Robert Lee - Uxbridge

[Norfolk]

So the title changed! Thought I was going (more) daft...

I think a kindly Admin person (is there such a thing) took pity on me

 

[TryingToLetThemBee]

There are no special relationships just U.S. national interest and beyond that there are individual U.S. politicians interests.

But everywhere pursues national interest and politicians' incentives: look at the EU. And the US's national interests luckily included Europe (including the UK) being neither fascist nor communist. I can think of other powerful nations whose national interests are much more inimical to ours, yet we always pile on the Yanks. I've never understood it.

 

[pargyle]

But everywhere pursues national interest and politicians' incentives: look at the EU. And the US's national interests luckily included Europe (including the UK) being neither fascist nor communist. I can think of other powerful nations whose national interests are much more inimical to ours, yet we always pile on the Yanks. I've never understood it.

There are a lot of Commonwealth Countries that are more British than we are and we, sadly, neglected the bond that we had with these areas - again, in post-war Britain. If you look at the French model where they retained strong ties with their former colonies - including the currency (until the Euro arrives) - they have far stronger trade links with their 'commonwealth' than we have with ours.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

There are a lot of Commonwealth Countries that are more British than we are and we, sadly, neglected the bond that we had with these areas - again, in post-war Britain. If you look at the French model where they retained strong ties with their former colonies - including the currency (until the Euro arrives) - they have far stronger trade links with their 'commonwealth' than we have with ours.

Australia felt abandoned by us both during, and especially after the second world war - when we joined the EU (under their - the loser's terms, not ours) we were compelled to turn our backs on our former colonies who had been faithful to us through both conflicts. Terrible disloyalty in a lot of people's eyes. We don't even send them our spare convicts anymore!!

 

[Taylan]

Oh dear, thanks for the hint

Now you say that I'm thinking it was in fact Lee's.
I wonder if I can change the thread title now - Dooh

Did you go there and do you remember the gable-hive thing ?

Memories I bought my first ever colony of bees from Lees of Uxbridge in 1951 I was 15yrs old I am 77yrs now they came by train,If my memory serves me right, I might be wrong they cost me £10 I worked on the farm that was more than two weeks wages but worth every penny

 

[alanf]

Memories I bought my first ever colony of bees from Lees of Uxbridge in 1951 I was 15yrs old I am 77yrs now they came by train,If my memory serves me right, I might be wrong they cost me £10 I worked on the farm that was more than two weeks wages but worth every penny

Average wage 1951 547 pounds a year, a young farm worker on half that sounds about right. 2012 26.500 (figures quoted in various newspapers - this isn't a precise calculation).

If a colony was 10 pounds in 1951 and kept pace with wages that would be 484 pounds now, say 500 in round numbers for 2013. A nucleus colony delivered from an established supplier in 2013 is, what?, in the 200-300 pounds range?

 

[For want of a better word]

We don't even send them our spare convicts anymore!!

Sensibly they would now not ever let them in!


Found Robert Lee 1936 and 1939 catalogue... prices did not change much in those days unlike the profiteering we now see ( energy suppliers!)
No photos of the front shop... but did find a reference to a Mr C H Lee of Bagshot offering a 20% discount to Devon beekeeper's Association members in 1875 !

Was that around the time the Yanks etc were having a bit of a tiff over slaving?

 

[MuswellMetro]

I've had a rumage in my late Grand father's old shed and found an old roof made by Lee of Uxbridge~~~They dont make them like they used too, it must be 60 years old

 

[NickB]

I use a "Lee's Of Uxbridge" hive-tool which came with a job-lot of Hive parts etc I picked up in Twickenham about 10 years ago.

 

[Tom Bick]

Does anyone have their exact address as I pass through Uxbridge on my travels and sometimes you can see echoes of past businesses painted on walls ect.

 

[NickB]

Tom:
From the web:

BOBERT LEE (bee supplies) LIMITED
>Beehive Works
>High Street, Cowley
>Uxbridge, Middlesex UB8 2BB
>England

Though oddly,the postcode doesn't match the street name.
Nick.

 

[Tom Bick]

Thanks Nick I will take a look when next passing although I think it will be hard as this area is industrial and perhaps been altered many times over the years. But you never know.

 

[MuswellMetro]

Thanks Nick I will take a look when next passing although I think it will be hard as this area is industrial and perhaps been altered many times over the years. But you never know.

George street according to the 1960 telephone directory, i suspect the other is postal address just for mail

 

[Tom Bick]

George street that is more or less central town Uxbridge and plenty of development in recent years. They perhaps had factory at industrial site and showroom in the town? will swing round both when in the area.

Just so happens I may need to visit Uxbridge boat yard soon as my engine is running far too well and often a signal something is about to go wrong

 

[MuswellMetro]

George street that is more or less central town Uxbridge and plenty of development in recent years. They perhaps had factory at industrial site and showroom in the town? will swing round both when in the area.

Just so happens I may need to visit Uxbridge boat yard soon as my engine is running far too well and often a signal something is about to go wrong

looks like it was on the corner of High Street and George Street,,,,,so thats looks like debenhams store site, so nothing left I assume

 

[Tom Bick]

Perhaps but there are some old buildings in that area and it could be the other side of the road?

 

[Teemore]

I have a box of section wax from EH Taylors - I plan to try some of it next year. Its untouched by waxmoth and still has that nice waxy smell!

 

[alanf]

Perhaps but there are some old buildings in that area and it could be the other side of the road?

Quite a lot of the area disappeared under "the Chimes" shopping centre. Sadly, a prime shopping area is no place these days for a specialist or one off enterprise. The ad is from a 1922 Herrod-Hempsall, "Office and Works" at George st.

 

[Norfolk]

All these great posts and nobody remembers the natural colony under the gabled roof thing.

 

[jonathanc]

lees bees of uxbridge

Lee's Beehive Works which stood in George Street Uxbridge was sold in the late 1970's or early 1980's. It was demolished to form part of a new development now consisting of The Chimes shopping centre, recently renamed Intu Uxbridge, a Health centre and a public car park. After the site was sold the bee equipment business was run by Bill Try a member of the Try family, a local building firm. Lee's moved to a site near Maidenhead. It then became absorbed into Thornes of Windsor having briefly belonged to Steele and Brodie of Scotland.
I too have a Lee's hive tool which I bought there when I started beekeeping not far away in Iver in 1977