| R.C.Pillar & Sons Ltd was established
by Richard Pillar, who lived at Castle House in South Town and
operated out of Bayards Cove, which consisted of a small joinery
workshop and a mason’s store. The entrance to R.C.Pillars
& Sons first yard was through the old castle. Once inside
there was a concrete block maker and a large tank for storing
lump lime which could be boiled with ox hair to form lime mortar.
A small lean-to building served as a carpenter's workshop.
His son, Reginald took over the company
in 1936. He served his apprenticeship under his father and
was a qualified stonemason who was highly respected by his
men. Reginald was very involved in the community and was warden
at both St.Barnabas and St.Petrox church. He was later Chairman
of the Hospital League of Friends and the president of the
Dartmouth Rotary Club.
Reginald was an astute businessman and
is remembered in particular as someone who could quickly reassure
any customer who became anxious whilst alterations were being
carried out on their home.
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From its early days the Company had a 'Family'
atmosphere and after the war all the young men who had left
to fight, returned to the work that they had done previously.
Most of the workforce was time-served and for instance, a
carpenter had to serve a five-year apprenticeship and then
a further six months 'improving' before becoming fully qualified.
The outbreak of war in 1939 provided considerable work for
the company to carry out as the town suffered quite considerable
damage from German bombing raids. This led to the company
rebuilding the Co-op, Rundles (which is now Duke's restaurant),
Eastmans, The Midland bank and eight houses on the Milton
Lane estate to name but a few . The workmen soon learnt to
be flexible and versatile and were expected to undertake a
variety of work. They maintained the town's drains, cleaned
out septic tanks and swept chimneys.
In the 1940's and 1950's the company was
also responsible for a number of tasks that have now been
taken over by the Council and other public bodies. General
repair work and maintenance was carried out at Dartmouth Castle
repairing stone walls and guttering, before it was eventually
taken over by English Heritage.
In 1949 R.C. Pillar & Sons Ltd moved
to a building in the centre of town called 'The Palladium'
- an old electric theatre in Anzac Street. The old building
was transformed into a joiners shop, masons store and paint
department. All the building materials were stored there under
the close supervision of the joiner.
In 1961 Chris Pillar, Reginald’s
youngest son, became the third generation of the family to
manage the company. It was at this time that 'The Palladium'
was becoming too small and restrictive so new offices were
built directly opposite. The joiners shop moved up to the
Townstall Industrial Estate. The old workshop was then transformed
into a number of retail outlets, forming what is now known
as 'The Palladium Shopping Arcade'.
In 1961 the firm of R.C. Pillar & Sons
became a limited company, and was involved in the construction
of the Newcomen Engine House, the new Roman Catholic School
at Milton Lane, the Keep Gardens Estate, Dartmouth Police
Station, Churchill Court and large housing sites for the then
Kingsbridge Rural Council at Loddiswell, Aveton Gifford and
West Alvington.
Chris was also responsible for the expansion
of the company into haulage and plant hire and in the late
1960's the company's lorries were involved in the construction
of the main A38 bypass and the 'new' road into Dartmouth.
Chris retired in 2000 and his eldest son,
Jason, became the Managing Director after joining the family
business in 1995. Jason obtained a degree in Building Management
at Thames Polytechnic before serving his apprenticeship with
a national building company.
The secretary, Shirley Ruddleden, Quantity Surveyor, David
Wickson and the company's General Manager, Gary Ash work in
the offices at Anzac Street.
David Perkins is the company Joiner who
is based in the workshops at Collingwood Close. David completed
his apprenticeship with the company in 1991 and is responsible
for the manufacture of all types of joinery in both soft and
hardwood and the day-to-day running of the joiner’s
workshop.
Above all the firm of R.C. Pillar
& Sons Ltd is a family business, one which strives to
produce the highest standard of craftsmanship for their customers,
of which both can be proud of.
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