The Albany Laundry
The Albany Laundry was situated on the corner of Eastwood Boulevard Westcliff. The corner was called Albany corner, it was once the turning place for the trolley busses.
The Albany Laundry began as the Albany Rental Supply Ltd. a hundred years ago. and later became the Albany Electric Laundry Co. Ltd. Located in Eastwood Boulevard and known as the original laundry in the counrty.The Laundry was launched in 1909. The founder Mr J Burton discovered a wide open space suitable for his modern new laundry. for just over a year he ran the Angle Laundry Company in Leigh.. He also had premises in Westcliff, on the corner of North Road and Albany Rd. from which the company took its name.
When it opened in 1909 The Albany Electric laundry was one of the first to use electric power, after year of using steam power. Laundry was collected and delivered by horse drawn vehicles. The phone number of the Albany was Leigh 14.
This picture shows the inside of the laundry soon after it opened.
The washing was hung on long lines in the grounds The company boasted the resh air, assured gleaming white washing.
This picture is of the huge ironing room.
Some garments had to be ironed by hand.
In 1913 disaster struck fire gutted the building causing £5000 of damage and destroying one of the largest and most modern laundry in Essex. Over 150 people lost their jobs
But the customer must never be kept waiting and one week later the laundry was running in a temporary building
The family business was very much involved in the life of Southend
it ran its own dancing troupe, they took part in the carnival processions and made many contributions to the hospitl
Just after the first World War the company began its dry cleaning businesses.
The company continued to serve its customers with great care and attention for over a hundred years.. But sadly time ran out for the Albany and in its doors were closed at the end of the last century
The site stayed vacant and boarded up.Plans were made to put houses and flats on the site. So far these have not materialised another piece of history bites the dust.