The History of Alsford Timber, 1930 to 1945

The Great Depression

The Great Depression of the 1930s brought about a great slump in the timber trade. As the price of wood fell, many timber merchants were forced out of business. However, thanks to Alsford Timber’s reputation for good quality and service, and James Alsford’s (2) own business savvy, the firm managed to buck the trend, expanding rather than declining throughout the decade. Much of its business came from the house-building sector, which continued to boom after the war.

Alsford & Miles Limited

James Alsford (3) inherited his father’s good head for business. Keen to expand the scope of the firm as well as its size, in 1932 he established a timber-importing company with his acquaintance, Kenneth Miles. The creation of Alsford & Miles meant that Alsford Timber was in the fortunate position of being its own importer. This contributed significantly to the 67% increase in turnover between 1933 and 1939.

In 1935, Miles left the firm to pursue other business interests, leaving it entirely in the hands of the Alsfords.

Alsford in the late 1930s

The continued success of Alsford Timber led to a demand for more space. In 1937, the firm bought a 4½ acre plot in Feltham.

During late 1938 and early 1939, the Alsford Land Investment Company was formed to purchase all the land and buildings owned by the Alsfords, with the exception of the Leyton yard which James (2) retained personal ownership of.

In April 1939, Alsford & Miles Limited bought certain assets of J. Alsford, effectively merging the two concerns into a single organisation – J. Alsford Timber Limited. This would prove to be a very good move.

World War II

Shortly after the war broke out, the supply of timber came under government control. Because of the recent merger, J. Alsford Timber Limited received a far greater annual allocation of wood than it would otherwise have done. This helped it to keep operating successfully throughout the war.

The war brought many challenges to the business. Although there was a new demand for timber for air-raid shelters and black-out frames, it didn’t compensate for the huge fall in demand from the building trade; the Alsford’s DIY shop at Heath Road was closed and the manufacture of mouldings was discontinued. Conscription led to a shortage of labour and half of the firm’s lorries were requisitioned.

The occupation of Norway by the Germans, and subsequent German control of the Baltic, cut off a major source of timber so Britain turned to the USA and Canada for supplies. And war-time price meant that though the Alsfords were keen not to let the quality of their product slip, they were restricted in what they could charge for it.

Despite the difficulty of the war years for J. Alsford Timber Limited, the firm continued to expand. In 1943 it acquired a timber yard and sawmill in Worthing, Sussex. Run by Robert Alsford, the firm produced sea-defence timbers, railway sleepers and other timbers for the war effort. Over in Feltham, new electric machinery was installed to replace the old steam-powered machines.

But the most important war-time development was the firm’s move into the home-grown timber trade. In light of the ever-dwindling supply of imported wood, the firm implemented plans for a home-grown mill at Feltham, overseen by William Alsford. Following the success of the mill, the company took on felling projects across the South East.

Having weathered the war, J. Alsford Timber Limited was more than ready to respond to the boom in the building industry that followed.

Please click here to read an overview of our Company’s History.

Please click here to read Part 5.

Please click here to read Part 3.