Company History

W.J.Pollard was founded in 1896 by the present Company Managing Director's Great Grandfather - William John Pollard.

William John Pollard was originally apprenticed to a builder in Midhurst, West Sussex. During this apprenticeship he lodged in Midhurst and often travelled home to his family by horse and cart but mainly by bicycle on Saturday afternoons. William John was born in 1863, being the only boy in the family of three sisters. His father John Pollard was a carpenter, who later became a publican in the village of Yapton, near Littlehampton, West Sussex.

On completing his apprenticeship in 1884, William John travelled to London to find work and started on the Houses of Parliament. Sometime later, following-up an advertisement for plumbers needed in Guildford, he moved away from London to work for Thomas Gatton Swayne (builders) on the renovation of Stourton Barracks.

With a growing reputation for excellent skills and workmanship, he received a job offer from Lord Harmesworth, at that time the owner of Sutton Place, a grand mansion house some four miles from the centre of Guildford, latterly the residence of John Paul Getty, the American oil billionaire and philanthropist. So William John started-up the business of  W J Pollard in 1896 to undertake work at Sutton Place taking on apprentices and enhancing the firm's reputation for quality plumbing and heating work in the Guildford area until his retirement in 1933. William John married and had three sons of his own; William was the eldest with Jack and Gilbert Pollard soon following on. All three sons eventually entered the business and on their fathers retirement the three brothers continued to run the firm for some 35 years. Many of the houses built in and around the area during this period were installed with "Pollard" plumbing and heating systems using lead and steel piping. Indeed, on one such site in the Maybury area of Woking, the roads were named in honour of the tradesman's reputation and Pollard Road can still be found on the map today. In 1962 William the eldest son passed away and handed over the reigns to his two sons, Charles and William ( Bill Snr ) who continued to operate the business with Jack and Gilbert until both their uncle's retirement in the late 60's.  William, ( Bill Jnr ), the Company's present Managing Director began work in the early 1970's as an indentured plumber and heating apprentice, completing a five year practical training period before moving into the office to start a technical training programme in the commercial design and installation of building engineering services.

Charles and Bill Snr continued working until their retirement in 1998 and now the business has entered the 21st century from it's original foundation in the 19th century. During this period the company has progressed, despite the best efforts of two World Wars and now has seen over 106 years of technical advancement and achievement.

Originally started with a stable, a horse and cart and a feathered quill pen, today, with a fleet of modern fully equipped vans, with networked and completely computerised office procedures, with our well stocked store base and, most importantly, with our team of fully trained, highly skilled engineers, we are able to provide a quality cost effective service second to none.