OLD PLYMOUTH . UK
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WHO WAS WHO IN OLD PLYMOUTH

WILLIAM GEORGE HEATH (1878-1961)

William George Heath was born on May 30th 1878 at Kennington, then in the County of Surrey, to Mr Frank William and Mrs Elizabeth Heath.  At that time his father, who was born in Dursley, Gloucestershire in 1854  was a clerk.  However, both his parents had had a connection with old Devonport.  Back in 1871 the census taken on Sunday April 2nd that year showed Mr Frank William Heath living as an apprentice to a linen draper at number 15 Fore Street, Devonport.  The business in fact belonged to Mr John Coupland Graves.  And in 1877 Mr Frank William Heath married a Miss Elizabeth Bayly at Stoke Damerel, possibly in the Ancient Parish Church.  Elizabeth had been born at Bermondsey, London, on August 21st 1852.  It is not known how she came to be in Devonport but she may have been a later employee of Mr Graves.  The couple must have immediately moved to London as their eldest son, our William George, was born there in 1878, as noted earlier.  In the 1881 census the family were living at number 18 Clapham Park Road, Clapham.

The family were still in London in 1886, when Percy Symons Heath was born, but had returned to Plymouth by 1889.  It is said that William George Heath attended the Plymouth Public Free School and then took an apprenticeship with Messrs W A Corse and Company while also studying at the Plymouth Municipal Science, Art and Technical School.  The first of the children to be born at Plymouth, Albert Ernest Heath, joined them in 1889 and when the census was taken on April 5th 1891 the family were living at 12 Sidmouth Terrace, off Alexandra Road at Mutley.

It is usually claimed that William George Heath opened his first shop in 1898 but he would have been under 21-years of age at that time so it is very unlikely.  Another source claims it was in 1901.  Following the opening of the Plymouth Corporation Electricity Works at Prince Rock in 1899, Mr Heath installed carbon arc lamp street lighting in the Town.

Mr William George Heath married Miss Clara Helena Hurrell, a daughter of Mr Henry Hurrell (1824-1879), corn merchant, of Peverell Park Villa, Tavistock Road, Devonport, in 1900.  She was twelve years older than him.  Her father was a wealthy and influential local gentleman and it would be interesting to know how this relationship came about.  In 1901 Mr Heath founded, or was a founding member of, the Electrical Contractors' Association.  By 1902 Mr Heath was in business on his won and had an office at number 13 Bedford Street, Plymouth, above Messrs Perkins Brothers.

Mr Frank William Heath died at Plymouth in 1903 at the very young age of 49 years.

During the first decade of the twentieth century there was a big expansion in the number of "electric theatres" in the Three Towns and Mr Heath's Company installed the electrical equipment in them.  By 1914 the business had become Messrs W G Heath and Company, electrical lighting contractors and engineers, and he had opened a shop at number 41 George Street.  At the end of the Great War Mr Heath had branches at Buckfastleigh, Ivybridge Tavistock, and Plympton.

The second decade of the twentieth century saw the introduction of the British Broadcasting Company's radio stations, with Mr Heath equipping the Plymouth station, 5PY.

In 1925 Mr Heath went into partnership with his brother-in-law, Mr Henry Hurrell (1852-1939), of Peverell Park Villa, Tavistock Road, Devonport, to form the Plympton Electric Supply Company.  They applied to the Electricity Commissioners for authority to geberate, store and supply electricity within the parishes of Bickleigh, Brixton, Cornwood, Egg Buckland (sic), Ermington, Harford, Holbeton, Newton Ferrers, Plympton Saint Maurice, Plympton Saint Mary, Plymstock, Revelstoke, Saint Budeaux, Shaugh Prior, Tamerton Foliot, Wembury, Weston Peverell and Yealmpton, which constituted the Rural District of Plympton Saint Mary.

Having already equipped the British Broadcasting Company, it is not surprising that Mr Heath next became involved with the new cable radio system.  On July 22nd 1933 he was appointed a Director of the Messrs Plymouth Rediffusion Service Limited, later to become Rediffusion (South-West) Limited, and was instrumental in that Company acquiring number 34 Mutley Plain for their showroom and offices.  On July 17th 1945 Mr Heath was appointed a Director of the Messrs Bristol Rediffusion Service Limited.  He remained a Director of both Companies until his death.  He was also a Director of Messrs Britannia Electric Cables Limited and a member of the Institute of Electrical Engineers.

Mrs Clara Helena Heath died at "Westbrook", Crownhill, on November 25th 1935 at the age of 70.  The funeral service was held at Mutley Baptist Chapel on November 28th 1935.  She was survived by her husband and their two children, Willie and Dorothy.  Being a prominent lawn tennis player, she had been one of the earliest members of the Mannamead Tennis Club and was also a member of the Women's Electrical Association.  Mrs Heath had been a very keen supporter of the Three Towns Nursing Association.

In 1935 their shop was at 41 George Street, opposite the old Theatre Royal, and their depot was in the Old Sugar Refinery in Mill Street.  There they advertised lighting, power, heating, bells, and country house plants, along with wirelesses, telephones and Frigidaire refrigeration.  Their telephone number was Plymouth 60316.

During the Second World War the Company manufactured parts for aircraft at Millswood Mill, Brent, Devon, where Heath's employed some 50 men.  The factory was destroyed by fire during the night of Sunday February 8th 1948.  The manager, Mr Tornberg, and his wife, who lived on the premises, managed to get out of their rooms in the three-storey building and three families in adjoining cottages had to evacuate their homes.  National Fire Service men from Plymouth's Greenbank Fire station attended the blaze until they were relieved at 2.30am the following morning by units from Totnes and Buckfastleigh.  Devon Constabulary's Police Sergeant Badge from South Brent was quickly on the scene, followed shortly afterwards by Inspector Hammond from Totnes.

Also during the Second World War the Company lost its shop in George Street.  They later opened in three new temporary shops at 5 and 33 Princess Square and 28 Westwell Street.

Mr Heath equipped the British Broadcasting Corporation's North Hessary Tor television transmission station, at Princetown, Dartmoor, during the 1950s.  The Company became as Limited Liability Company in 1956.  The business equipped the Plymouth studios of Westward Television in the early 1960s. 

Mr William George Heath died on January 31st 1961 at his home, "Brookfield", Looseleigh Lane, Crownhill.  He was 82 years of age and had been a keen stamp collector and bird fancier.  The funeral service was held at Mutley Baptist Chapel on Friday February 3rd 1961 and Mr Heath was buried at Efford Cemetery.  The service was conducted by the Reverend Norman Wright.  He was survived by one daughter, Miss (Helena) Dorothy (Hurrell) Heath.  It is claimed that the Rediffusion shop on Mutley Plain closed its doors on the day Mr Heath passed away.

The business continued to function and on Friday August 4th 1972 was taken over by Messrs Johnson and Baxter (Plymouth) Limited, of the Eagle Works, Sutton Road, Plymouth, the largest privately-owned heating and ventilating contractor in the South West.

In October 1972 the shareholders wished to dispose of the assets of the business but not the shares.  In order to do so the purchasers acquired a business named Messrs Ebnal Electrical Engineers Limited and changed its name to Messrs W G Heath and Company Limited, at the same time changing the name of Heath's to that of Ebnal Electrical Engineers.  That Company was then liquidated.

In March 1993 a new business, Messrs W G Heath (Electrical Services) Limited was incorporated following the announcement of the closure of the parent business of Messrs Johnson and Baxter (Plymouth) Limited, with Mr Martin Axe as Managing Director.  Messrs W G Heath and Company Limited ceased trading on June 30th and the new Company took over from Thursday July 1st 1993.  The business continues today but under new ownership.