Part of the Zenobia factory or a Mansions connection?
reader David Brooks has been in contact with his thoughts on the photograph we featured of a rather forlorn looking building surrounded by demolition from the late 1950s.
David said: “!I believe that the buildings shown in the photo taken in the 1950s may be the former Zenobia factory and was taken when Archie Moss moved onto the site.
The site is between Woodgate and Southfields Road, from where the photo was taken.
“The clue to the location is in the back ground, this being the roof of the Woodgate Baptist Chapel which was demolished in approx. 1970.
“My mother had a friend who lived in a flat, which was part of the Zenobia works. I remember playing in the garden at the back of the flat and was able to go around the Zenobia works on occasions.
“I do remember that in the garden were two large tree trunks, they did seem to be huge, but I suppose that to a small boy they would be!”
Regular correspondent Mike Jones also contacted us about the picture saying: “The 1950s building was obviously close to Woodgate, as the elegant tower of the Woodgate Baptist Church can be seen at high level in the background.
“The building appears to have been set back behind the street frontage and could have been part of the earlier version of the church, judging by the style of ground floor windows.
“Also the Tudor Mansions were next to the church and although originally built for Joseph Paget, were let to Catholic Nuns at one time and have similar style windows upstairs.
“Could there be a connection there? It may eventually have been used by the garage that occupied the site on the corner of Beehive Lane opposite the council offices.” • Does anyone else have any thoughts? Please contact Andy Rush at Looking Back on 01509 635802. E-mail andy.rush@ reachplc.com