By Monica Chard
Paul Slark, of Watersplash Road, recently contacted us, asking if it might be of interest to see a collection of documents and photos relating to his family. Our visit unearthed a fascinating insight into local business and life. The cases full of documents were discovered as the family started clearing the outhouse of the family home in Old Charlton Road. The building had apparently served as the local laundry for residents during WW2. It was in fact run by local lady Mrs Trod. Old Charlton Road has been the home of Paul and brother Gary’s grandparents since 1932. Father, Lionel moved there when he was only a year old, eventually bringing up his own family there too. Wife Janet did not move far. Her family, the Whitmans, lived in Linden Way. Janet had caught Lionel’s eye at St Nicholas School. She and Lionel are a proper Shepperton story. They got engaged on Shepperton station and married at St Nicholas Church. Both the Whitman and the Slark families have lived in the area for over 150 years. Janet’s grandfather worked the land (the surrounding area was entirely agricultural at one point) and Lionel’s family ran local business.
His grandfather H Slark. lived in Manygate Lane but he ran a workshop in Watersplash Road making amongst other things, turnstiles. H. Slark & Co was established in 1851. The company was renowned for its quality work and the turnstiles the company produced were used at many major exhibitions around the world. Museums such as the National Gallery and South Kensington Museum used them too, Wisley Gardens, Bisley ranges, as well as many football clubs: Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham, Fulham and Newcastle to name a few.
The turnstile system allowed orderly ingress to a venue as well as monitoring numbers. (The same counting system was used by Slark for inventing taxi meters.) The turnstiles were made of wrought iron and many were a work of art. Sadly most were requisitioned during the first world war to be melted down and made into ammunition. This was the fate of much beautiful wrought iron.
Back to Shepperton life and nanny Slark used to take lunch up to her husband at the Water-splash workshop every day. They had a son, Bill, who went on to work up in London, cycling up and back to Shepperton every day.
Lionel himself was a figure familiar to many in the local area. A bricklayer by trade, he and his sons Paul and Gary were responsible for rebuilding the walls of the Walled Garden in Sunbury so he has certainly left a legacy there. But Lionel was a friend to many, even coming to the rescue at the water splash at the top of Old Charlton Road when one of Paul’s friends got his dads car stuck in it late one night! The dad was none the wiser. Lionel was also a much-loved member of the Top Club and The Bell and an avid fan of metal detecting. Although he never did find hidden treasure, he and Janet celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary and received their telegram from the Queen. To have such a strong family unit is prize enough. Lionel passed away in 2018.
Shepperton is a special place for the Slarks. It has been home to 6 generations of the family already. More to come no doubt!