Harris Lebus A Romance with the Furniture Trade

For seventy years, furniture flowed on conveyor belts and through a tunnel under Ferry Lane as the factory expanded in the fifties to occupy what is now Hale Village. During both World Wars the parts for wooden aircraft were made and assembled in huge workshops that were shrouded in secrecy. Thousands of workers, each living individual lives came from near and far to spend their working days at Lebus. Many formed lifelong friendships, and just as four generations of the Lebus family spent their working lives in the factory, so too did successive generations of other families. Seemingly forgotten in the passing of time, they all left an indelible mark in this history. And in the case of some, their identities now emerge as their stories are explored. In 2008, shortly after moving to Ferry Lane estate, Paul Collier made a connection with Oliver Lebus, the last family member of four generations at the company. They formed a special friendship and over several afternoons at his home in Kensington, Oliver introduced the author to his personal archives. Fully supported by both Haringey Local History Archives and members of the extended Lebus family, Harris Lebus - A Romance with the Furniture Trade, fully illustrated with over 200 photographs and images, is a must read! 

Paul Collier has a BA (honours) in Humanities and another in Fine Art.