Austin Hoy Ltd
From Lacey Green History
The names in the Photo below were researched by Dennis Claydon
The photo on the left was taken in 1947 on the occasion of the opening of the new works canteen by Austin Hoy of Church Lane, Lacey Green.
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Those in the photo are from left to right :-
Top row. John Davenport. Ray Carter. Stan Newell. John Saunders. Eric Symes. Jim Sherman. Alan Simmonds. George Woods. N Saunders. "Banger" Ives. ?. D Allen. Frank Floyd. Albert Bearfoot. Peter Carter. Ron May. Fred Herridge. ?. "Chippie" Hinves. Will Adams. Gilbert Pitcher.
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Middle row. Eddie Goodchild. Joan Brandon. June Adams. Charlie Bath. Ernie Harvey. Jim Hussey. Tony Adams. Will Harwood. Joe Claydon. Fred Dormer. Jim Hagger. Bill ? . Chris Brookbanks. M Hinves. ? . Jim Green. Will Symes Jnr. Doug Stannett. ? . ?. George Lacey. ? Davies. Frank Claydon. Len Barber Don Stone. ? .
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Bottom row. Ada Tarrant. Clara Stevens. Cis Clifford. Ted Davis. Mr. Bird(Company Secretary) Bill Symes Snr(Works Manager) ? Marsham. Mr Proctor(Manager). Mr Pagett(Director). Mr Brown(Director) ?. Mr Sheppherd-Smith(Managing Director). Mick Newell John Hare. ? . Rev'd Steward(Vicar). Major Gabain. Harold Carter. George King. Audrey Bone. Barbara Bearfoot. Dorothy Ginger. Winnie Carter. Ron Hooton.
Continuing the research by Miles Marshall on The Indoor Tennis Court
After WW2 Carters Merchants returned to the City and once again the The Indoor Tennis Court fell silent.
The old Tennis Court in Church Lane, Lacey Green was purchased by John’s the bakers in High Wycombe, but still lay vacant.
£50 reward was offered by Austin Hoy Ltd, a Canadian mining company, seeking a small factory in Buckinghamshire, advertised a reward of £50 to anyone who could put them on to a suitable premises. A Wycombe butcher claimed the reward for suggesting the Lacey Green Covered Tennis Court.
Austin Hoy had urgent Government contracts to make coal–cutting ‘jibs, chains and sprockets’ for the mines. It was a time when Britain was striving for economic recovery and coal was a number one priority.
Mr W. A. Syme, now in 1986, a sprightly 84 year old, living in Princes Risborough, was employed to lay out the works, install the machinery and engage the staff. He told me that he went from house to house in the village and took on many well - known local men. A large canteen was built for the staff. When Austin Hoy’s business outgrew the Tennis Court they moved to Saunderton where they are now under the Anderson Strathclyde banner.
The old ‘Court’ was next taken over by Gyproc, manufacturers of plasterboard, though it was only their Contracts Department that came to Lacey Green, supplying and erecting partitions and suspended ceilings, so only stores and offices came here.
Palmer & Harvey. In 1965 Gyproc sold to J. K. Taylors of High Wycombe, a much respected manufacturer of old fashioned boiled sweets. Several members of the Taylor family had been Mayors of Wycombe in their time. Like many businesses it became part of a much larger concern, Palmer and Harvey Ltd, whose speeding red vans are a daily reminder of the industrial heart of our once rural village.
APRIL 1986. COMMENT IN HALLMARK. - PALMER AND HARVEY TO CLOSE
We had no idea that Palmer & Harvey were to close, last time when we featured the history of the premises. It’s only a rumour, but if planning application is submitted for houses on the site, it will be a sad end to the old tennis court. It’s not a pretty building, but very much part of old Lacey Green and an accepted building doing a very useful job in supplying jobs for village people. So if anyone asked us what is best for the community – 20 new houses or 20 local jobs – we should have no hesitation in saying the latter.
In 1991, in need of repair, a planning application was made to demolish the building and build houses on the site.
The numerous letters sent to and published in Hallmark following the Planning Application are printed under 'Hambe Close'