EAW050978 ENGLAND (1953). Jack Olding and Co Ltd Works and Birchwood, Hatfield, from the north-east, 1953

The Hopfields, pub. McMullens Brewers. Serves real ale.

Birchwood Farm

"North Orbital Road"

Great North Road

Barnet By Pass now A1(M)

There is now a road into the Tesco car park about here, called Oldings Corner, commemorating the company that once stood on this site.

Jack Olding and Co Ltd Henry John Douglas Olding was born 12 January 1892. After WW1 he formed a motorcar agents and dealership called Jack Olding, Knowles & Co. based in London. Jack Olding & Co Ltd of North Audley Street, Mayfair, were contracted as the 'sole' London dealer for Aston Martin from 1931-33. The company later diversified into earth-moving and farm equipment. Jack Olding & Co were dealers for John Deere tractors and heavy plant for the Republic of Ireland, southern England and Wales between 1937-1950. The company became sole agents for US company Caterpillar in England and established their headquarters in Hatfield in 1939. The impressive art deco headquarters and factory was called Caterpillar Island. The Olding buildings were demolished in 1986 to make way for a new Tesco Hypermarket. The site is located just to the South East of Junction 4 of the A1(M). The factory was used to ready imported tanks, shipped across from North America, for frontline deployment. Among the types readied at Hatfield were American-built Sherman and Grant tanks, and Canadian-built Ram tanks. In 1951 the Vickers' annual report indicated that they had invested in Jack Olding & Company Limited. At their annual general meeting in May 1954, Vickers reported that following further investments to their holdings in Oldings (Hatfield) Limited – the parent company of the Oldings group – the group had become a subsidiary of Vickers Limited. principal source: http://www.hatfield-herts.co.uk/features/olding.html