Oak Tree Forge
Oak Tree Forge was established in 1946 at the end of the Second World War by Bob Rumney. Bob was fresh out of the army and was looking to start up in business. It was Bob’s wife Betty that observed that the gates and railings had all been removed to aid the war effort and that they would need to be replaced. So Bob enlisted in an electro welding course at Exeter, extended the building to accommodate his machinery and opened for business. It was Betty that came up with the name Oak Tree Forge because of the large oak tree that grows on the pavement just outside the entrance to the yard (it is still there to this day).
At the time Oak Tree Forge came into the farm site there was a handful of small trades; a French polisher, car sprayer, plumbers, boat builder, as well as Nell Rumney, Bob’s sister, with her upholstery business. Today all the other trades have changed with the exception of Oak Tree Forge or course.
Bob Rumney retired in 1973 and the forge was taken over by Ken Hadfield. When Ken left school he went to work for Kings Forge (also in Preston, but no longer trading). In 1972 Ken set up his own business in Well Street before taking over Oak Tree Forge.
During Ken’s 37 year ownership of Oak Tree Forge, he employed up to eight staff and worked as far afield as Sherwood Forest, Scarborough, Brighton, Leamington Spa, and London, to name but a few places. Closer to home Oak Tree’s work can be seen on just about every street in Torbay, commissioned to do work for the civic society and the National Trust. Such work includes large gates, gazebo and window boxes at the Livermead House Hotel, Torquay museum forged tree guards and window boxes to honour Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee.
Oak Tree gates can be seen at Churston Church where the late Agatha Christie worshipped, which makes a nice link to the railings (made by Ken) for the boathouse at her one time home Greenway House.
In 1998 Chris Tilbrook came into the yard working on a summer project (renovating a TR7) in the unit next to Oak Tree. As that summer passed Chris got to know Ken, and would come into the workshop on occasions to have a look to see what Ken was making. Chris was self-employed and after completing the renovation project started fitting kitchens and working for a company that built motor caravans, fabricating the metal work in the rear sliding seats, wiring, trimming and fitting out. It wasn’t long before Chris receives a call from ken asking for a hand to fit a large automated gate on Preston sea front. As the years pass by Chris and Ken work together more frequently and so began a long lasting working friendship.
In 2008 Ken was considering his retirement, and wondering what would become of Oak Tree, so Chris decided that he would take on the challenge of running Oak Tree Forge, and in 2010 became the third owner. In 2012 after working together for many years Ken finally took his hard earned retirement, but always pops into the workshop to spot check that standards have not slipped.
Chris with a large bunch of latches.
Ken with the Livermead House Hotel gates, at the Devon County Show
These components have been made and set out on the bench ready for assembly. They will become the tree guards for the Torguay Museum.
Ken photo bombs this picture of a window box that has just been fitted to this property.
The temperature has exceeded 27 degrees and heatwave conditions have been declared, for reasons of health and safety we had to retreat to the nearest ice cream van.
Time for tea while waiting for the cement to set.
