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The success of the project was attributed to the low price of the properties and the introduction of bathrooms complete with lavatory basins for in those days such things were practically unknown in small houses. The houses also boasted a (Solid Fuel) hot water boiler that supplied hot water throughout the house. In two years over two hundred houses had been sold. The partners worked from six-thirty in the morning until ten o’clock at night, with no bank holidays or Saturdays off. Being fervent Methodists Sunday was a day of rest.

By 1936 the firm had built over four thousand houses in Wembley. Estates of houses covering over two hundred acres like the Sudbury Court Estate. This estate contained one thousand five hundred houses and included over six miles of concrete roads. The estates were unique at that time with high building standards, house variety, (as opposed to the former rows of terraced housing) and the general layout. At the time Sudbury Court was one of the largest in Wembley.

At its inception the company employed about a dozen men but this rose to four or five hundred in its heyday with many times that number under contract. The second generation of directors namely Horace Comben and Eric Wakeling joined the company in 1926. Both families were ardent Methodists; Mr. Wakeling was especially interested in Sunday-School work and was Superintendent for twenty-five years. He finally retired when he moved from the district.

Eric Wakeling, Pamela’s father, was born in 1901. He left school at the age fourteen. He had not excelled himself academically and was told to go out and find a job. Muriel, his sister stayed on at school and completed her education. Eric found employment in a factory west of London and stayed for some time after the First World War, then he sailed off to New Zealand in search of his independence. His father, William Henry Wakeling and mother Emmerline, were both committed Methodists. The church had some connections at Motueka, a fruit farming area in New Zealand and it was there he headed.

Eric found employment working on one of these farms but the pay was inadequate and he soon found he did not have enough money for food or living expenses. He asked his parents for money to return home where he once again lived with his parents at Dagmar, Wembly. It was at this point that he was taken on in the family firm of Comben & Wakeling, at Kenton. Eric started to learn the trade at the bottom ensuring he knew each stage before being allowed to make further progress.

Born on August 6th 1905 at Thelma, Napier Road, Wembley, Constance Beatrice Covington was the youngest daughter of Fredrick William Covington - a farrier and Sarah M. Pass. Her elder sister, Marion Irene had been born on February 28th 1903.

Constance and her sister Marion had always been very close and spent all their time together. As they grew up the rivalry between them became more noticeable. Marion was a serious person while Constance was good looking and grew into a beautiful young lady. Despite all these advantages Constance was envious of her sister and worked hard to ensure she always held the lime light

When Marion came of age a party was planned to celebrate her birthday. It was at the party that Constance chose to grab the limelight by announcing her engagement Eric Wakeling, and in so doing took all the attention away from her sister.

A year later, Constance was married to Eric Arthur Wakeling of Dagmar House,

 

 

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