DREWITT'S, the firm which built some of this area's best-known landmarks, is celebrating its 125th anniversary today.

The West Howe firm, now in its fifth generation, constructed the Winter Gardens, Beales and the Yellow Buses depot.

Drewitt's was launched in 1877 when Charles Henry Drewitt started a building business in New Malden, Surrey.

His son was Charles James Drewitt, known as James, moved to Bournemouth in 1911 and started a building business in the fast-growing town.

After the First World War, James Drewitt completed the first post-war house built in Bournemouth - 17 Newstead Road, Southbourne, and many more followed.

In the 1920s Midland Bank tasked James Drewitt to build branches all over the town.

In 1936 James Drewitt & Son was awarded the contract for the demolition and rebuilding of the Winter Gardens Concert Hall.

During the Second World War Drewitt's gave over its offices in Seabourne Road, to the local authority for use as an air raid shelter, and spent much of the war constructing and maintaining the town's other air raid shelters and static water tanks.

Most of the lorries owned by James Drewitt & Son were used to haul gravel for the construction of the runways at Holmsley South and Stoney Cross aerodromes.

In 1950 it rebuilt the Beales store which had been destroyed by enemy bombing.

During the 1950s Drewitt's built factories for Edward Webster, Max Factor and Southern Newspapers.

It also built the bus depot in Castle Lane, extensions to Poole power station and Boscombe and Christchurch hospitals.

In the 60s, projects included the Bowmaker building in Christchurch Road and Drake's factory in Wallisdown Road.

Work in the 70s included the police station and magistrates court in Christchurch.

"The company has slowly moved away from contracting and new building and has for the past 25 years concentrated on building maintenance," said a spokesman.

"The company is now run by jointly run by brother and sister Richard and Gillian Drewitt.

Both, like their father and grandfather before them, have been local presidents of the National Federation of Builders. Two years ago Gillian Drewitt was the first woman president.