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Please help if you know about Hollis'
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I worked at Hollis from leaving school 1963 to 1967. Hollis Bros was a family firm, but by the time I started there there were no Hollis names left, but nephews and such. It was a very traditional old fashioned firm. You had to work your way up, everyone began in the "Post Room", and when there was a vacancy in a department, someone from the post room was offered the job. The post room was run by a Dilys Johnson, whose husband Stan was the company chauffer for the directors. Basically we imported timber. We were at the Hedon Road end of Craven Street and the offices were surrounded by huge timber yards. There was also a timber yard opposite the offices, and down Earles Road (opposite Craven Street) a large storage yard going to the river. Just behind the Oriental Pub. We had departments like, softwood, hardwood, shipping, wages, transport, invoices, typing pool, and the directors were treated like Gods. We also had a department called Hollis Heels which made plastic heels for ladies shoes, and a flooring section which made parquet floor tiles and a department that dealt with ESA Stevenage ( Educational Supplies Association) making furniture for schools etc.. I don't know how many people were employed, but it must have been hundreds. Every year there was a "Woodchoppers Ball" at the Locarno (Mecca) I think it was in November, and everyone had hair done, new dress etc (well the ladies anyway). We used the post office on Hedon Road, (now Platform 1) and I think I remember getting fish and chips for lunch from Crowle Street, even though we had a huge canteen for the works and the office. In the summer, some of the girls would walk down Earles Road, and sit at the side of the river to eat lunch. Hollis Bros became Hollis Hull as time went on and I'm not sure what it was called when it eventually closed, although it was nowhere near the size it had been. I've quite enjoyed going back, hope this is of some help Good luck, and don't hesitate to contact me again Ann" "There was of course Hollises shoe heels on Craven Street just at the foot of the bridge" - Steven Dyson "Yes I remember Hollis'. It used to run the length of Craven Street hill. The plastic heel division on the Woodhouse Street side and the timber division on the far side" - Paul Purden. |
"Hi Ray