Building and Construction Industries
Through the centuries when ever possible people have used building materials that could be sourced locally. Many of our ponds are the result of earlier generations digging out clay to build their homes and barns.
In the 19th and 20th century ‘red ore’ and sand was quarried in the area where the Industrial areas now stand.
Leeks Bros: Ray Leeks and his brother lived in Saxham Street in the 50’s and 60’s. They had bought the sand pits (half way down Preston Hill and off Creeting Road) from Mr Cubbitt later selling them to Mr A. Porch.
Members of the Leeks family were much involved in the building trade. Ray’s daughter remembered ‘they often parked their vans and diggers in Saxham Street. ‘the Bedford tipper was often left at the sand pit, there nt being enough parking space for it in front of the drift nor at Dad’s (Viesities) they having even more bricks,(some 8,000 bricks. tiles and blocks were kept at the pits), drainpipes, roofing materials, scaffolding, timbers, sand, cement and several vehicles (8 or more and counting) including a Massey Fergusen (job), a Dinkum digger )?), 2 Bedford crew vans, 3 Morris’s amd 2 motorbikes kept/parked at both homes.
‘Between Dad and Uncle they had more than eight regulat staff plus additional ‘subbies’ eg hired extras such as plummers or electricians.’
They had worked on Columbine Hall and Stowupland Hall. For repair work on Columbine Hall a substabtial pontoon had been erected.
For more on the Leeks businesses see Stowupland Garage and the Drift Way.
