Frank Pullen
Encyclopedia
Francis Henry "Frank" Pullen (September 8, 1915 – January 17, 1992) was an English businessperson and racehorse owner.
, South London
. His father died while serving with the Royal Navy
during World War I
and Alice Pullen struggled to support her children during the Depression. Young Pullen found work feeding the local workhorses, earning a shilling
a week ( 5 pence ), showing early entrepreneur
ial flair and sparking his love of horses. Pullen married aged 17 and became a chef
.
at the start of World War II
and was one of the survivors of D-Day
, landing at Gold Beach
. Later during the conflict he helped liberate the Belgium
town of Lessines
. The grateful town gave him the freedom of the city and he later named two of his homes (one in Bromley
,south London
and one in Looe
, Cornwall
, where he would holiday) "Lessines" in honor of this.
After he was demobilised from the 8th army in 1948, Pullen started in business as a builder
in a wartorn South London and became a member of the National House Building Council
Pullen became one of South London's leading property developers, and incorporated his business in 1962, using the slogan "We Build To Please" . Pullen specialised at first renovating houses before concentrating on new builds, his first being "Karen Court", Blyth Road, Bromley, a block of three maisonettes. Other early examples of Pullen's can be seen with the bungalow
s of Clarence Road, Croydon
. Pullen soon progressed to blocks of flats ( like Tina Court, Knollys Road, Streatham
and at Ravensbourne park crescent, Catford, along with Colin Court ). Pullen moved on to housing estates, building over one hundred major developments. At Iona Court in Catford stands a type of Pullen's apartments that were purpose built for Lewisham
Council. In his later buildings Pullen often employed the services of the female architect and Le Corbusier
admirer Joyce Lowman. Pullen gained a reputation as a builder of luxury apartments and examples of these buildings can be found at Florida Court in Bromley, with three blocks in a low density five acre landscaped plot. At Beulah Hill Pullen built Tropicana, a ground breaking block of flats to Lowmans design, climbing up Spurgeon Road with balconies
having a grand view over S.W.London. Pullen also built the Parklands apartments (with roof gardens overlooking Kelsey Park
), Parkwood court, Ingleside Close, Montreux Court, Highgrove Court and Gatcombe Court in Beckenham
, the last three being the innovative "Big roof" design, again by Joyce Lowman. Pullen developed extensively down Wells Park road
, Sydenham
and with Chevening Court built the whole of Brasted Close in Orpington
, Kent
. This is one of Pullen's last estates, reviving his old practice of naming his structures after Royal Houses. Pullen was a frequent visitor to Kenya
where he created a racing complex in Nairobi
, and embarked on an ambitious project there to build a township
including schools and hospitals. Pullen went on to form Bromley Industrial Consultants Ltd, centred in Pall Mall, London
, with the purpose of helping 3rd world nations develop .
shops, selling a wide range of products . These included his own brand of bleach
"Pulbro", "Pink" parafin, wallpapers and paints, DIY and household goods, cutlery
and crockery, dustbins and ice-creams . Branches covered south London, the first of these being on Catford
broadway . Pullen also owned and rented out many lock-up garages. Pullen became a millionaire and he enjoyed his wealth, and by July 1965 had bought his first new Rolls-Royce - Silver Cloud III Coupe
from James Young
, a luxury coachbuilder
cited in Bromley
. A car lover, Pullen owned a stable of many of the Grand Tourer
automobiles of the period, including Audi
`s , BMW
`s , Jaguar`s and Jensen
s
, training and breeding, adopting the colours Chocolate and Blue for his Racing silks . His friends included Peter Bromley
, racing commentator, and Pullen went on to be a popular owner with a string of race horses most famously at Josh Gifford
's yard in Findon
, Sussex . It was as such that he was interviewed by the Radio Times magazine ("Six owners in search of a winner" by Russell Twisk) in 1972, having especially bought a horse on Josh Gifford's recommendation for that year's Grand National
Horse race at Aintree
. .
, Kent
, and is buried at London Road Cemetery, Bromley. Racing enthusiast Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, whose nieces were inmates of Royal Earlswood Hospital
where Pullens relatives James Henry Pullen
and grandfather William Pullen were also notable residents, sent Frank's widow a letter of condolence upon hearing of his death.
Early life
He was born, the youngest of four children, as Francis Henry Pullen to Arthur and Alice Pullen at CatfordCatford
Catford is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Architecture:...
, South London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. His father died while serving with the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and Alice Pullen struggled to support her children during the Depression. Young Pullen found work feeding the local workhorses, earning a shilling
Shilling
The shilling is a unit of currency used in some current and former British Commonwealth countries. The word shilling comes from scilling, an accounting term that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times where it was deemed to be the value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere. The word is thought to derive...
a week ( 5 pence ), showing early entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
ial flair and sparking his love of horses. Pullen married aged 17 and became a chef
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
.
War Years
Pullen enlisted in the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
at the start of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and was one of the survivors of D-Day
D-Day
D-Day is a term often used in military parlance to denote the day on which a combat attack or operation is to be initiated. "D-Day" often represents a variable, designating the day upon which some significant event will occur or has occurred; see Military designation of days and hours for similar...
, landing at Gold Beach
Gold Beach
Gold Beach was the code name of one of the D-Day landing beaches that Allied forces used to invade German-occupied France on 6 June 1944, during World War II....
. Later during the conflict he helped liberate the Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
town of Lessines
Lessines
Lessines is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Lessines had a total population of 17,848. The total area is 72.29 km² which gives a population density of 247 inhabitants per km²...
. The grateful town gave him the freedom of the city and he later named two of his homes (one in Bromley
Bromley
Bromley is a large suburban town in south east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Bromley. It was historically a market town, and prior to 1963 was in the county of Kent and formed the administrative centre of the Municipal Borough of Bromley...
,south London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and one in Looe
Looe
Looe is a small coastal town, fishing port and civil parish in the former Caradon district of south-east Cornwall, England, with a population of 5,280 . Looe is divided in two by the River Looe, East Looe and West Looe being connected by a bridge...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, where he would holiday) "Lessines" in honor of this.
Pullen Estates
Construction worker
A construction worker or builder is a professional, tradesman, or labourer who directly participates in the physical construction of infrastructure.-Construction trades:...
in a wartorn South London and became a member of the National House Building Council
National House Building Council
The National House Building Council was originally set up as the National House Builders Registration Council in the United Kingdom in 1936...
Pullen became one of South London's leading property developers, and incorporated his business in 1962, using the slogan "We Build To Please" . Pullen specialised at first renovating houses before concentrating on new builds, his first being "Karen Court", Blyth Road, Bromley, a block of three maisonettes. Other early examples of Pullen's can be seen with the bungalow
Bungalow
A bungalow is a type of house, with varying meanings across the world. Common features to many of these definitions include being detached, low-rise , and the use of verandahs...
s of Clarence Road, Croydon
Croydon
Croydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
. Pullen soon progressed to blocks of flats ( like Tina Court, Knollys Road, Streatham
Streatham
Streatham is a district in Surrey, England, located in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated south of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
and at Ravensbourne park crescent, Catford, along with Colin Court ). Pullen moved on to housing estates, building over one hundred major developments. At Iona Court in Catford stands a type of Pullen's apartments that were purpose built for Lewisham
Lewisham
Lewisham is a district in South London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
Council. In his later buildings Pullen often employed the services of the female architect and Le Corbusier
Le Corbusier
Charles-Édouard Jeanneret, better known as Le Corbusier , was a Swiss-born French architect, designer, urbanist, writer and painter, famous for being one of the pioneers of what now is called modern architecture. He was born in Switzerland and became a French citizen in 1930...
admirer Joyce Lowman. Pullen gained a reputation as a builder of luxury apartments and examples of these buildings can be found at Florida Court in Bromley, with three blocks in a low density five acre landscaped plot. At Beulah Hill Pullen built Tropicana, a ground breaking block of flats to Lowmans design, climbing up Spurgeon Road with balconies
Balcony
Balcony , a platform projecting from the wall of a building, supported by columns or console brackets, and enclosed with a balustrade.-Types:The traditional Maltese balcony is a wooden closed balcony projecting from a...
having a grand view over S.W.London. Pullen also built the Parklands apartments (with roof gardens overlooking Kelsey Park
Kelsey Park
Kelsey Park is a public park in Beckenham in the BR3 postcode area in the borough of Bromley, South London. It historically formed the landscaped park of the Kelsey Manor Estate....
), Parkwood court, Ingleside Close, Montreux Court, Highgrove Court and Gatcombe Court in Beckenham
Beckenham
Beckenham is a town in the London Borough of Bromley, England. It is located 8.4 miles south east of Charing Cross and 1.75 miles west of Bromley town...
, the last three being the innovative "Big roof" design, again by Joyce Lowman. Pullen developed extensively down Wells Park road
Sydenham Wells Park
Sydenham Wells Park is located in Sydenham, south east London. The park is owned by the London Borough of Lewisham and maintained by Glendale. Wells Park is named after medicinal springs which were found in Sydenham in the seventeenth century, when Sydenham was still in Kent. This attracted crowds...
, Sydenham
Sydenham
Sydenham is an area and electoral ward in the London Borough of Lewisham; although some streets towards Crystal Palace Park, Forest Hill and Penge are outside the ward and in the London Borough of Bromley, and some streets off Sydenham Hill are in the London Borough of Southwark. Sydenham was in...
and with Chevening Court built the whole of Brasted Close in Orpington
Orpington
Orpington is a suburban town and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bromley. It forms the southeastern edge of London's urban sprawl and is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. This is one of Pullen's last estates, reviving his old practice of naming his structures after Royal Houses. Pullen was a frequent visitor to Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
where he created a racing complex in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, and embarked on an ambitious project there to build a township
Township
The word township is used to refer to different kinds of settlements in different countries. Township is generally associated with an urban area. However there are many exceptions to this rule. In Australia, the United States, and Canada, they may be settlements too small to be considered urban...
including schools and hospitals. Pullen went on to form Bromley Industrial Consultants Ltd, centred in Pall Mall, London
Pall Mall, London
Pall Mall is a street in the City of Westminster, London, and parallel to The Mall, from St. James's Street across Waterloo Place to the Haymarket; while Pall Mall East continues into Trafalgar Square. The street is a major thoroughfare in the St James's area of London, and a section of the...
, with the purpose of helping 3rd world nations develop .
Pullen Shops
Pullen also opened a series of general hardwareHardware
Hardware is a general term for equipment such as keys, locks, hinges, latches, handles, wire, chains, plumbing supplies, tools, utensils, cutlery and machine parts. Household hardware is typically sold in hardware stores....
shops, selling a wide range of products . These included his own brand of bleach
Bleach
Bleach refers to a number of chemicals that remove color, whiten, or disinfect, often via oxidation. Common chemical bleaches include household chlorine bleach , lye, oxygen bleach , and bleaching powder...
"Pulbro", "Pink" parafin, wallpapers and paints, DIY and household goods, cutlery
Cutlery
Cutlery refers to any hand implement used in preparing, serving, and especially eating food in the Western world. It is more usually known as silverware or flatware in the United States, where cutlery can have the more specific meaning of knives and other cutting instruments. This is probably the...
and crockery, dustbins and ice-creams . Branches covered south London, the first of these being on Catford
Catford
Catford is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Lewisham. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-Architecture:...
broadway . Pullen also owned and rented out many lock-up garages. Pullen became a millionaire and he enjoyed his wealth, and by July 1965 had bought his first new Rolls-Royce - Silver Cloud III Coupe
Rolls-Royce (car)
This a list of Rolls-Royce motor cars and includes vehicles produced by:*Rolls-Royce Limited *Rolls-Royce Motors , which was owned by Vickers between 1980 and 1998, and after that by Volkswagen...
from James Young
James Young (coachbuilder)
James Young Ltd was a British coachbuilding company. The business was started in 1863 in LondonRoad, Bromley. originally producing horsedrawn carriages....
, a luxury coachbuilder
Coachbuilder
A coachbuilder is a manufacturer of bodies for carriages or automobiles.The trade dates back several centuries. Rippon was active in the time of Queen Elizabeth I, Barker founded in 1710 by an officer in Queen Anne's Guards, Brewster a relative newcomer , formed in 1810. Others in Britain included...
cited in Bromley
Bromley
Bromley is a large suburban town in south east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Bromley. It was historically a market town, and prior to 1963 was in the county of Kent and formed the administrative centre of the Municipal Borough of Bromley...
. A car lover, Pullen owned a stable of many of the Grand Tourer
Grand tourer
A grand tourer is a high-performance luxury automobile designed for long-distance driving. The most common format is a two-door coupé with either a two-seat or a 2+2 arrangement....
automobiles of the period, including Audi
Audi
Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, from supermini to crossover SUVs in various body styles and price ranges that are marketed under the Audi brand , positioned as the premium brand within the Volkswagen Group....
`s , BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
`s , Jaguar`s and Jensen
Jensen Motors
Jensen Motors Ltd was a British manufacturer of sports cars and commercial vehicles, based in the Lyng – West Bromwich...
s
Race Horses
Pullen was also able to indulge in his lifelong passion of horse racingHorse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
, training and breeding, adopting the colours Chocolate and Blue for his Racing silks . His friends included Peter Bromley
Peter Bromley
Peter Bromley was BBC Radio's voice of horse racing for 40 years, and one of the most famous and recognised sports broadcasters in the United Kingdom.-Early life:...
, racing commentator, and Pullen went on to be a popular owner with a string of race horses most famously at Josh Gifford
Josh Gifford
Josh Gifford is a former jockey and trainer in National Hunt racing. He was a four-time Champion Jockey, riding 642 winners in his career....
's yard in Findon
Findon
Findon is a village and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England, four miles north of Worthing. The parish has an area of 16.41 km² and a population of 1848 persons ....
, Sussex . It was as such that he was interviewed by the Radio Times magazine ("Six owners in search of a winner" by Russell Twisk) in 1972, having especially bought a horse on Josh Gifford's recommendation for that year's Grand National
Grand National
The Grand National is a world-famous National Hunt horse race which is held annually at Aintree Racecourse, near Liverpool, England. It is a handicap chase run over a distance of four miles and 856 yards , with horses jumping thirty fences over two circuits of Aintree's National Course...
Horse race at Aintree
Aintree
Aintree is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton, Merseyside. It lies between Walton and Maghull on the A59 road, about north of Liverpool city centre, in North West England....
. .
Final Years
Frank Pullen formally retired in 1988 and he died peacefully, aged 77, at his race horse sanctuary and livery yard in OrpingtonOrpington
Orpington is a suburban town and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bromley. It forms the southeastern edge of London's urban sprawl and is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, and is buried at London Road Cemetery, Bromley. Racing enthusiast Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, whose nieces were inmates of Royal Earlswood Hospital
Royal Earlswood Hospital
The Royal Earlswood Hospital or The Royal Earlswood Asylum for Idiots in Redhill, Surrey was the first establishment to cater specifically for people with learning disabilities...
where Pullens relatives James Henry Pullen
James Henry Pullen
James Henry Pullen , also known as the Genius of Earlswood Asylum, was a British autistic savant, possibly suffering from aphasia.-Childhood:...
and grandfather William Pullen were also notable residents, sent Frank's widow a letter of condolence upon hearing of his death.