H Tuckwell & Sons was set up in the 1840s by Harold Tuckwell as a general haulage company. The business then branched out into the coal wholesale business, supplying indirectly most of the coal burnt in Oxford from its various coal yards at train stations around Oxford. The company then progressed into the building supplies market, with its retail premises in Chapel Street (off the Cowley Road in Oxford), quickly establishing itself as a major supplier for all aspects of the trade to the building industry and then, to complement its builders merchants it commenced the supply of aggregates to builders in Oxford and the surrounding area, extracting aggregates from its own quarries situated at Long Hanbrough and Cassington in Oxfordshire. In 1947 the quarry at Radley was opened.
The business became an incorporated company in 1922 continuing to dominate the local market whilst still remaining an independent company.
Over time the coal industry became more competitive and so the various coal yards were sold off to local companies.
In 1958 the directors of the company saw that the demand for ready-mixed concrete was increasing, and therefore established a ready-mixed concrete plant at Radley to meet some of that demand, supplying concrete for such projects as Oxford Railway Station, various parts of Oxford University and many of the housing projects in the rapidly expanding city of Oxford.
More recent projects supported have included Abingdon Police Station, the Said School of Business and the John Radcliffe Children’s Hospital, each of which required specialist advice, additives, mixtures and supply conditions.
Whilst establishing the supply of ready-mixed concrete, the company continued to extract aggregates from its various sites and remained the major supplier of materials for builders in the Oxford area.
In 1992 the Company decided to concentrate on the production and supply of aggregates and ready-mixed concrete from its base in Radley, and therefore leased out the builders merchants site in Oxford.
The Company continues to produce concrete in compliance with all recognised British Standards and to a quality recognised by the Quality Scheme for Ready Mixed Concrete, as well as sands, aggregates and decorative materials to individuals, public authorities, utility companies as well as national and international construction companies.
In 2006 the last of the Tuckwell family left the business and the then Managing Director Robin Lodge took over complete control. The Lodge family through Lewis Lodge(Robin’s father) had been involved with the business for over 30 years prior to this.
We are now through James Lodge(Robin’s son) and siblings into the Second Generation of the Lodge family entering a new era and with this comes innovation and development.
The business continues to stride forward and is privileged and takes great pride in supplying Oxfordshire with high quality products and the service you would expect from a company of longstanding.