Factory in the Firing Line
DF Webber and Harrison, known locally as Webber's, was started in 1919 by David Frank Webber, the father of the present managing director.
Leaving school in 1901 at the age of 13 he trained as a cabinet maker in Drummond Road. Croydon, and started a business prior to World War One. His venture dosed during the conflict but reopened afterwards.
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DF Webber and Harrison Staff around 1935 |
The company grew from strength to strength and by 1934 it moved to its present home in Sydenham Road. The start of World War Two meant all factories had to undertake war production and Webber's was no exception. Many items were produced at the factory including ammunition boxes, cases for carrying munitions and more than a third of the moulds for pouring the concrete for Mulberry Harbours. The glass roof of the assembly shop was destroyed by a bomb in 1941. More damage occurred in 1944 when the shop roof and part of the machine shop were destroyed by fire, which caused electrical cables to be burnt out leaving many machines idle. A Doodlebug also exploded at the junction of Sydenham Road and St James Road in June 1944, blowing off the assembly shop roof. After the war furniture production was gradually restored and David Webber decided to concentrate on oak reproduction. |
| Brian Roote's father worked at Webber's, but modem techniques resulted
in a decline in the need for French polishing, prompting him to leave
the company in 1949 to start his own business.
Mr Roote said: "He can remember going to Sir Malcolm Campbell's house in Epsom to build a large cabinet for all his trophies." Alan Webber, grandson of David Frank and son of the current managing director David Webber, said: "Crippling business rates and insurance means that staying in Croydon is no longer an economical option. "We will still be doing a lot of business in Croydon though, as many of our customers are based here." With thanks to David and Alan Webber, Brian Roote and The Book of Addiscombe, Volume 2. |
The machine shop around 1935 shortly after the company moved to Sydenham Road, Croydon |
