Omar site visit

Before the Second World War Tom Green, set up a timber yard off London Road, with the business making anything from shoe heels to agricultural boxes.  Tom’s daughter, Janet Bowes, has many memories of growing up on the site, in fact she even lived there for a while – in a bungalow that is now private and no longer part of the site and in a pre-fabricated home at the bottom of the site near the forest.  The site included many sheds for creosoting and drying wood and old Nissan huts left over from the war were also used for business purposes. Green’s site is now occupied, and has been for over forty years, by Omar Park & Leisure Homes – a key employer in the town.

Janet, and her son John Bowes, approached Brandon Heritage Centre to see if there was any chance the centre could arrange a visit to the site of their old family business.  Omar Park & Leisure Homes graciously accepted and on Friday 18th August, Janet and John, accompanied by Darren Norton (Brandon Heritage Centre) and Mandy Challis (Omar Park & Leisure Homes) took a guided tour of the site.  There were a few memories rekindled along the way …

First up was the remnant of the old gantry that was used to transport heavy logs to various processes in the site.  This is still evident as part of a new structure, although it appears to have been cut in size many years ago.  There are also some old telephone insulators attached that would have relayed message across the site decades ago.

There was still evidence of the old drying shed, with the creosote pit next it and the saw doctor’s shed on the end.  The saw doctor would have repaired and sharpen old saws and blades.  There was also evidence of a concrete base that would have supported a Nissan hut.  Green’s would have inherited a few of these huts, with roller doors at the front, following the end of WW2 and the last of these, according to an Omar’s employee, was removed in 2016.

Janet was able to describe many processes of the Green’s work, including ‘sticking’ the wood – which basically meant wood was cut into 1″ planks then as it was stacked then small batons (the sticks) were placed between each one, thus allowing an air flow around the planks.  When the planks were stacked like this then they were known to be “in stick”.  The old wartime concrete circle remains at the bottom of the site, close to the forest, and this was constructed in WW2 to test the tanks that had been repaired.  Janet can recall when the centre of the circle was full of pine trees, but now it is full of completed homes awaiting pick up for delivery.  Janet can also remember burying her pet dog among the pines after it passed away!  Just a few of the memories told during the visit.

Janet, John and Brandon Heritage Centre would like to thank Omar Park & Leisure Homes for their allowing the visit to go ahead and for their hospitality during the visit.  It was also an eyeopener for us to see the craftsmen hard at work, constructing the homes, and able to compare the industry of yesteryear to today.  Thank you.

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