Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Peter_L]

After years of good intentions, I have finally decided to catalogue the various photos of my Motoring History.

It will take me a while to put them together, many are on slides and I am unsure of the quality until I go through them.

So.. to start me off and give me something to look back on here is one.



My father, Harry Lawford and Gordon Pleasant started their own painting and decorating business in about 1957. Their first vehicle was an Ex-Army Austin 1/4 ton Pickup. (Photo available)

This photo was taken in 1959/60 on the road leading to Derwent Reservoir, Derbyshire. I was 13/14 at the time and wearing my school blazer. Broadway Technical Grammar School (1959 - 1962)

My father is stood at the back of the van.

Trading under the name of Lawford and Pleasant, they purchased two brand new 5 cwt Thames Vans. The vans were delivered in primer finish but had the optional extras of a heater, a front passenger seat and a bench seat in the back that folded down.

The two partners hand painted both vans in a two tone green the darker green was very close to BRG, using several layers of coach paint and copius sheets of wet and dry which produced a beautiful finish. Alas there are no color photographs.

The sign writing on the vans was done by Ron Darwent, Signwriter, Barnsley, possibly assisted by his apprentice Norman Jackson, who went on to be a well know artist using the name Ashley Jackson (Ashley was his mother's name)

As members of the National Federation of Master Painters, they were able to display the Federation Logo. There was much discussion as to whether or not the vans should carry the names of the partners. Obviously they decided against it.

The vehicles were registered NHE 637 and NHE 638. HE being the letter code for Barnsley. In those days, commercial vehicles had to carry a "C" Licence, displayed next to the Tax disc on the windscreen. Driver's were also required to keep a record of their journies in a Log Book and vehicles not having side windows were subject to a 40mph speed limit.

The vehicles were traded in a couple of years later for the Escort version of the same vehicle. The Escort had side windows and a two piece tailgate.

My Motoring History will eventually be added into my family history website, but for now I am starting by introducing some of the images here.

..

[Greg]

Very interesting Peter,
Great photo and it's especially nice to have the story behind it. I bet the two vans looked very smart, especially as you say, the paint was 'wet-flatted' I bet they gleamed!.....and now I see you are in Canada, look forward to seeing more pictures as you add them,
All the Best,
Greg

[Phil - Nottingham]

Lovely nostalgic picture
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[roverdriver]

Good Stuff, Peter. More please!
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[exbmc]

Nice picture Peter. These days everyone has a digital camera or 'phone, so records of "now" are going to be much better. You say you have no colour shots of the vans, but a good b&w is better than none at all. I have many old transport pictures in b&w, colour films were too expensive for my pocket money!! I remember my dad having one of the 100E Escorts you mention.
It was maroon and grey, ex Manweb, so probably their colours? It performed faultlessly for about three years anyway. I don't have a photo though. Keep yours coming please.

[Rick]

Thanks to Peter (and everyone else) for chipping in with their memories & photos of motoring 'back in the day', it adds an extra dimension to the old-car chat!

R
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[Peter_L]

So following on in no particular order...

Possibly 1960 or 61. I will have a search and find the reg #



After the Thames vans came the Escorts The business had moved on to more sophisticated vehicles. Ours was a powder blue and Gordon Pleasant had a light green one.

Ford made two similar models, the Escort and the Squire, the Squire having more chrome and a little more expensive.

For business use there were removable name boards that fitted in the rear side windows.

Here we are driving off of a Red Funnel Ferry at Cowes, Isle of White. We camped at "Flowers Brook", maybe it is still a campsite.

My father made the box and it doubled as a pantry inside the humungous 20ft long Headquarters and General Supplies tent.

Camping was order of the day back then.




This is my father's Ford Consul. Bought new in about 1962. It was a light blue and provided luxury motoring in its day. The 4 cylinder engine and 3 speed gearbox didn't make it the best performer in the world especially when loaded. Driving uphill in heavy rain sometimes bordered on the dangerous when the vacuum powered wipers would slow to a stop.

This photo was taken at Weymouth Dorset in August 1962. The car is being loaded onto the British rail operated "Caesarea" bound for a camping holiday to the Channel island of Jersey.

Note the spare wheel on top of the roof.

I will find the reg # and add it here.

History and photos of the ship
http://www.hhvferry.com/Caesarea.html

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My first 4 wheels !



Again I will have to try and find an exact year, but it is probably 1965.

Purchased from Service Garage Barnsley, I know it was only about a year old and was just under £300.
I had the garage fit an SPQR remote gearshift, but it never really worked correctly and I went back to the "stirring stick"

The original colour was grey, but my father and I sprayed the bottom half, rear doors and bonnet a dark grey.

I know this photo was taken the week after I bought it.

A free 2010 Canadian calendar to the first e-mail that can give me the location.

What I will say is that the area it is stood on has changed a bit and despite the appearance, it is not on the beach but rather some 12-20 ft above.

peterhlawford@gmail.com

Along with my parents, we were members of the Barnsley motoring club and I know that I spent hours practicing handbrake turns, 180 reverse spins and precision parking on some wasteland. When I entered my first "Driving Test Competition" with the club, I kinda cleared up all the silverware, I can still recall many of the senior members muttering, "he will kill himself before the year's out"

I moved on to a Mini Saloon about 2 years after.

[superchargedfool]

good thread, keep it coming. I smiled at times while reading it.

I was born in 1970 so am too young to have nostalgic memories of that era. I think I would have been far more suited to being born 20 or 30 years prior to my actual birth date.

[Penman]

Hi
Was the Squire the Prefect estate and the Escort the Anglia estate?
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Any 2 from:-
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[Peter_L]

Hi Penman. You are correct. See here.

http://www.motorbase.com/vehicle/by-id/1267/