Watford's Lost Factories

A Memory of Watford.

Living in north Watford from 1952 to 78, I have fond memories of factories such as the British Moulded Hose. Not a nylon stockings factory as its title may sound, but an asbestos factory which I remember one day caught fire when I was in the playground of Park Gate School. Other well-known factories I remember were the (B.A.O) British American Optical company just a short distance away which made reading glasses. Next door was a biscuit factory, its name of which (I am not sure of its spelling), went something like De-Beaukaliers. I remember a friend of father's bringing us the odd large tin of the most delicious wafers you ever tasted. And not forgetting Yeatmans, where an aunt used to bring us small jars of jelly with fruit inside. Sadly, none of these factories any longer exist. And of course everybody who had a family member either working for Odhams or the Sun Printers, would automatically get themselves in too. Sadly the Sun printers was left as just a wreck of a building, at the lower end of Whippendell road.