During the year four new cottages have been erected on the Estate, and a great deal of the work was undertaken by our boys.
The carpenters did all the carpentry and joinery, including the roof, doors and window frames. The engineers did all the electric
wiring and plumbing", hot and cold water supply, guttering and lead flashing. On each of the cottages no less than, £200 was
saved in this way.

The Electricians' Shop is responsible for all electric light required by the
establishment, and all the current needed for running the machinery plant
in the workshops. Here three boys are in regular training.

“The first task on arriving at the workshop, was the starting of the large "Blackstone" oil engine, with a flywheel of about 7 feet
diameter, which drove a generator and batteries supplying power to the establishment. Sometimes a new boy would be told to stand
behind the engine and one of us would give the engine an extra pump of oil; this would make the engine backfire and frighten the
life out of the unsuspecting victim, dangerous really, considering the size of the flywheel and drive belt to the generator. The day
was then spent manipulating metal, milling, turning, sawing and shaping. As to the other trade shops, I have no knowledge of their
practices.”

Footnote: Alf Cummings, a Goldings Boy from the 60’s has been studying the Abel-Smith family, and informs me that the
Generator pictured above was the second one installed at Goldings, the first one being much larger. The Family invested in the
Development of generators and both were taken off ships and installed at Goldings. The mansion was one of the early benefactors
Of “Electricity” It generated 110 volts not 240 volts, and along with the house also supplied perimeter house’s and buildings.

THE GENERATOR HOUSED IN THE ELECTRICIANS SHOP

Next to the printers shop. To anyone who is familiar with electric, it gave out 110 volts D. C. were as present day domestic electric
is 240 A. C. volts. It was purchased off a ship that the owner of Golding’s Abel Smith
was in business with the Manufacture of Generators at the time. As a joke the boys would put extra oil in the start up so it would
backfire on any new boy in the shop.

The Generator supplied all the electric to Golding’s and the surrounding dwellings, in the 20s and 30s era.

Against a south wall they planted a hundred and twenty
tomato plants, and they gathered 12 cwt. of fruit.

The gardeners have had a record year of productivity,
some thirty tons of potatoes having been harvested
in addition to large quantities of other vegetables.