Fifty Five Years on - We profile Farwell's amazing history!
Introduction
It seems fitting that our first ever 'Company Profile' where we feature a local business that has significantly contributed to the community, we should focus on perhaps one of the most prolific local businesses, run by one of this area’s most charismatic individuals.
Earlier on this year I was treated to a tour of George Farwell's base in Crabbswood Lane, Sway by his right-hand man John Lawrence who affectionately guided me through the various operations with a rich and enthralling account of the people and machinery which make up what G. Farwell Limited is today. The company employs nearly 50 local people from young apprentices to those like John who have been with the firm for most of their working life. I was particularly taken by the way in which his staff describe George as a man who knows what he wants and doesn't suffer fools gladly, in a way which belies the fact that they have tremendous fondness and respect for him.
It's become somewhat of a cliché of course, but there is a defining moment in the film Pretty Woman where Richard Gere realises that having made millions of dollars buying companies and taking them apart, decides that he doesn't actually build anything and by implication his life is meaningless. When I wandered around the yard and smelt the sawdust from a lovingly nurtured saw mill, which is one of the largest of its kind for many miles and watched the trucks moving aggregates around like life size Tonka toys, I was like a child in a sweet shop. Here was tangible evidence of a business which for the past fifty years has played such a big part in building the infrastructure which we all take for granted today. Next time you go to Paulton's park and watch your kids smile, or gaze over Ballard Lake which without George would still be a soggy patch of ground instead of a local beauty spot brimming with wildlife, then perhaps give a thought to George and Linda whose contribution to these and many hundreds more such projects has been invaluable.
History
It all started when George Farwell, at the tender age of twenty sold two sows and their litter at Ringwood Market for £160, and with the proceeds bought a sawbench and an old tipper lorry to start up his own business. That was 1952 and fifty five years later, Farwell's is the leading timber, plant hire and haulage business in the New Forest.
The youngest of two sons of farmer Ted Farwell and his wife Emmie, young George was raised at Ossemsley Manor Farm, New Milton, until the age of eight, when he and his brother Fred went to live with their grandparents, carter George Stillwell and his wife Emily, who ran a smallholding at Holly Cottage on the Forest between the Rising Sun pub and Wootton Stream until the age of 11, although he was absent for two and a half years with rheumatic fever, a painful condition which has continued to plague him in later life. He first worked for the Forestry Commission, digging miles of ditches in Forest enclosures, before joining Cecil "Fatty" Phillips, of Middle Road, Tiptoe, lopping and felling trees.
Then George decided to branch out on his own: "Like everyone else, I thought I could do better". For the first two years, George operated his timber business from Holly Cottage, with the Bedford tipper giving way to a Ford 3-tonner, which had been specially adapted to provide more flatbed space by local mechanic Cliff Rickman. To this lorry George added a Ford 10/ 10 van, on which Cliff had cut down the rear to form a truck. Both vehicles were smartened up with Green paint and local reporter, Brian Down, carried out the signwriting in Gold lettering.
It was at this time that George started courting Linda Cummings from New Milton, who had left Ashley School to work in Bevan Foot's grocer's shop next to the Station Road main post office - though it was not long before she too found herself helping George load cord-wood on to the Ford lorry. She and George were married in Milton Parish Church in 1954, after George had brought his present 4.5 acre site in Crabbswood Lane, Sway, for £1200, previously a market garden.
By dint of sheer hard work, and not least with active backing from Linda, it was a proud moment for George when he totted up a first -year turnover of £323.13s6d. with the fixed assets at February 28th, 1954, stated as: motor car and lorries, £159; tractor £185; sawbench £65; plant and equipment £16. An old timber bungalow on the sawmill site was replaced then by a new brick home to bring up the family.
One of George's first big contracts entailed clearing ten acres of wild woodland for around £700, on which local builder Dudley Drew built the Ferndale Road properties. Since then, the company has continued to grow and though hit in the recession clearly had the character to survive and prosper and now boasts over 45 heavy goods vehicles and vans as well as bulldozers from 1.5 to 30 tons and bulk earth-moving and drainage equipment, run by a loyal and satisfied workforce of nearly 50 people. George's son David is Plant Manager at the firm and son-in-law Malcolm is in charge of transport. You'll still see George though right in the thick of it and regularly he'll respond to a call and jump in an HGV at 6am to do a job.
Editor's Comment
At the time of writing this I am fresh with the experience of a visit to Portsmouth's Naval Dockyard with my six year old son. At one point I told my son and nephews to close their eyes and touch a bit of wood from the original Victory restoration. Quietly I said to them, "Nelson touched that bit of wood", and they all said in unison, "Wow really!" With some considerable envy it has made me realise that in a few hundred years people will be able to look at parts of this community and someone will say, "Yep, George Farwell built that!"
Wow.
JS
G. Farwell Limited
01590 682527
office@farwells.co.uk - To read more about what Farwell's offer these days, visit: www.farwells.co.uk
