CELEBRATING 130 YEARS WITH A MAYORAL VISIT
29 January 1997 00:00
G.R. Wright & Sons, the flour millers based at Ponders End Mills in Enfield, have been delivering the finest quality flour goods since 1867 and are celebrating their 130th anniversary this year. To help mark the occasion, the Company welcomed the Mayor of Enfield, Councillor Patrick Cuneen to its mill on 27th January. This Enfield based Company is a family owned, independent mill and is one of the few such ventures left in Britain.
Ponders End Mill has its roots dating back to the 11th Century and is indeed mentioned in the Domesday Book. The Company itself has been in the hands of the Wright family since its founder, George Reynolds Wright took over in 1867. Its control has been handed down from generation to generation for a century and a half, with current Managing Director, David Wright, now holding the mantle.
To coincide with the Mayor's visit, there was a recent private unveiling of the Kenneth Reynolds Wright memorial bench which was presented by the staff. Kenneth Wright was Chairman of the Company until his untimely death in January 1995 following a two year battle with leukaemia.
Wright's has always had a commitment to providing quality products, cost effectively and as a result has always been keen to stay at the forefront of technological advancement. A guided tour showed the Mayor that the Company has invested substantially in updating production facilities together with the Company's plans for a new warehouse facility due for completion next year.
During the First World War, the mill was under Government control which made expansion impossible. Even in the face of the decontrolling of flour mills in 1920, the Company avoided the fate of many of its competitors which constantly changed hands. Emerging through the hardest of times as an on-going family concern, the Company purchased the freehold on its land and buildings in 1938.
During the Second World War, the hostilities necessitated the mill working seven days a week, 52 weeks a year to make up the shortfall in production caused by the destruction of less fortunate mills in London's dock areas. The mill survived almost unscathed, it's only injury still visible in the bullet hole marks on the front of the building which were caused by a British pilot trying to fell a German bomber.
The wear and tear inflicted by the World War 2 necessitated that the plant be remodelled. This resulted in the capacity of the mill being 50% higher and it reopened in April 1950.
As early as 1906, a steam wagon replaced the traditional horse and cart and the Company was one of the first concerns in the Enfield area to use electricity. Today, G.R. Wright & Sons currently supply ready mixed flour to most major supermarkets, own label flour to multiples and independents and recently introduced an innovative range of speciality bread mixes for the consumer market which are available in local Tescos, Waitrose and in Sainsbury's now under their own label.