Luton, The Technical School c.1950
Photo ref: L117024X
Made in Britain logo

Photo ref: L117024X
Photo of Luton, The Technical School c.1950

More about this scene

A technical education was going to be valuable in 20th-century Luton. Alexander Wilson's Vauxhall Iron Works had outgrown its Vauxhall site in London, and in 1905 by chance moved to another area associated with the legendary Falkes de Breauté. The company adopted de Breauté's heraldic griffin as their symbol. Since de Breauté's day, Luton was a very different place. Luton had experienced modernization in local government, with the Board of Health taking over key responsibilities involving water supply, care of the poor and the establishment of a regular fire brigade - Luton got its first fire station in 1901. The power station was built on the original vicarage site at the turn of the century. The famous physicist J J Thomson opened the facility, joking that he did not know what electricity was - at the time there was still something to be learned about its exact nature. The council saw the potential of cheap energy to help attract new industry. Electricity would revolutionise car making. Alexander Wilson had founded his business in 1857, building small and medium marine steam engines. It was a modest business, operating in the close confines of crowded London. The business was renamed the Vauxhall Ironworks Company Limited in 1897, when a single-cylinder 5hp engine was used to power a river launch called the 'Jabberwock'. Others had already attached similar motors to road vehicles, and so Vauxhall joined in the experiment; they produced their first car in 1903, powered by the same type of single-cylinder 5hp engine. First impressions were good. The motoring press described it as 'neat, efficient and a cheap vehicle which should find many friends.' In 1903, Dr Tiffen informed 'Autocar' Magazine: 'It may interest you to know that the wear and tear of driving my 5hp 1903 Vauxhall at an average speed of 15 mph is almost a negligible quantity. Running costs work out at one third of the upkeep of my horse, and I never experienced a moment's worry on the road.' This unusual four-seater was tiller-steered, with driver and passenger seated behind two front passengers on raised seats. A sporty-looking 6hp two-seater followed in 1904.

Buy a Print

Unframed, Mounted, Framed and Canvas prints in a range of sizes and styles.

View Sizes & Prices

Memories of Luton, the Technical School c1950

For many years now, we've been inviting visitors to our website to add their own memories to share their experiences of life as it was, prompted by the photographs in our archive. These memories are of Luton, The Technical School c.1950

Sparked a Memory for you?

If this has sparked a memory, why not share it here?

I attended this school from the 8th January 1951 until the end of March 1953. Every morning all classes would attend assembly in this building and would then disperse to their classrooms which were often at other points around the town. My classroom was in the Weslyan Chapel in Chapel Street where I remember I was when the death of George VI was announced on the 6th February 1952. Other places used were the ...see more
Just past junction of Church St and Park St opposite Brewery Tap Pub.