Bolenium

"Bolenium" is the brand name for industrial clothing Manufactured by W A Smith & Co between 1915 and 1995

William A Smith started the company in 1915 in the Green Street House which is known locally as "Boleyn Castle" because of its imposing nature and an association with Anne Boleyn, who had either stayed at, or as some believe, owned the house. The ground is said to be haunted by one of her maids who died in childbirth. Next door, in the grounds of the house, is the Boleyn Park stadium, the home of West Ham United football club since 1912.

The tower was demolished in 1955.

For a detailed History of Green Street House and and Tower (Boleyn Castle) look here at the paragraph starting "The estate called GREEN STREET or BOLEYN CASTLE ......"

Pictures of "Boleyn Castle"

c1900 Watercolour Lantern Slide 1912 with tram

postcard Tower with house Edwardian postcard

The trademark "Bolenium Bill" over the door of the Dagenham Factory [Photo: Bill Saville]

William A Smith had two son, William and Russell.

William (the son) went missing in WWII (and was later found to have died) and Russell took over running the company.

In 1940, to avoid the bombing in the East End of London (with the Tower looking like a castle from the air), the company moved to Selina's Lane in Dagenham. (Ironically later West Ham United had its training ground few hundred yards to the East). The main factory continued there until 1975 when the company moved to Seven Kings which eventually closed at the end of a 20 year lease in 1995. The company was dissolved on 20 April 1999.

In the 1960s the company had expanded its activities, opening factories in Wantage in Oxfordshire and Daventry in Northants.

The Daventry factory was established when Ford Motor Company Ltd moved its Parts Operations warehouse there. Several of the Bolenium employees were married to Ford employees so the new factory provided employment opportunities for wives when the husbands' jobs were moved.

Another link to Ford was that many of the girls trained as machinists at Bolenium Dagenham moved to Ford where the pay was better, and their quality and speed were appreciated.

A strike by Seat Machinists at Ford Dagenham was the story behind the movie "Made in Dagenham"

My mother, Emily Saville, worked for many years for Bolenium starting at age 14 in 1937 at the "Boleyn Castle".

She moved with the company to Dagenham. That was very convenient as Selina's Lane was an extension of Freshwater Road where she lived with her parents.

She had a career break from 1947 to 1954 after my birth and then returned to the Dagenham factory.

In 1967 she was made supervisor with special responsibilities for training. She moved to the Seven Kings factory from which she retired in 1978.

She also helped at factories Wantage and Daventry.

Emily Saville (centre) with trainees

Click to see a brochure of products from 1960/70

The products of Bolenium were mainly industrial clothing and included:

They also sewed "Wally's" Jeans (from parts which were cut elsewhere)

Brand Image

The image of "Bolenium Bill" was used in many ways on advertising plaques and in-store models:

30" papier mache model on ebay for $4500 !

Old advertising sign seen in West Malling, Kent

1929 British Industries Fair

An advert for Bolenium appears at the Museum at Valence House as part of an old phone box display

This is a personal website run by John Saville. All web pages are Copyright John Saville as are all photographs unless otherwise indicated. Other information (e.g. maps etc) may be copyright to others as indicated. No information may be copied or reproduced without prior permission (from: john-saville@ntlworld.com) but this will almost certainly be willingly granted.