Nuttman Bros, Sutton

If what is painted on this wall is to be believed, Nuttman Bros Ltd was founded in 1881. Seventy-three years later the company was still in business and was listed in the 1954 issue of the Timber Trade Directory. Unfortunately that's the only piece of information I found about it.


The phone number 324 seems to indicate the original part of this sign was painted not too long after the company was founded. It is surprising it wasn't repainted when the director telephone system was introduced in the late 1920s and 1930s, with phone numbers consisting of seven digits: three for the code (which corresponded to the first three letters of the local telephone exchange) and four for the number itself (could some three digit numbers have survived though?). As the Sutton area was served by three different telephone exchanges (FAIrlands for Sutton and Cheam, and both MELville and VIGilant for Sutton and Belmont - with Nuttman certainly served by one of the last two) it might have been useful to know which code to dial, unless of course all of Nuttman's customers were locals and fully aware of the local code (*). Another possibility is that by then the company had moved to other premises but I don't think that was the case. With a large yard at the back of the house, the location was rather convenient.

Est. 1881
Nuttman Bros Ltd
Phone 324
Timber & Fencing
Contractors
Joinery Works
Since the last line hasn't faded as much as the rest of the sign and the lettering is different, I guess it is more recent. I wonder whether "Nuttman Bros Ltd" wasn't painted at a later stage as well, to reflect maybe a change in the social name of the company?

*: A local shop for local people? Sutton is no Royston Vasey though!

Location: Langley Park Road / Pictures taken on: 27/08/2009