A brief background

Wellington Mills Housing co-operative was originally the mill site of John Oakey & Sons Ltd, a manufacturer of abrasives and sandpaper; the estate has an extensive history and records show that in the 1700’s a female orphanage stood on the site.  In 1970, architect Barbara Bienias was commissioned by the Greater London Council to create the separate buildings that make up the existing estate. The construction took 6 years and it has remained part of the housing co-operative ever since.