LETTER: Electricity Works is remembered

How lovely to see the photo of the Electricity Works, in Stanley Street, Horsham, in the West Sussex County Times, a place that was often talked about in our family, the reason being that was where my father wanted to work when he left Dorking High School.
By The Newsroom
Published 27th May 2015, 07:00 BST

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

Your lettersYour letters
Your letters

Unfortunately his father didn’t agree and would not apprentice him to the Electricity Works, he wanted him to be a school teacher or a clergyman.

So my father went to work for Mr Charles Jackson of Jacksons Bros, in Springfield Road, Horsham, motor garage.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

My father was born in 1901 and left school aged 14, he loved anything new which of course electricity was, so he thought cars were the next best option, he became an electrician and trained many young men as apprentices in that area.

He loved it so much working for Charles Jackson he would even go into work on Sundays and helped him build one of the buildings they worked in.

He spent all his working life there retiring at the age of 65 years.

My father went to East Parade School, (later Clarence Road School), and lived in New Street, the family home being number 123.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

As his mother died when he was five years old, he was brought up by his father with the help of his three aunts, until he and his father bought a house in Capel so that he could go to Dorking High School, on the train from Ockley.

I can’t believe that Clarence Road school has gone also the Electricity Works, and Jackson Bros/Caffyns Garage.

I wonder if Dorking High School is still standing?

My father’s mother died of TB, a Horsham lady, named Flora, nee Messem, family home Lynton House, Wellington Road, Horsham, a grandma I never met.

So a big thank you to Barry Stephenson for his great photo.

My father’s name was Leonard Thomas Victor Manvell, known as Len at Jackson’s.

R. SMITHERS (Mrs)

Comptons Lane, Horsham

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be among the first to know what’s going on.

1 Make our website your homepage at www.wscountytimes.co.uk

2 Like our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/wscountytimes

3 Follow us on Twitter @wscountytimes

4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!

The County Times – always the first with your local news.

Be part of it.