I have worked for two companies, now sadly defunct, which re-located to Andover from the London area following the designation of this town as an ‘Overspill area’. 

The firms in question were Dent and Hellyer Ltd and Andover Metal Pressings Ltd.

There is a real risk that this part of the town's recent history will be lost forever; hence, the yearlong project jointly sponsored by Andover Museum and Wessex Film and Sound Archive.

It was a job at Dent and Hellyer that brought me to Andover in 1977, and I have vague recollections of stories from some of those who relocated with the company about its long history in London, pioneering sanitary ware dating from 1730 and the amalgamation with John Bolding Ltd, the other leading supplier in this field.  

During my time, the company was majoring in hospital sterilizers and bedpan washing machines, being a component company of the Intermed Division of conglomerate company Thomas Tilling Ltd.

After I left, Tilling Group was taken over by notorious asset strippers, so it was no surprise when the company soon closed operations on the Walworth Industrial Estate.

I know even less about the history of Andover Metal Pressings Ltd, which was owned by Sunbury Metal Pressings Ltd when they relocated to Andover on the East Portway Industrial Estate in a new factory with the intention of satisfying their increasing success in the nailplate (punched metal timber connector plates) manufacturing business. 

The company was purchased by its major customer, Bevplate Ltd., in 1976 and renamed Bevplate in 1982. Finally, it was bought by a competitor then called Hydro-Air and closed, thus extinguishing a rapidly expanding and efficient little company with an increasing product range.

If any of your readers have knowledge, however trivial, of either of these firms, I would be very grateful to receive it because I have volunteered to coordinate any information gleaned about them for the Andover: An Overspill Story project.

Please call me on 01264 335652 or email rjb@btinternet.com.

Ron Bryan

Bishops Way,

Andover

Send letters by email to newsdesk@andoveradvertiser.co.uk or by post to Editor, Basingstoke Gazette, Absolutely Offices, Lutyens Cl, Lychpit, Basingstoke RG24 8AG.

All letters and emails must include full names and addresses (anonymous letters will not be published), although these details may be withheld from publication, on request.

Letters of 300 words or less will be given priority, although all are subject to editing for reasons of clarity, space, or legal requirements. We reserve the right to edit letters.