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Oatley Family: Box and Corsham Review of Corsham: My Story by Kenneth John Oatley Alan Payne April 2021 Many North Wiltshire people have heard of Charles William Bond Oatley, who was a Box auctioneer and an active supporter of the Non-Conformist church in the local area. But few people know about other members of the Oatley family and how they planned, designed and constructed many local properties. Ken Oatley’s new book tells the story of his branch of the family and their contribution to the rebuilding needed in the town of Corsham and the village of Box in the era after World War II. Ken Oatley illustrates the history with his family photographs of life in the 1950s to 1980s. |
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A huge amount of new construction work was needed to replace the wartime prefabricated bungalows and to modernise the ageing Victorian buildings in Corsham streets. It wasn’t just replacing but extending to house a massive influx of workers for the MOD underground activity. As the great-great-nephew of Charles Oatley and son of Robert Oatley, builder and Building Supervisor of the Calne and Chippenham Rural District Council, Ken Oatley is uniquely placed to tell the history of the area.
He was directly involved in many of the projects as a local architect who espoused the clean, simple lines of Scandinavian open-plan buildings and the use of innovative construction materials of double-glazed glass and concrete.
Ken recalls the early 1960s when he was working for Chippenham architects Edwards and Webster, responsible for the design and planning of flats at Moxhams, Wyvern House and the development of the Newlands Road area. It was a prelude to working for MP Kent Ltd who sought to build aspirational, first-time buyer houses with quality design at low-cost. This was followed by work with Bristowe Construction Ltd and eventually setting up in partnership as Hadfield, Oatley Associates at the Brushworks Offices, Pickwick Road and later as a sole practitioner in premises at Flemish Cottages, Corsham, formerly used by Neates, the cobblers.
Ken’s expertise and knowledge of the area enables him to comment about missed opportunities for the development of the area. This includes a new road by-passing the old hamlet of Pickwick, alternative plans for developing Newlands Road and Corsham Town centre pedestrianisation. It is a thought-provoking view of success and lost opportunities in creating our contemporary world.
He was directly involved in many of the projects as a local architect who espoused the clean, simple lines of Scandinavian open-plan buildings and the use of innovative construction materials of double-glazed glass and concrete.
Ken recalls the early 1960s when he was working for Chippenham architects Edwards and Webster, responsible for the design and planning of flats at Moxhams, Wyvern House and the development of the Newlands Road area. It was a prelude to working for MP Kent Ltd who sought to build aspirational, first-time buyer houses with quality design at low-cost. This was followed by work with Bristowe Construction Ltd and eventually setting up in partnership as Hadfield, Oatley Associates at the Brushworks Offices, Pickwick Road and later as a sole practitioner in premises at Flemish Cottages, Corsham, formerly used by Neates, the cobblers.
Ken’s expertise and knowledge of the area enables him to comment about missed opportunities for the development of the area. This includes a new road by-passing the old hamlet of Pickwick, alternative plans for developing Newlands Road and Corsham Town centre pedestrianisation. It is a thought-provoking view of success and lost opportunities in creating our contemporary world.
Corsham, My Story is available from the Corsham Bookshop, price £14.99.