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Makers: JOHN
MARSTON LIMITED
HEAD OFFICE AND WORKS
Sunbeamland, Wolverhampton, England
Telephone: 1481 (4 lines) Telegrams and
Cables: "SUNBEAM, WOLVERHAMPTON"
SERVICE DEPOTS AND SHOWROOMS:
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LONDON: |
57 Holborn Viaduct, EC1 |
Tel.: Central 1980 |
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157 & 158 Sloane St., SW1 |
Tel.: Sloane 1106 |
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MANCHESTER: |
20 Peter Street |
Tel.: Central 3952 |
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LIVERPOOL: |
68 Renshaw Street |
Tel.: Royal 729 |
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BOURNEMOUTH: |
203 Old Christchurch Road |
Tel.: 2706 |
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BIRMINGHAM: |
193 Broad Street |
Tel.: Midland 3234 |
DEALERS IN EVERY
LARGE TOWN
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Sunbeamland survives! This makes the
Sunbeam factory in Paul Street, Wolverhampton something of a rarity amongst pre-war motor cycle
works.
But, it is empty and
decaying and much more could be made of its heritage value. There is a feeling it
has been left behind to languish. Sunbeam's 'spiritual home' moved out with
Marston to Fordhouses in Wolverhampton's suburbs. Here, at Marston Palmer,
commencing in the early
1980s, interest in the company's illustrious past has helped keep Sunbeam's
history alive. This has included some fine motor cycle restoration work and
creation of the Marston Collection of machines, the setting up of the Marston Sunbeam Register
as the marque club and, more recently, the Marston
Wolverhampton Heritage Trust.
With recent changes at
Marston, Sunbeam's spiritual home has moved again, further afield this time
to ... steadying myself here ... the adjoining town of Dudley (that wasn't
so bad to write after all!) and the Black Country Living Museum which houses
a fine display of motor cycles and holds related archives on behalf of the
Marston Wolverhampton Heritage Trust.
However, back in the city of
Wolverhampton the steadfast façade of the Paul
Street works deteriorates slowly as owners, Mucklows, and lessees, Chubb, leave
to rot one of the country's most symbolic surviving industrial buildings with
associations with the Modern Age's early flirtations with speed, travel and
personal freedom.
The original factory is a
noble survivor in a fast-changing city centre, desperate for investment and
development. On a hopeful note, the local Council has been taking a much more
positive approach to conserving the city's heritage.
Disappointingly, English
Heritage regards Sunbeamland as having only local significance and considers
that the
building does not qualify for statutory protection from loss as a 'listed building'.
Wolverhampton City Council, to its credit, has provided some recognition with a
non-statutory 'local listing' - the effectiveness of which awaits new Government
legislation in the wake of 2007's Heritage White Paper.
As a heritage
resource Sunbeamland is equal to the fine lustrous cycles and motor cycles it
produced. It tells us something about the makers, both the Marstons as civic and
industrial leaders, and the everyday workforce of craftsmen and engineers who
thrust us into the motorised age. It is a significant part of the nation's
social, sporting and industrial heritage.
There are
tantalising photos in Robert Cordon Champ's books that bring the building to
life. Perhaps more so, the tales of George Peck who worked there, which can be
found on the Wolverhampton History and Heritage Society's web site.
It really is worth a visit
and perhaps with a little persuasion we may yet see it open to the public on
national 'Heritage Open Days' each year in September, when, country-wide, the Civic Trust
encourages buildings not
normally open to the public to be made accessible. If so, it will be a chance to
take your 'Beam back home for the day!
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PHOTO▲
The Sunbeam factory in its heyday
PHOTO▲
The Sunbeam factory in 2003
PHOTO▲
Wolverhampton Civic Society with IMI
Marston Ltd have provided the building with its own 'blue plaque' - a tangible
marker to its heritage importance.
A watchful eye is kept on the
building's progress (or lack of) by the Wolverhampton History and Heritage
Society with occasional postings on their web site.
But, there is no real campaign to
save the building - something that really should be happening. |
