Up: Hayward
YOR: 108 of 113
|
|
| |
reputation for metal fashioning brings orders for ornamental iron
and bronze doors, balustrades and decorative entrance gates to special
designs, canopies for theatres, cinemas and hotels, lift enclosures
and other elaborate requirements.
The company also carries out a great number
of individual orders for perhaps a single article or product. The
drawing office at the Borough works is often busy working on plans
and specifications for some such requirement and if an order, however
eccentric or intricate, comes broadly within the company's scope, it
is accepted and carefully fulfilled.
Haywards have travelled a long way since those
far off days of Samuel Hayward and his Bread Street warehouse.
Comparing his rough glass with the lenses of today, that worthy tradesman
could only see the future "through a glass darkly." Today, the future
is brighter than in 1783 when there was no long experience in the glass
and iron trades to add conviction and encouragement. The company can
look back with pride on a long record which began in such a modest and
simple manner under Samuel Hayward. It is not optimistic to believe
that further great strides will be made. The temptation, when one has
worked hard and travelled far, to rest on laurels won, is always steadily
resisted.
This short chronicle has necessarily been concerned
on the surface with those at the head of affairs. Many others who in their
own way have played an equally significant part are unknown by name. Simple
men, working just as partners and directors did to maintain the standards
set up, they have come and gone with the years. Yet, out of their endeavours
grew an attitude without which the company could scarcely exist, its
traditions could not be maintained or its hall-mark safeguarded.
At time moves on, new chapters are being added.
Each day may bring some development which the future historian will
recognise in its true perspective. The King's advice to Alice in
Wonderland, that she should begin at the beginning and go on until she
came to the end and then stop, does not apply. Inevitably, the next
chapter in the Hayward story starts where this one closes.
|
|
