forms. By 1914 over 600 houses together with more factories, shops, churches and schools had been built. Despite this, vacant lots (or 'greens' as they were popularly known) were a feature of most of the streets in the town and were used as informal play areas. In the late 1920s many of these were built on to provide terraced council houses on Kirkdale Road and some of the surrounding streets with semi-detached houses on several other streets. A park was formed beyond the eastern railway line in 1929. The brick works ceased production in the early 1930s, though there were still a number of major employers in the area including Toon and Black's footwear factory on Saffron Road and Morrison, manufacturers of electric vehicles, who took over Brunswick Mills between Garden and Irlam Streets in the 1930s. Previous owners of the large factory between the southern end of Canal Street and the former Leicester – Rugby railway line were Dunmores Biscuits whose large factory chimney dominated the local landscape. They were later taken over by Nabisco. Further up towards Blaby Road north of the Grand Hotel was Atkinson's hosiery factory which was a major employer in the area for some years after the war as was Dunmores. In Irlam Street opposite the biscuit factory was Morrison Electricars who used to make electrically powered vehicles such as milk floats. Other notable businesses who were in South Wigston were Premier Percussion, Constone (concrete pipe makers) at Saffron Lane and Marshall's Coal who were in the yard opposite Blaby Road Park. In the later 20th century Orson Wright's house was demolished and replaced by shops, two of the schools off Bassett Street were demolished, Toon and Black's factory redeveloped and the majority of the block between Irlam and Garden Streets was redeveloped for housing in 2004 to 2005. The biscuit factory on Canal Street has expanded but many of the old industrial concerns, large and small, are now empty or underused. St Thomas the Apostle parish church is a red brick Gothic Revival building designed by Stockdale Harrison and Sons. Notable local clergy include Bishop Robin Woods, who was Vicar from 1946 to 1951. St. Thomas's has a strong musical tradition and maintains a 40-strong choir of men and boys. South Wigston has seen considerable change in recent times, and there are plans for the future development of the area. Tesco opened a