World War I and World War II
Here are some pictures taken by Leonard Taylor and C.P. Abbott in World War II and a First World War picture from Southall History Society.
Abbess Furniture Co.
Southall and Norwood Specials
These men were all Special Constables who gave up their exemption from military service and joined up to fight in France in 1917
Above: World War One
Royal British Legion Guns (above)
Belgian cenotaph service at the Southall Cenotaph in the summer of 1939
First World War refugees from Belgium settled in Southall, and they and their descendants can be seen here a couple of months before hostilities broke out, again threatening Belgium
About 300 Belgian Refugees again came to Southall in 1939 and 1940.
Below is a photograph of the Belgian football team in the manor grounds. This lasted until they were one by one called up to serve in the free Belgian forces. One of these young men, René Ongenae lived at Manor Studio with the Taylor family at left.
Under direction from the Ministry of Supply, Crutches are being made at Abbess Furniture factory which was located under the Iron Bridge.
The artist, E.L. Ham worked here.
Photograph: C.P. Abbott via Southall History Society
These ww1 guns,, donated to the Southall RBL in 1921 by Australia and were donated to the government war effort for scrap in 1940. Marcus Taylor aged 12 took these photographs for the local Southall newspaper.
New Southall recruits marching off to an uncertain fate as they serve their country.
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The GWR Home Guard Circa 1940
This Home Guard or Local Defence Force platoon was formed from the staff employed at the GWR sheds at Southall
Men signing up for military service in 1939 at the Southall Labour Exchange located on the corner of St. John's Road and King Street.
Photograph: C.P.Abbott
314 AIR TRAING CORP SQUADRON
Photograph taken in about 1940. Marcus Taylor is second from left in lower row. Do you know any of the other young people in the photograph?
Photograph: L.G. Taylor
IRON BRIDGE SERVICES
Motor Cycles refurbished for military use in WW2. Almost certainly undertaken by Iron Bridge Services
This view of Women learning mechanic tasks is at the same Iron Bridge Services location.
NORWOOD CHURCH
ROLL OF HONOUR
The Roll of Honour was installed in St. Mary's Parish Church, Norwood in 1920 for those who lost their lives in the Great War from the village of Norwood.