Christmas fare were given, ranging from turkeys to a magnum of champagne. These prizes were presented by Mr. R.B. Pullin, O.B.E.

LIGHTED CLOCK TOWER

The offices of R.B. Pullin and Co. Ltd., the firm of precision instrument makers at the corner of the Great West Road and Ealing Road, are now surmounted by a 60ft. high illuminated clock tower. The name of the company appears in bronze lettering on the sides of the tower, whilst the top of the tower is surmounted by three gilded clock faces each five feet high. A striking and modern effect has thus been achieved without detracting from the business-like appearance of the existing office building.

ELECTRONIC CHIMES

The Synchronome clock installation in the tower incorporates a carillon consisting of a 25-note set of electronic bell chimes, which automatically rings Westminster or Whittington chimes every quarter of an hour. There are, of course, no bells in the usual sense of the word, the sounds being generated electronically and re-produced over loud speakers in the tower.

A piano type of keyboard is also provided so that Christmas carols or other tunes can be played. The sound of muffled bells can also be produced at will.

ACCURATE TIME

The clocks on the new tower are controlled by a special master clock which is periodically checked against the G.P.O. speaking clock. The system is unaffected by breakdown in the public electricity supply.

Notes

My heart goes out to light sleepers living near the Synchronome clock installation.

As to the Dazzle Girls dressed up as tigers - times have changed.

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Published December 2012; last updated December 2022