Scope and Content
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Robert John ‘Bob’ Blake - born in Pudsey, Leeds, Yorkshire to Leighton Buzzard family: father – physiotherapist for National Coal Board – mother – farming stock from Brill, Buckinghamshire – trained nurse – Sister then finally Matron at Stanmore Hospital (1941-43). Grandfather [paternal] – coal merchant based in Dudley Street, Leighton Buzzard. Father - trained as coach builder at Morgan Cars – worked on last version of Vickers Vimy bomber plane during First World War. Complete change of occupation – 1930 – trained as physiotherapist – mostly massages for local landed aristocracy and gentry – Rothschild’s at Ascott House, Wing; Rosebery family at Mentmore Towers; one or two rich farmers – father picked up by chauffeurs from mansions and houses and then returned home after giving treatment. Family returned to Leighton Buzzard from Yorkshire in 1944 – Bob aged 1 year – to live in grandfather’s house, “Sunny Nook”, corner of South Street and Stanbridge Road (site of present-day Co-op Funeral Directors offices). 1947 – family moved to Hockliffe Street – until about 1970. Bob attended school locally – Pulford Church School and Beaudesert School, Leighton Buzzard, then Luton Technical College. Childhood memories of playing around local sand quarries – war games – fishing, swimming – especially Grovebury Road end of town – quarries full of water.
(05 mins)
Was signed up to join Naval school in Ipswich – aged 15 – but Mr Radford (office manager at Gardside’s sand business) – massage customer of father’s – said he was looking for office boy – Bob interviewed and got the job – Mother pleased (didn’t want her boy to go to sea). Offices were next to The White House – Hockliffe Street, Leighton Buzzard. Work; making tea – dealing with post – ‘junior’ jobs – cosy, old-fashioned office – wicker chairs – wooden floors – converted from house of Head groom to big house – Delafield family – 8-10 people in offices, including sales representatives – aged mainly 45-60, plus secretary aged about 30. Three family directors – John Delafield, William Delafield and Mrs. Vera Delafield – ran the company. Bob’s boss was Mr. Radford, -General Office Manager. Hugh Delafield gained control at the death of his uncle – George Garside in 1926. Hugh had one son, John, by first wife – she died quite young. Hugh remarried – Vera - and had son William. Hugh died in 1957. John ‘took back seat’ after family disputes – Professor Bray – new Chairman brought in – 1960s – from London.
(10 mins)
John could not get on with his stepbrother, William – who was the better businessman. 1978 – the Board decided to sell the company to Lord Aberconway, Chairman of English China Clays (in Cornwall) – customers of Gardside’s. The White House, Leighton Buzzard, was built by George Garside, a grandiose house, with walled gardens all round – sumptuous croquet lawns, rose gardens & large walled greenhouse. Walled vegetable garden ran almost entire length of Hockliffe Street up to Salvation Army church. House sold to local town council – landmark in town. Bob’s 47 year career at Garside’s lasted from 8 May 1958 to Friday 23 December 2005. When he joined the company – very well run but old-fashioned – large numbers employed working in the quarries – possible around 40 – including those employed by Gardside’s on the light railway moving sand from Heath and Reach into town- employed on daily rate – wage earning. Every Friday, cash collected from bank – sorted in office into wage packets – taken round to quarries and distributed. Most staff in their fifties or sixties – many were long-service employees. The biggest change at Garside’s was deciding not to sell a vast tonnage of sand every year – instead selling smaller amounts of sand processed with extra washing, drying and grading – earning higher price and extending the life of the quarries. Had the decision not been made – there would now be no quarries left working – up to 450,000 tons were being sold each year at the height of extraction – in later years, about 200,000 tons were extracted annually. Transportation also changed over time – canal barges until about 1966 – main railway systems until about 1969 – then road transport predominated – small four- and six-wheeler tipping lorries. Processed sand – one hundredweight bags – then one ton bags – dry sand transported in pressurised bulk tanker vehicles. Originally – sand sold in cubic yards by measurement – later weighbridges were introduced and sand sold by weight entirely.
(15 mins)
1962/63 – Ministry of Transport concerned about heavy lorries damaging roads – wet sand lorries were often heavily overloaded –so quarries were persuaded to introduce their own weighbridges – and weigh sand by tonnage – the norm from about 1962 onwards. Health and Safety legislation introduced over time – brought enormous changes to working practices. In 1940s and 1950s – virtually no emphasis whatsoever – reliance on common sense by workers – but many accidents in quarries – breaking arms and limbs. By 1990s – hard hats and high visibility jackets and safety boots were mandatory. European Union legislation – expensive to the quarrying industry but modern equipment has improved the work experience – up to 1950s men worked 12-hour shifts, six days a week - hard physical labouring. Now mechanisation has reduced backbreaking work.
Garside’s has changed name over one hundred years: first it was Geo. Garside, then when Delafield’s took over it was George Garside Ltd., then it became George Garside Sand Ltd. (when English China Clays took over), then following de-merger it was known as ECC Quarries Ltd., then it changed to Camas Aggregates Ltd, then Bardon Aggregates (the parent company, Aggregate Industries, came into being around 1996/97), then finally it was back to trading as Garside Sands.
(20 mins)
The head Office was in Leicestershire (at either Croft or Bardon) – now Aggregate Industries have been taken over by Holcim Cement from Switzerland – but still has offices in Leicestershire. Garside’s at Leighton Buzzard always managed to control their own destinies – being quite special, indeed unique in the quarrying industry – a profitable industry because of the style of sands produced – rather than the vast tonnages of sand quarried elsewhere. There’s never been any gravel sold from Leighton Buzzard – purely sand – English China Clays wanted to buy into this. Local head office moved (after change to Camas Aggregates) from Leighton Buzzard to Heath and Reach so that the offices and main works were all under one roof. Only the large Grovebury Quarry was left south of the town. Bob’s progression through the company was: – office boy –office junior in Transport Section – 2 years as a sales representative in the local area and north London –(senior reps dealt with customers all over the country) Transport Manager – then finally Distribution Manager. Garside’s decided to get their own transport fleet of up to six lorries –but still also used local contractors in the town – Frank Bulch Ltd. and Gotzheim and Sons or international hauliers.
All lorries sold in 1990 – Croft also sold their larger fleet of over 40 lorries – economic decision – lorries sold to drivers who became owner-drivers. Local owner-drivers very loyal to Garside’s – they expanded their fleets to 3 or 4 lorries. Back-haulage (bringing other goods back on return journeys) was also adopted.
Garside’s always exported some sand (small quantities) – from 1930s – often through the Crown Agents – government-owned agency with outlets in Commonwealth countries. Very special white standard cement testing sand – exported to major cement manufacturers in the world (only rival was a company in Canada which supplied the American market). High silica content – very tight and specific grain shape –sand conforming to a British standard – for testing the strength of cement.
(30 mins)
Garside’s sand was used to test the tensile strength of the cement for the Roseires Dams on the River Nile in Egypt- sent via Leningrad, since it was built by Russians. Desert sand is very low in silica – the grains break up very easily – not strong enough for high density work in foundries and water filtration – not up to British Standard for silicon. Bob was Distribution Manager from mid 1990s to 2005 and retirement – 25 years. Total employment with Gardside’s – 47 years.
Quarries owned by Garside’s around Leighton Buzzard particularly Long Stretch, Heath and Reach; Checkleywood (smaller quarry now called Riddy’s Quarry); Churchways Quarry (large quarry which used to adjoin Arnold’s Double Arches Quarry); Munday’s Hill Quarry, Heath and Reach (famous for the seam of pure white sand). Keen but friendly competition with Arnold’s.
(35 mins)
Munday’s Hill sand formed the basis for British Standard sand. First Garside quarry was in the area of George Street, Leighton Buzzard – named after George Garside. Other quarries in Grovebury Road – small quarry called Main Pit (next to Firbank’s larger quarry). Used to source own building work. Garside’s Rackley Hills quarry was bought from Joseph Arnold’s. Grovebury Road quarries provided washed, sharp sand for building work – sold quite cheaply. Other similar quarries all over Bedfordshire and the south of England. Heath and Reach provided specialist, silica sands for the better markets. William Delafield – left university with degree in Business Economics – did world tour for 3 months – studied how North America and Australia excavated and processed sand. Found hydro-cyclone process using high pressure water jets to float fine sand off coarse sand, creating two grades of sand. Used the process at the Heath and Reach plants from about 1970.
(40 mins)
5 Garside quarries in Heath and Reach – 3 in Grovebury Road. Grovebury Quarry actually owned by the Church Commissioners – who receive a levy for every ton taken out of there. Transportation of sand over time – loyal bargees working on the canals – wives used to help their men load and unload the barges. Garside’s wharves at Grovebury Road, loading sharp sand for builder’s merchants in west London. Owned 3 pairs of boats. Arnold’s had a canal wharf in Old Linslade Road.
(45 mins)
From 1890s to 1940s– horse and tipping cart would deliver sand from quarries to canal wharf – or steam lorries – Grovebury Road wharf had light railway connections – sand tipped from rail wagons to barges. Local customers were builders (for example, Thomas Brantom, builders merchant) and, later, golf courses. Brantom’s Wharf also imported grain. Tyler’s Wharf transported timber. Butterfield’s, Luton, Lockhart Bennett, and firms in Hemel Hempstead and Watford were customers. Dawson’s builders in Leighton Buzzard were jointly supplied by Garside’s and Arnold’s. Brick and tile industries – largest users of sand in area from 1930s to 1970 – London Brick Company factories from Calvert to Peterborough, Fletton Bricks, Marston Valley Brick Company. Sand facing gave bricks various grades of texture and colour in the firing. Tiddenfoot Waterside Park – originally a quarry (good sharp sand) owned by Jones Sand – private company – also owned Potsgrove Quarry (high silica sand) [next to Garside’s Churchways Quarry] –later Jones Sand owned by nephew – Gaysford.
(50 mins)
Jones Sand sold to Hall Aggregates – which turned into RMC, now called Simex
Garside’s provided nearly all the sand to Marley Tiles, Stanbridge Road – first by railway to their own sidings. Also supplied Redland Tiles with sand to make concrete tiles and sand-faced roof and hanging tiles. Also Eastwood Tiles – both supplied by Garside’s light railway in the Grovebury Road area (where Lancer Boss is now). 1970-1980 – concrete tile manufacturer moved into area and set up concrete paving slab business- then block paving for people’s roads, drives, pavements – now a big business – with sand supplied by Garside’s. Rackley Hills Quarry used first – then sand ran out – around 1980 –then Grovebury Quarry – now the Brickyard Quarry. A glassworks in Billington Road area, once – supplied by Arnold’s, also a concrete tile business in Stanbridge Road, supplied by light railway were customers of both main suppliers. Early quarrying -labour intensive – Heath and Reach and Leighton Buzzard major employers –hundreds of workers - horses, carts, shovels – then industrial loading shovels introduced Up to 1950s – industrial railway employed engine driver plus flag boy for each locomotive. Changes of use of sand by customers – foundry industries – Garside’s supplied dry moulding sand to at least 40 foundries in 1950s and 1960s – pure, high-silica sand – with strength needed in moulding kilns when iron and steel was produced – heat resistance.
(1 hr)
Used to supply Ford Motor’s industry at Dagenham and Leamington Spa; Austin Motors at Longbridge; Morris Motors at Oxford and Coventry. Other customers - Cranes Ltd at Ipswich, Stone Manganese Marine at Birkenhead (large foundry making ship’s propellers, weighing 300 tons). When Bob retired in 2005 – Garside’s only supplied two foundries – dramatic decline in foundry industries.
Water filtration – other big industry supplied with sand because of high silica content – in water filters, under high water pressure for filtering the sand. Whereas basic builder’s sand would need replacing every 5 or 6 months in a water filter, high grade sand would last up to five years. Filtration plants and sewerage work supplied all over UK and Ireland and also large contracts in Turkey. Pet trades also supplied with sand – for making sanded sheets for budgie cages – 200 hundred tons a week just to supply six companies in UK. Fine dry sand glued to sheet – Caperns, Bob Martin’s and Armitage – Pedigree Pets products – on east coast – in 1980s – then cheap European sands came into this country – 50% market lost through European Community trade competition. New markets in sports industries – golf courses, football stadiums, parks. Garside’s supplied Wembley Stadium for over 60 years – special white sand used to dress the grass to give good aeration, good growth and drainage. (Wembley now supplied by a Worksop, Nottinghamshire supplier.) Latest industry supplied over 20 years– the artificial Astroturf pitch industry – plastic grass (half inch tufts, held upright by sand)- over 3000 artificial sports surfaces supplied – including large hockey clubs and football pitches such as Manchester United and Arsenal. All-weather tennis courts – tennis clubs including Wimbledon, private courts at large houses – loyal customers. Local schools such as Vandyke College
(1 hr. 10 mins)
Construction industry – largest users of sand – ReadyMix takes large quantities from the sharp sand quarries at Grovebury Road. Leisure industries use specialised sands – over a thousand tons a week – greyhound racetrack – one of largest outlets – over the last 25 years all tracks converted from grass to sand tracks – Garside’s supplied 20 of the major greyhound stadiums in the Midlands & South of England. – specialist soft sand – kind to greyhound’s soft feet and legs. Experiments to add palm oil to enable all-weather sand to overcome frost problems. First British Standard No. 12 for sand produced in 1947,sourced from Gardside’s (only other source from Ottawa, Canada). – 98% silica – passed through ‘eighteen mesh’ sieve (18 holes per square inch) & retained on a twenty-five sieve. Local source – Munday’s Hill quarry – particular grain shape (sub-angular)
(1 hr. 15 mins)
Standard sand for the British Standard cement testing went through a government agency, the Crown Agent. They supplied virtually all large cement companies throughout the British Commonwealth –individual companies – Rugby Cement and Tunnel Cement still bought it in small quantities – one to 10 tons.
In 1950s – still a few smaller quarries in Heath and Reach – Henry Winfield (based in Hemel Hempstead) – haulier and builder – land off the Old Linslade Road – Winfield’s Pit (near Leighton golf course). Bedford Silica Sand Mines, started in Bedford area – dry graded sand – quarried in Heath & Reach from mid-1930s to about 1970. Taken over by British Industrial Sands – disappeared as sand quarries ran empty. Leighton Buzzard Silica Sands – LB Silica – Harrow Road – owned by HG Brown and Sons - sand for building trade and for golf courses – recently gave 1000 tons of sand cheaply for new elephant enclosure at Whipsnade Wild Animal Park. Land bought in 1930s – quarried until empty, then filled in & houses built on site.
(1hr. 20 mins)
Planning permission for those houses depended on water pump being installed – to take away surface water – on edge of water table. Grovebury Quarry – water table now almost 30 feet lower than in 1950s. Water table used to affect Firbanks Quarry, Brickyards Quarry, Rackley Hills Quarry the major Grovebury road quarries, plus those in Billington Road area – Spinney Pool, Pratt’s Pit, Old Billington Road Quarry. All had quite deep water in 1950s & 1960s – now very low or has disappeared – even in autumn/winter. Parrot and James – had sand quarry between the world wars – Vandyke Road – building sand: now site of sports pitch – near St. John’s Ambulance and Motor Transport test station
(I hr 25 mins)
4 lorries stolen from Heath and Reach depot over 5 years, before better security devices. One lorry found later in Malta – stolen to order – driven overnight to ferry at Isle of Sheppey – out of country before theft noticed. Other firm’s sand lorries also stolen. Other Volvo lorries stolen – taken to isolated farms – broken down into parts – engines crated up and sent to Middle East, India and Pakistan for use on fishing boats. One Garside lorry hit M1 bridge near Leicester after tipping gear rose and hit bridge – ripping off top of lorry.
(1 hr. 30 mins)
Mundays Hill also infamous - site of ‘pop raves’ (illegal music concerts) – once or twice a year over 15 years – customers notified directly in advance – meet up at Toddington M1 service station – descent on to quarry site in convoys at night – break down fences - set up loudspeakers on lorry – all-night dancing. Quarries also used as sets for filming, for example The Da Vinci Code – scenes involving over 60 horses. Sand industries – 1850s – 1950s – changes from manpower-oriented – both quarrying to transport to mechanised.
(1hr. 35 mins)
Garside’s transport – servicing done in town by Dawson Freight or Jackson Phillips. Quarry manpower declined by 70% in last fifty years. Disappointed that Leighton Buzzard Industrial Monument – bottom of Bridge St – gives no credit to the sand industry – despite Leighton Buzzard and Heath and Reach’s world-wide fame. Future of sand industry locally is dependent on rate at which sand is quarried – quarries may run out over next 20 years. Aggregate Industries search with boreholes for new land sources capable of being quarried economically. Firms that used sand also looking for alternatives – plastics.
(1hr. 40 mins) End of interview
Summarised by Stuart Antrobus (21 March 2009) Reviewed by Carmela 22/3/09