COMPANY HISTORY

The Hale family originally worked on the current site as blacksmiths, diversifying into sawmills and eventually expanding into other areas of the building supply trade.

In 1891, John Hale, a blacksmith, married Gertrude Baldwin, the daughter of a local colliery manager, and had two sons, the eldest, Leslie, born in 1894, and the younger one, Frederick, born in 1896. Leslie went into the business at Nailbridge with his father and started up a sawmill providing timber for the local mining industry. By this time Nailbridge was a real hive of industrial activity with a tramway and railway passing through the hamlet.

John & Gertrude Hale with sons, Frederick & Leslie

Frederick, the younger son, was to be one of the first pupils at the new Grammar School in Cinderford. He had natural business acumen and this was to stand him in good stead in the years to come. He joined his father and brother in the blacksmith and sawmill business and, with the death of his father, John, and following his brother’s emigration to America, Frederick was left to carry on the Hale family business at Nailbridge.

Fred Hale married Clara Cook (née Brain) who already had one son Chris. Fred and Clara Hale then had two sons and one daughter. Being a very astute man, Fred Hale was always on the lookout for some commercial project that would pay and that with the spasmodic work available at the collieries in the 1920’s, many of the Forest men used to do a lot of work around their homes.

Fred & Clara

So Fred Hale began to stock things that these men might need: nails, screws, a bag of cement….., so the builders’ merchant side of the business developed and Hale’s of Drybrook became a well-known establishment.

In 1940, Roderick James (Jim) Hale left school and, after spending some time at the local Northern United Colliery, went to work for his father having spent most of his out of school time helping out in the business. When Fred Hale died in 1953, Jim became responsible for the business of Hale’s and was later to be joined by his half-brother, Chris Cook, who still lends a hand at the business when needed.

Jim Hale serving customer, Ray Boseley, with some Rugby cement.

When Jim Hale took over, the works consisted of two corrugated iron sheds, the original blacksmith’s shop and just one employee. In contrast, there is now a vast range of building materials at Hale & Co from sand and cement, to bathrooms and kitchens, and now employs over 45 staff.

Dorrie Hale collecting paperwork from yard

Jim married Dorrie Preddy and they had two sons, Roger and Leslie. Dorrie put in a great deal of her time helping out with the clerical work and serving on the trade counter and the two boys helped out in their school holidays. The business continued to grow based on the on-going reputation for good service, reliability and integrity.

Leslie & Roger Hale "on duty" in their school holidays.

Dorrie died in 1985 at a comparatively early age; she had worked hard in the business and a great deal of its success was due to her endeavours.

Happily Jim carried on the business with his eldest son, Roger, taking a very active part in the management. In fact, Jim, his sons, Roger and Leslie and grandson, Jon, opened a new Store & Showroom in 1995 which completed a building programme that had spanned over 25 years.

Sadly Jim died in 1996 after giving the majority of his life to the business which continues to prosper at Nailbridge under his two sons.

Present day management is under the control of Leslie Hale (Managing Director), Peter Windows (General Manager) and Mike Bennett (Assistant Manager) whilst Roger Hale, who officially retired from full-time work at the business in June 2000, is still involved in an advisory capacity and helping out with administration; his wife, Gwen, is Company Secretary. Roger’s son, Steve is now working in the business, and his eldest son, Jon, his youngest daughter, Becky, and Leslie’s sons, Jake and Sam, all help out from time to time.

So it would seem that the future of Hales of Drybrook is ensured for many years to come.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx