Crossley charabancs.
Firstly thanks to Jim Walker, who has sent over some fascinating old motoring photographs. This page features the Crossley charabancs that his family firm, C. Bower of Chesterfield, operated throughout the 1920s from their premises on Corporation Street. It was common for group photographs to be taken of the charabancs with their passengers on board, and happily Jim has a number of these in his collection of memorabilia. Many Crossley buses and charabancs were actually built by outside firms, using the chassis and running gear of ex-military (WW1) Crossley lorries. Jim confirms that these charabancs were built using former Royal Flying Corps vehicles by Metcalffs. This coachbuilder was situated behind the Yellow Lion pub, which appears in the background of some of these shots. The "R" registration suggests that they were registered prior to March 1923.
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C. Bower charabanc hire.
The first photo shows three charabancs parked in a line outside the Yellow Lion, the first two being Crossleys both sporting Seagull livery.
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A group of passenger, mainly gents, are seen here ready for day trip. Many of the photos were taken in the same location. Note the Fry's Chocolate sign in the background.
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An all-ladies day out by the looks of it, parked up outside the Clifton Arms Hotel. Unusually, the driver is nowhere to be seen in this photo.
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Back to the road outside the Yellow Lion again, with two charabancs plus a lone Austin motor-car.
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Next, what looks like an advertising postcard for C. Bower's 14 seater charabanc service, with just a driver in shot. Only scuttle lamps are fitted to this example.
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A fully loaded Crossley parked outside the Bower's garage. Note the signwriting on the building, advertising 14 seater Char-a-bancs, Shelibiers*, Hearses, Child's Coaches, and Landaus. They also offered a funeral director and taxi cab service.
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* Apparently a Shelibier is a horse-drawn hearse with a cabin for the main mourners en-suite. The coffin deck swivelled to allow the coffin to be removed decorously from the side (Thanks Jim!).
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To see the remaining images in this collection, please click on the thumbnails below. More charabanc photographs can be seen on these pages: Charabancs Page 1 and Charabancs Page 2.
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Charabanc and driver, with passengers, parked outside J.A. Colledge's "Ladies Shop".
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One chara', plus a Model T, parked outside The Central Boot Repairing Company - Best Materials & Workmanship. A young lad appears to be sharing driving duties with the official driver.
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Back to the Yellow Lion again with a new load of passengers. Note the ornate glass in the Smoke Room behind the vehicle.
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Parked once more outside J.A. Colledge's shop window. Plenty of flat caps in evidence as usual, plus a lone bowler hat.
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At least sixteen members of the public, plus driver, are posed in this shot. Did they all squeeze into the charabanc?
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Ladies and gentlemen are both seen on this trip out by charabanc, perhaps they've pulled over to stock up on Wills Gold Flake cigarettes?
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A photo taken on a ladies-only day out, all fourteen of the Crossley's passenger seats are occupied.
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Another trip out for members of the fairer sex.
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