Westwood Works 1903-2003

Westwood Pre-1904

In the beginning there were cabbages! This is the site of Westwood Works before any building work was begun. Allotments as far as the eye could see. But even before that:

Around 70BC the Celts settled between Westwood Bridge and Spital Bridge where there was a fresh water spring known as Tom Lock's Spring. The spring ran into a dyke that led through three ponds to the Nene. The supposed track of a Roman road is indicated from a point just south of the bridge to Westwood Grange. Some Roman coins and ornaments were found close to the limekilns that existed in the area just to the south of the Aublet Harry factory.

The 1901 OS map indicates only allotments to the west of the bridge between the railway and the line of what is now Gresley Way, with nothing but open farmland between Westwood Bridge and Mayors Walk, which at that time terminated at Westwood Grange. The road to the west of Westwood Bridge was known simply as Westfield until after WW1.

The ten-acre site purchased by Mr. F.C. Ihlee of Werner, Pfleiderer & Perkins (see also History of Werner, Pfleiderer & Perkins - F.C. Ihlee), for £3,040 from the Church Commissioners on December 22nd 1903 is shown as allotments and some of the land around the factory site was still being used for this purpose up until the time that the factory was demolished in 2003 and work on HMP Peterborough commenced.

Aublet Harry purchased the land immediately opposite Westwood Works in 1904 and moved their business from London into their new factory buildings in 1905, one year after WP&P.

1901: Map of the Westwood Area