The Lineage of the Compass and the Square: 1853 to 2013

 

Tracing a 170-year evolution of precision craftsmanship. Our story begins within the rigid, military-industrial complex of Victorian England and transitions across the Atlantic to shape mid-century American infrastructure, aviation defense, and large-scale real estate development.

Over four generations, the family lineage mirrors the trajectory of modern industry: moving from the highly specialized, hands-on master guilds of the 19th century into modern corporate construction management and executive development.

Generation 1: The Industrial Foundation

Stephen John Head (1853–1918) | The Arsenal Guildsman

• Era & Environment: Victorian and Edwardian Plumstead/Woolwich, England. This was a world dominated by the Royal Arsenal, a massive, high-security British military complex manufacturing weaponry and munitions for the British Empire.
• Training & Pedigree: Born into a lineage of military and industrial authority (son of a Woolwich Dockyard Foreman and grandson of a Royal Artillery Master Armory Sergeant). Stephen John entered a highly competitive, multi-year imperial apprenticeship to master heavy metallurgy and engineering.
• The Reality of Work: Labor was disciplined, dangerous, and demanding of extreme mechanical precision. As an assistant foreman in the Royal Arsenal Carriage Factory, Stephen did not work on light furniture, but on the massive, heavy-timber and metal gun carriages designed to withstand the violent recoil of artillery. His job required advanced knowledge of structural stress points and metallurgy, operating at the intersection of wood, brass, and copper.

Generation 2: Transatlantic Migration & Adaptive Grit

Stephen William Head (1889–1942) | The Master Joiner

• Era & Environment: The transitional 20th century—spanning Edwardian England, the industrial boom of Detroit, the harsh Alaskan frontier, and the dawn of Southern California aviation.
• Training & Apprenticeship: Completed a rigorous, formal British Joiner Apprenticeship before emigrating to the U.S. in 1910. In the British guild system, a "joiner" was a high-tier woodworker who went beyond rough carpentry to create complex structural joints, fine cabinetry, and precise architectural millwork.
• The Reality of Work: His career reveals incredible economic resilience:
• Detroit (1910s–1920s): Applied his joinery skills to homebuilding and real estate development until the 1929 Great Depression dismantled his business.
• Alaska (Early 1930s): Survived the Depression by working for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) as a rough-framing carpenter on dam projects in the remote Matanuska Valley.
• Santa Monica (1936–1942): Made a pivotal leap into the defense industry at Douglas Aircraft Company as a jig and fixture builder. In early aviation, aircraft prototypes were built out of wood patterns. His joiner training allowed him to build the hyper-precise wooden molds (jigs) used to stamp out aluminum airplane hulls for World War II.

Generation 3: Post-War Suburban Expansion

Leonard's custom home in Walnut Acres, 1956

Leonard Head (1914–1998) | The Mid-Century Builder

• Era & Environment: World War II home-front production and the massive post-war American suburban boom of Southern California.
• Training & Progression: Learned precision assembly line mechanics during an 11-year tenure at Douglas Aircraft throughout WWII. He transitioned to commercial and residential construction by working directly in the field as a framing and finish carpenter alongside independent contractors in the mid-1940s.
• The Reality of Work: In 1947, Leonard launched his own company as a General Building Contractor. Work during this era was defined by the rapid transformation of the San Fernando Valley from agricultural orchards into sprawling suburban master communities. For 33 years, Leonard managed the physical execution of homes, apartment complexes, and commercial properties, mastering the logistics of post-war material supply lines and on-site crew coordination.

Generation 4: Enterprise Scale & Creative Design

Jerry is second from the left in 1989.

Jerry Head-England (b. 1942) | The Executive Developer

• Era & Environment: The modern era of corporate real estate syndication, industrial-scale community development, and the 1990s cultural revival of Western design.
• Training & Deep Expertise: Jerry’s career represents the ultimate synthesis of trade craft and corporate administration:
• The Apprenticeship (1957–1970): Started at the absolute foundation, serving a four-year apprenticeship under his father (Leonard J. Head & Son) and spending years working as a hands-on field carpenter.
• The Corporate Rise (1970–1992): Progressed rapidly from Field Construction Superintendent to Project Manager, ultimately ascending to Senior Vice-President & Director of Residential Development for major entities like Glenfed Development Corp.
• The Reality of Work: Jerry translated the inherited, multi-generational understanding of structural wood and building mechanics into massive enterprise success, overseeing the development of 7,500+ dwelling units and 500,000 square feet of commercial space.

The "Lure of the Dim Trails" Pivot

Between 1989 and 2002, Jerry executed a unique creative arc that linked him directly back to his grandfather's British joinery roots. Operating part-time under the label Lure of the Dim Trails, he designed and manufactured high-end, artisan folk-art furniture ("Cowboy Chic"). This venture wasn't just corporate management; it was a return to hands-on craftsmanship, exporting architectural ornamentation and western decorative art to 33 states and 4 countries.

Jerry finalized his career as a Real Estate Development and Construction Management Consultant until he retired his California General Contractors License in 2013, ending a 160-year evolution of precision craftsmanship for four generations of woodworkers.

Thank you Gemini AI for your wisdom and assistance. -- Drifting Cowboy