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Fairford Garage, Brentford, 1930s

Vin Miles sent this postcard image in July 2024:

I came across this 1930s postcard of a Fairford Garage, Great West Road, Brentford, but was having difficulty identifying its location. Entering the word "Fairford" in the BHS Project revealed that there was a Fairford House at 93, Windmill Road, and lo and behold, this garage bears the number 93! So this is how Fairford House looked in the 1930s, after conversion to a garage.

I can find adverts for the garage from 1932 - 1939, but it may have been a garage a couple of years before or after those dates. Its address was always given as simply "Great West Road". Windmill Road is on the left of the photo, and Adelaide Terrace is on the right, the first house being number 2; nos. 2, 4, and 6 were later demolished, so the terrace starts at 8 now.

Vin also sent links to the National Library of Scotland website, which has a fantastic collection of freely accessible Ordnance Survey and other maps.

1912, Fairford House, corner of Windmill Road and Adelaide Road	1935, after the house had been converted and new garage workshops built
1912 OS map, full sheet	1935 OS map, full sheet

Notes

The postcard from Vin was a bonus for me: my great grandfather's brother, Henry Taylor, was living at Fairford House when he died in 1899. His family continued to live there into the 1920s; at least two sons and Emma Sarah, widow of Henry died in the years up to 1922. In the 1928 electoral register Edith Marian Taylor and her youngest brother Frank Percival occupied 93 Windmill Road, but they moved to Manor Court Road around this time.

Middlesex County Times, 19 May 1928, advertised a sale by auction on June 7th 1928 of
'THE VALUABLE FREEHOLD PROPERTY "FAIRFORD HOUSE," WINDMILL ROAD, BRENTFORD', describing it as a 'substantially built double-fronted detached residence (planned on two floors); five bedrooms, bathroom, three reception rooms, kitchen, scullery and offices. WALLED-IN GARDENS, important frontages to Great West Road and Windmill Road, FREE OF RESTRICTIONS (except for small part of frontage of Windmill Road).

Links

This 1925 map gives a good idea of the location if you are unfamiliar with Brentford: the Great West Road runs across the top of the map and crosses Windmill Road (above the 'R' in BRENTFORD). Fairford Garage was on the north side of the GWR, lying between it and Eastbourne Road.

Henry Taylor, occupant of Fairford House until his death in 1899, was a local councillor: read more about him.

Published August 2024