History of Percy Williams

THE STORY OF PERCY WILIAMS & SONS

The origins of this well-known firm are firmly rooted in the Parish of Stithians where the late Percy Williams went into business as a wheelwright, carpenter, joiner and undertaker. The precise date the firm was founded is not known but Day Books still in existence date back to 1915.

Beginnings

Percy Williams was born on 11^th November, 1887 at Tregaminion Farm, St. Keverne into a farming family. His parents, Charles and Maria Williams, later moved, with their children, to Trewince in Stithians Parish. Young Percy disliked farming and on leaving school served an apprenticeship as a carpenter with Charlie James of Wendron Carnkie. However he was described as a farmer on his marriage certificate in 1912 (He was 24 when he married Lilian Reed Tregilges, aged 21, of Sewrah Mill, Stithians on the 13^th January at Fore Street United Methodist Church, Redruth) as was indeed living at Trewince where he milked a dairy. Percy and his wife lived at Trewince for the early years of their married life until they moved to Goonlaze* in 1918. Even after this move he did not sever his connection with farming for perusal of the Day Books and accounts show that he was involved in agricultural activities until at least 1939. There are occasional references, for instance, to the purchase and sale of livestock.

The Start of the Company

In its formative years the firm was largely involved in the making and repairing of farm vehicles, field gates and doing a certain amount of repairs to farm buildings and farmhouses. A typical example of the type of work undertaken is shown by an entry in the Day Book for May 1915 regarding work carried out for H. Choak of Trelusback:-

May 1915 Mr. H. Choak, Trelusback, Two new gates 8ft long 1 4 0, One pane of glass & putty 6 6, Total £1 10s 6d.

Like many builders Percy was also involved in the business of undertaking. A typical account for a funeral as recorded in a Day Book is shown below:-

Undertaking, Jan 30^th 1918 Unpolished panelled elm coffin. Brass fittings 6 0 0, Burial fees 1 2 0, Hearse & two carriages Total £9 14s 6d

The base for these activities was the carpenters shop at Goonlaze, Stithians. The late Sydney Bowden has vividly recorded his memories of it which he first visited as a boy around 1918 when he delivered papers where on weekday evenings. He was fascinated by all the varied equipment and recalled how (hanging from the wall plate) there would be hundreds of different full size patterns of felloes of wheels, coffin templates and various tools of the trade such as adzes, bow saws and pit saws. Around the shop would be a motley collection of wheels for jingles, traps and wagons as well as partly finished carts and wagons. In the adjoining store he remembered seeing the big stacks of neatly piled timber. There was ash, elm, oak and fir “of every conceivable size” ranging from 1 inch thick for coffin planks to 4 inch thick ash from which the shafts of carts and wagons would be cut.

After the First World War

In 1921 Percy Williams embarked on a building project in conjunction with John Fred Dunstan, a Stithian-born mason who had just returned from Africa. This was to erect a cycle shop in New Road, Stithians for Frank Gluyas (now occupied by R.W.Richards, Timber Merchant). John Fred, who was in partnership in a building business in Africa, later joined the staff of P.W. as a foreman mason.

In 1921 Sydney Bowden, who had been so fascinated by the carpenters shop as a boy, joined P.W. as a carpenter apprentice. He earned 4 shillings a week (The rate of pay for tradesmen was 61/2d per hour at that time) and although he clearly enjoyed it, he described it as “hard going”.

Wagon Wheels

One of the duties of a carpenter apprentice was to hand operate the lathe for a senior tradesman producing naves for cart or wagon wheels. When the wheel had been made it had to be trundled to a blacksmiths shop so that the iron band could be fitted. Sydney pointed out that “some wheels would weigh over 1cwt and were most awkward things to keep upright”. The nearest blacksmiths was about ¼ mile away (at Penmennor) but sometimes it was necessary to go to Four Lanes – 21/2 miles distant and uphill for much of the way. Two or three days later, when the iron band had been fitted, the wheel had to be collected and was now much heavier and even more awkward to handle, being especially difficult to hold back when going downhill.

Another job young Sydney found himself involved in was the collection of cement from Penryn Quay. At that time it was cheaper to import cement from Belgium so five or six builders would jointly order a boatload of 200 tons. They would send their own transport – wagons or lorries – to take delivery of the cargo. The cement came in “jute” bags, weighing 2 cwt. As an apprentice carpenter Sydney was spared the job of carrying these bags and was given the task of keeping tally. If the cargo was not unloaded in two days, the boat-owners would claim demurrage.

Andrew Pill - Mason's Labourer

Among the workforce of Percy Williams at that time were a few genuine mason’s labourers who, in the words of Sydney Bowden, “could balance a hod with a cwt of mortar without holding it by the handle so that both hands were free to grip the sides of the ladder.” One such man was Andrew Pill who could also carry a pile of bricks on top of his head without putting his hand on them. He simply padded his hat with a bit of straw and stacked the bricks two each way. He then “lifted them up as though they were feathers” and proceded up again with both hands free to grip the ladder.

Tales of mason’s labourers and collecting cement are indications that the firm of P.W. was becoming more involved with building. One of the firms first steps into contract building was the erection of six granite council houses at Ponsanooth in 1921. The granite for these houses, which are buildings of great character, came from Kennal Vale quarry and was hauled by horse and cart.

At the same time as the Ponsanooth houses were under construction. P. W. was also building a lodge at Carclew. This was built in pink elvan pulled from a quarry in Wendron Parish and pitch pine was used for the joinery. This charming building was designed by A.J. Cornelius, an architect who had a long association with Percy Williams.

Local Architects

A.J.Cornelius was a well-known architect who lived at Perranwell and had an office in Lemon Street, Truro. Leonard Williams, a son of Percy, described A.J. Cornelius as “a distinctive architect” whose house designs embodied certain characteristic features. (Many examples of his work can be seen in houses at Helford Passage).

Another architect who had a long association with Percy Williams was P. Edwin Stephens who served his articles with a firm in Penzance and was later seconded, for a while, to Penryn Borough Council. During his time with the council he designed Ponsanooth council houses, the beginning of his association with P.W., and indeed lived in one when he first married. Later, when he set up his own practice, he was responsible for the design of housing developments by P.W. at River View, Penwerris, Trevethan Lane and Dracaena Place, all in Falmouth, and at Higher and Lower Redannick, Truro. All these developments took place on land owned by P.W. Percy had a flair for buying land and an uncanny ability to visualize the potential in odd bits of ground that other people thought useless.

Notable Buildings in Cornwall

Among other buildings erected by P.W. to Edwin Stephens designs were Penryn Laundry, Dales Garage at Ponsharden (there were later additions by other builders), and a steel framed building at Dracaena Avenue – Kimberley Park Road junction (the present J.O.F. building to the left of the traffic lights as you approach Falmouth). A near disaster occurred during the construction of the latter. The steel stanchions and trusses had been successfully erected. Unfortunately when the masons came on site to lay the block work, they inadvertently dismantled the entire bracing and subsequent storm force winds collapsed the structure. As he surveyed the depressing scene next day, Percy lamented, “I’m a ruined man”. Fortunately it was not as bad as it appeared and, with the help of two steelworkers from the manufacturers, it was possible to re-erect the framework.

P. Edwin Stephens, who was a major in the Territorial Army, designed many Drill Halls and some of these were built by P.W. This work would have been carried out for the Ministry of Buildings and Public Works, now called the Property Services Agency. This association continued until his death in 1984. Leonard described him as “a very Cornish architect with a particular flair for beautiful roofs”, and was instrumental in saving his fine plans by ensuring they were deposited at the County Records Office.

John Charles Williams

Percy Williams was very pleased when, in 1928, John Charles, his elder son, joined him in the family firm and thereafter played an active role.

Whilst it is fascinating to learn of the various types of work undertaken by this firm in the early years, it is also interesting to look at other aspects of its history such as the introduction of mechanisation. The first piece of self-motivated machinery to be introduced was a petrol driven engine used to drive a circular saw.

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Our thanks to the History Group and Tony Langford who researched and wrote the article.
For the remainder of the story of Percy Williams and Sons Ltd please contact Percy Williams Homes.