Mid Somerset's Premier Builders Merchant and DIY store                                                Wirral Park, Glastonbury 

 home             about us             contact us            how to find us            take off from plan            contract support 

A Brief History, written by P J Edmonds (Chairman) 2007

Before the second world war my father David Edmonds, orginally from Oxford, worked for a Bridgwater Builders Merchants named Wilkinson and Leng. When he came back, having served in the RAF, his job was no longer available.

By chance one evening my mother spotted an advert in the local press for a builder's yard in Glastonbury that was for sale, and a Mr Macpherson was seeking a partner or partners to take over the yard (by the train station), to use it as a builders merchants. The name of the builder who owned the yard, and a local quarry, was Mr S Wollen. [It is one of his original trucks that is pictured on the previous page] The yard was known as "Wollens yard", so when my father and his partners purchased the property, consisting of one third of an acre and a couple of sheds, the name "Wollens" was retained.

One partner, Mr Macpherson, didn't stay long and was soon bought out by the other two, Mr D W Edmonds and Mr W Knight. Together they established their new business, working hard and long hours. I started work for the business in 1961 for three pounds and ten shillings per week.

The business became Limited in 1962, when the sales for that year were £51,000, total overheads were £5,200 and net profit was £6,000. In 1968, myself, PJ Edmonds, and Mr A Knight were made directors of the company now known as Wollens Ltd.

Page 1 of 2                                                                                          More