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Report - - H. Mills & Sons Ltd, Shopfitters, Whetstone, London - November 2012 | Other Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - H. Mills & Sons Ltd, Shopfitters, Whetstone, London - November 2012

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elliot5200

28DL Regular User
Regular User
I spotted this warehouse on my way to the doctors - it’s always nice when an exploration turns up on your doorstep! It was all boarded up but a little walk mosey around soon revealed access.

Although I couldn’t find any info about it, it is located next to the site of an old nursery (the garden centre kind) which has now been demolished and replaced by none other than… council flats!

“The largest [nursery] lay between Oakleigh Road, Friern Barnet Lane, and Whetstone High Road, and was extended around a small nursery by J. Sweet, who moved from Leyton (Essex) in 1862. By 1898 20 a. out of 29½ a. were under glass, and expansion was planned. Sweet, using glasshouses with larger panes and lighter frames, was described as 'the father of the modern hothouse nursery business'. The land was requisitioned during the Second World War by the army, which controlled 33 a. in 1946. In 1969 it became the site for Sweet's Way.”


From the design of this warehouse though, I reckon it was originally used as a stables next to the nursery. It later got converted into H. Mills & Sons Ltd – they also had a branch in Northampton and the company is no longer in existence.

The dates on the documents inside stop in 2001.

Enjoy!


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Ginger legend

28DL Member
28DL Member
Stumbled upon this whilst looking for old memories... I did my carpentry apprenticeship there 1997-1999... you can actually see my old work bench in one of the pictures... is this building still standing?
 

elliot5200

28DL Regular User
Regular User
Stumbled upon this whilst looking for old memories... I did my carpentry apprenticeship there 1997-1999... you can actually see my old work bench in one of the pictures... is this building still standing?
Always nice when that happens! Unfortunately it was knocked down last year, currently being developed into housing. That was one of the last gems around Finchley that I knew about.
 

Ginger legend

28DL Member
28DL Member
Always nice when that happens! Unfortunately it was knocked down last year, currently being developed into housing. That was one of the last gems around Finchley that I knew about.
Ahh... gutted I would have loved to see the old girl again... I assumed it was knocked down years ago... I know the company folded circa 2002 when an ex employee sued them for asbestosis from working for them in the 70s and they was unable to provide the name of the insurance company that covered them then... i believe the claim was in the region of £1m and mills simply couldn't afford that...
 
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Bendybunny

Guest
Guest
Ahh... gutted I would have loved to see the old girl again... I assumed it was knocked down years ago... I know the company folded circa 2002 when an ex employee sued them for asbestosis from working for them in the 70s and they was unable to provide the name of the insurance company that covered them then... i believe the claim was in the region of £1m and mills simply couldn't afford that...
Hi Elliot and Ginger, thanks for posting the pics... bought back some good memories, i did my apprenticeship
there 78 to 81 and left in 89. Sad to hear it closed for those reasons. It was an old style company that
had some really good old carpenters who really knew there stuff.
There was often talk between the older guys about asbestos as they came across it so often in the 70's. I often thought about climbing over the gates one eve to take a look as i'm always passing there but sadly never got round to it. Thanks again.
 
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