Document Request: William Arthur Risbridger the Engineer
Document Description: Uploaded by contributor #19 on 23/11/2020
Transcription URL: https://risbridger.surnametree.com/library/vdocs/D_440#440
Document Transcription:Email Barry Risbridger to Annie Risbridger 24/09/2017
Hi Annie,
Dad built The Central Garage, as it was called, in the early thirties.
It was situated at the bottom of Brighton Road where the Ford Garage now stands.
The council refused planning permission initially as there were six types of shifting sand at the bottom of the hill. Redhill was built on faggots by the railway companies in the 1800’s and has always been tricky.
Apparently Dad found an American civil engineer who designed a large concrete “float” on which the garage was built. The council could not argue the calculations and concept so it was given permission.
I remember seeing a photo of the garage which had three or four Risbridger pumps, a Morris repair shop and an agency for Ocean Insurance Co.
Dad told me that uncles Jack and Ted ran the garage but it proved to be loss-making, particularly the servicing part.
I don't know when it closed or to whom it was sold.
Risbridger pumps were also installed at Nutfield Service Station and the last ones I can recall were at Wray Park Garage well into the 60’s.
The pumps were also used at many RAF fighter stations in the south as part of the Risbridger work 90 strong workforce installed fuel tanks in bunkers as a separate arm of the factory.
In one of the pictures that Celia recently emailed us, fourth from the left is Freddie Edwards, who assembled and serviced the meters and pumps. The story is that he drained off some of the 100 octane RAF fuel left in meters sent back for repair. He put some of this fuel in his old Indian motorbike. After work he rode up the hill in Stychens Lane (School Lane in those days) and promptly blew the cylinder head of the engine!
You know that the factory was turned over by the War Ministry into munitions production notably brass fuse housings for 4” mortar bombs. The steel forged bomb casings and flights were machined at the Redland Tile factory at the bottom of Redstone Hollow. Dad was a production manager at that factory as well as running his Risbridgers and being a volunteer ambulance driver with Pauline, my big Sis. The war ministry apparently limited the total company profit to £6,000 per annum, any excess being given to the ministry.
It is ironic that most of the fuse housings were machined on lovely compact, lever operated, capstan lath[es] made by a German company called Hille which Dad bought before the war,. Dad had them copied and produced quite a number which were distributed through the Sussex industries Group, set up by the War Ministry to coordinate production. Gerry will remember the[m] well as he adapted them for several specialised applications which were used for many years.
Sorry I, I have run out of time now as we leave for Spain tomorrow morning.
Hope this helps give it to Gerry to read as he may be able to add content.
Love
Basil
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