Service House, High Road, Laindon

Service House

I was thrilled to come across this photograph of Service House which was next to Toomey Motors in the High Street and housed both the offices of Toomeys and A.H. Hall who were coal merchants and had their coal yard at Laindon Station.

I worked in Service House from 1963 to 1970 and have been searching my mind to remember others who worked there too.

When I started Jack Brooks and Peter Toomey were directors and Bob Pay was manager of the coal office (they were keen cricketers and I noticed them looking very young in one of the photographs of the Langdon Hills Cricket team) Michael Toomey later took over and built the Toomey empire as we know it today.

I remember Fay and Syd Phillips, Ian ? and ‘Nobby’ Clarke were in the stores, salesmen were Ted Powell and Bill ?, Sandra Wright manned the petrol pumps and switchboard and married Don Shepherd who belonged to a local band – I think called the TW Five – not too sure of that though. The coalmen were Fred Bundle, Jack Taylor and two others whose names I cannot recall although the name ‘Keeble’ comes to mind.

I wonder if these names ring a bell with anyone and maybe some more could be added – I’m sure there are quite a few I have forgotten!

Comments about this page

Add your own comment

  • My mother Doreen Pearce lived in Laindon in the 1950s and I believe was related to Jim Ross. I am trying to trace Alan and Brenda D Ross who I believe are the children of Jim Ross.

    By Julie Hadley (06/11/2021)
  • Way back in the late 50s early 60s Malcolm Payne was one of the “Laindon Bikers”. He married one of the hairdressers from one of the Ladies Hairdressers in the High Road. Time moved on, I next bumped into him in the early 70s down in Southampton/Pompey? I next heard of him quite recently and that him and his wife had moved to Spain some years back, but unfortunatly his wife had died and he was now back in the Basildon area. I have “put the word out” that I would like to meet up with him again.
    I also seem to remember another employee of Toomey’s (and biker) was a Ronnie Bains, who married a local lass, (a Miss Jackie Nightingale, who lived on the King Edward estate with elder sister Marion and elder brother). Ron and Jackie moved to and still live in Billericay (I think) J.B.

    By J.Birch (24/01/2019)
  • I worked at J.Toomey motors in the workhshop from 1963-1967.  I remember Sid Phillips and his wife Fay, in the stores was Nobby Clark, John Montgomery, & Sheila Williams. 

    In the car sales was Ted Powell & Bill Haybal. The workshop crew consisted of Stan Rogers (works manager) Jim Ross (foreman) Ron Midlane (paint sprayer), the panel beater was a Canadian guy called Bob? Can’t think of his other name. 

    The mechanics were Stan Cross, Malcolm Jones, Malcolm Payne,  Harry Hearn & myself.  There were others but the turnover was high. Oh happy days.

    By Terry Rattenbury (22/01/2014)
  • 1963-1970 may be too late but some of the earlier people who worked in Service House were Bunny Bedford and June Steel. In what capacities I know not. June was in my class at LHR and Bunny Bedford lived lived next door but one in 4 King Edward Terrace. 

    Jill Toomey attended Ursuline College in Brentwood and I would often see her on the bus. She traveled with a friend, Audrey Almeroth, who also attended Ursuline. Audrey lived in Tavistock Road, across the field, behind Sizer the butcher. 

    Keeble? There was a noted local footballer, Terry Keeble, who played for West Ham colts.

    By Alan Davies (14/01/2014)

Add a comment about this page

Your email address will not be published.