Harold William Townend Churchill Sabine
and family of The Beeches
Harold Sabine lived in The Beeches (no:23) from 1914 until c.1966.
He was chairman of the Park for over 20yrs mainly from mid-1930's to
mid-1950's.
Born 8 Nov 1884 in Brondesbury Park NW London; he was educated at
Dover College and then The Central Technical College becoming an
Associate Member of the The Institution of Civil Engineers in 1910.
His early engineering career was involved with electric batteries
(accumulators) and by 1909 working for The Tudor Accumulator Company
was in charge of inspection and maintenance of some of the largest
batteries in the UK.
Harold and Rose at son Roger's wedding in 1941
Married to Rose they had four children -
Brenda & Pamela 1941
Barbara, Roger & his wife Eileen at Roger's wedding 1941
The girls attended the Queens School and are remembered mainly for their
horse riding. Their horses were frequently seen on the pastureland now the site
of houses 50 to 54. Pamela was a dancer with the Ballet Rambert. Roger
followed his father into Engineering after a Mechanical Engineering degree
at Imperial College. Brenda was in Hotel Management in Bermuda and the UK.
The family's maid Mary Higley was with them in the 1920s and still
listed in the electoral roll of 1945.
Neighbours remember their little fox terrier Peter that was frequently
heard barking and snapping at passers-by.
Harold established the UPPA committee much as it is today carrying out
the role of managing the upkeep of the roadway. Being a civil engineer
he provided the basic foundations of why today the Park roads are in
a reasonable state compared to many unadopted roads. He was clearly
a formidable character and guardian of the Park Covenant. When he and Miss
Longworth-Dames finally resigned; unable to accept the changing post-WW2
world; it was the passing of an era. He remains a key name on any Upton Park
Roll of Honour.
Harold c1960
He left the Park a few years after the death of his wife in 1962.
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