Eynsford Mill
A Memory of Eynsford.
Further to my other posting, (Swanley, Born and Bred), as a young man I used to work at Eynsford Mill, it was owned by A. Filmer Jacobs, who also owned Shalford Mill, near Guildford, the company was known as Vulcanised Fibre, and they made a product known as 'Leatheroid' made from a special type of paper, made in Markinch, Scotland, by Tullis Russell and company. This product was used to make a range of products, including suit cases, drum kit covers, and during the war they made fuel tanks for the Spitfire, one attached underneath each wing, which improved the range of the aircraft, and was jettisoned into the sea on returning to base.
I worked at the Eynsford Mill from around 1956, and met my wife there when she joined as a secretary, we were married in 1961, and moved into Bank House, on the corner of Priory Lane, this was owned by VF and the director (Filmer Jacobs) offered it to us as sitting tenants, as part of my salary, i.e. rent and rates free.
Most of the property in the high street adjacent to the Mill was owned by the firm, and many of the employees who worked 12 hour shifts lived there as employees.
The Company owned some of the surrounding fields, which were hired out to Farmers William Alexander for grazing. They were good people, and the two brothers William, and James were very focused on village life and were very much respected by all.
We remained at Bank House until the early eighties, having purchased the house in the 1970's this was due to a change of company policy when we joined forces with an American Company called 'Spauldings of Tonawanda, they took a part share, with Tullis Russell taking the other, and the name changed to 'Spaulding Russell'
Eynsford Mill was closed down in the early eighties due to a problem with sourcing the correct quality of product for making Vulcanised Fibre. This meant a move for me and my wife to Shalford, where I took up a post as Personnel Officer, and head of the wages dept.
I will post more, if anyone shows interest.
Gerald B. Smith aka 'Barry'
Add your comment
You must be signed-in to your Frith account to post a comment.
Add to Album
You must be signed in to save to an album
Sign inSparked a Memory for you?
If this has sparked a memory, why not share it here?
Comments & Feedback
I just read your comment with interest as I too worked for Spaulding Russel at the old mill in the early seventies.
I was in my teens and it was my first proper job so have many memories of five years or so working there.
Just took a trip down memory lane while on a visit to the area, already aware that the mill was no more but drove down Mill Lane and remembered doing the same thing many times on one of my motorbikes, parking up in the bike shelter then clocking in at the little shed just there.
Would be interested to hear more from you, perhaps we would have crossed paths back then!
Regards, Steve.