Post WWI
Adverts for Hewlett and Blondeau engines and sawbenches appeared in the Luton News during late 1919 with the last advertisement being on the 12 February 1920. A decision was made to close the works and Fuller, Horley and Son & Cassell of London arranged a six day sale of the site and contents of the factory starting on Tuesday 19 October 1920. The 8-acre (32,000 m2) site with 110,000-square-foot (10,000 m2) of buildings failed to reach the second asking bid of £50,000 and went for private treaty, eventually being sold to Electrolux and forming part of the then new Electrolux factory where some of the original buildings remain to this day. Much of the site was redeveloped in the 1990s and early 2000s into residential housing.
The plant, machinery, stock and effects sold well to a large number of businesses including Vauxhall Motors and Hayward Tyler, the latter still having a factory in Luton. Mrs Hewlett, having separated from her husband in 1914, eventually emigrated with her family to New Zealand where she died in 1943. She is commemorated by a street name, Hewlett Road, in Leagrave. Gustav Blondeau died on 3 March 1965 at 176 Old Bedford Road Luton.
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