J R Inwards Ltd, Ruislip - Triumph Car Dealers 80

J R Inwards Ltd feature in this post about a Standard Triumph car dealer in Ruislip.

Inwards, High Street, Ruislip

J R Inwards Ltd were located at High Street, Ruislip, Surrey from (at least) 1931 until 1979. They sold Jaguar, Morris, Riley, Rover, Standard and Triumph over the years and finally from 1977 to 1979, Datsun.

In 1935 the company was selling and servicing Morris cars. In addition to the High Street, Ruislip garage they also had a works at Ickenham and another premises in Ruislip. The earliest evidence of them selling Standard cars is this advert from the coronation edition of Autocar from 30 April 1937.

J R Inwards Ltd, High Street, Ruislip advert from Autocar 30 April 1937

The Gracesguide.co.uk website is a brilliant source of historical information on industry and manufacturing in Britain. From the digitised "the 1953 Who's who in the Motor Industry directory".

Inwards Ltd. Car and Light Commercial Vehicle Stockists. 57/59, High Street, Ruislip, Middx. Telephone: 3033/4/5. Directors: J. R. Inwards. R. A. Inwards. P. R. Davey. General Manager and Secretary: B. J. Hardacre.

Triumph dealers in Ruislip

I have directories showing them listed as a Standard Triumph dealer in October 1955, August 1961

 August 1961: Ruislip Motors Ltd, West End Road phone 4340 and 8325.

Ickenham Middlesex

Inwards was started in 1925 by Jack Inwards from a garage at Swakeleys Road, Ickenham Middlesex.  This location is listed as Standard Triumph dealer.

Jack Inwards in the centre outside his garage.

J R Inwards forecourt

J R Inwards Swakeleys Road 1930's

Purple Parking

The business started by setting up a car storage business for London car dealers called Secure Storage Ltd. At its peak, the company was storing about 15,000 vehicles and in 1990 Michael Inwards started Secure Parking Ltd, an airport park and ride service for Heathrow.

With the advent of the internet and subsequent expansion across most UK airports the company was rebranded as Purple Parking.

At its peak, Purple Parking employed 800 staff and had 18,000 car parking spaces at Heathrow and Gatwick and other airports across the UK.

Purple Parking, had to call in the administrators after amassing debts of £2 million.

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about J R Inwards Ltd or any other Ruislip area Standard Triumph dealer such as photos of window stickers, dealer badges or sill plates etc please let me know. I can be contacted via the comments to this post or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stephen.weblin

Further information and sources

Link to the other articles in this series.

Link to facebook page: Triumph Car Dealers.

Link to my Triumph Car Dealers Flickr group which includes many photos of Standard Triumph garages etc from my collection and many other contributors .

I have a collection of Standard Triumph car dealer directories: http://vitessesteve.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/triumph-car-dealer-directories.html

Picture credits: J R Inwards Swakeleys Road 1930's Chris Barker on flickr; Purple Parking image from their website; Jack Inwards in the centre outside his garage.+ J R Inwards forecourt photos from a facebook post by Ed Coldrick.

Moto Baldet of Northampton - Triumph Car Dealers 58A

Moto Baldet Ltd are the feature business in this short post about a Standard Triumph car dealer in Northampton.  This is a follow up to my earlier post: Douglas Garage of Northampton - Triumph Car Dealers 58

Probably better known as a microcar and scooter dealer.  Run by Andre Baldet from a garage at Westonia Garage, Weston Flavell, Northmpton.  Moto Baldet also sold cars and for a time were a Standard Triumph dealer.  Whilst they held the Lotus franchise they produced a special edition Elan, the Silver Streak.

Easter bonnet

It was reported in the Standard Triumph Review of May 1963: Over 60 bonnet wearers entered for the Annual Easter Bonnet Parade held on Easter Monday at The Racecourse, Northampton.

The parade is sponsored by the Moto Baldet Group of Garages (Standard Triumph dealers) who provide the trophies and organization staff; additional prizes were presented by the Westone Hotel, John London Salon and Eric Ager Studio.

Winner of the cup for The Best Easter Bonnet was Miss Gillian Briggs who had celebrated her 16th birthday the day before the parade.

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about Moto Baldet or any other Northampton area Standard Triumph dealer such as photos of window stickers, dealer badges or sill plates etc please let me know. I can be contacted via the comments to this post or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stephen.weblin

Further information and sources

Link to the other articles in this series.

Link to facebook page: Triumph Car Dealers.

Link to my Triumph Car Dealers Flickr group which includes many photos of Standard Triumph garages etc from my collection and many other contributors .

I have a collection of Standard Triumph car dealer directories: http://vitessesteve.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/triumph-car-dealer-directories.html

Picture credits:

Horners of Manchester - Triumph Car Dealers 74E

This short post is about F Horner & Son Ltd a Standard Triumph car dealer in Manchester.

F Horner & Son Ltd, Manchester advert from What Car magazine July 1977

The original Horners business was established in 1922 as an Austin dealership.  Over the years, F Horner & Son became a landmark on Bury New Road. The Horners family sold out in 1986.  They also had a Vespa and Lambretta dealership on Ayres Road, Old Traffold.

Horners

Horners, which was hard hit by the collapse of Rover in 2005 went on to operate Mitsubishi and Skoda franchises on Bury New Road, Manchester, and on Queensway Rochdale.  Horners Motor Group went bust in April 2010. 

F Horner & Sons Ltd, New Road, Bury 1967

After the business failed two of the senior technicians Philip Rowland and David Gamble together with Deborah Rowland (finance and accounts) formed Horners Auto Repair Centre Ltd.in Swinton.

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about Horners of Manchester or any other Standard or Triumph dealer in Manchester such as photos of window stickers, dealer badges or sill plates etc please let me know. I can be contacted via the comments to this post or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stephen.weblin

Further information and sources

Link to a list of Manchester area Standard Triumph dealers

Link to the other articles in this series.

Link to facebook page: Triumph Car Dealers.

Link to my Triumph Car Dealers Flickr group which includes many photos of Standard Triumph garages etc from my collection and many other contributors .

I have a collection of Standard Triumph car dealer directories: http://vitessesteve.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/triumph-car-dealer-directories.html

Picture credits:both adverts from my own collection; .F Horner & Sons Ltd, New Road, Bury 1967 photo by L H Price from Manchester Libraries collection.

Hollingdrake of Stockport - Triumph car dealer 79

Hollingdrake of Stockport are the feature business in this post about Standard Triumph car dealers in the Stockport area.

Hollingdrake Automoble Company were appointed distributors for Standard cars for Lancashire and Cheshire in 1911.  In 1932 they got the appointment for North Wales.

Hollingdrake which started as foundry imported La Buire cars from France early in its history.  Hollingdrake Automobile Co Ltd exhibited La Buire cars at Olympia motor show in 1909. The group had many interested but as demand for cars increased they expanded that side of the business by building, selling and servicing cars.

Hollingdrake Automobile Co Ltd Triumph Dolomite Sprint advert from Motor 23 June 1973

Some old press adverts

Death of Mr E N Hodgkinson

Mr E N Hodgkinson director of Hollingdrake of Stockport

The death of Mr E N Hodgkinson was reported in the Standard Triumph Review June 1959:
It is with regret that we record the death of Mr E N Hodgkinson, a joint founder and former Chairman and Managing Director of The Hollingdrake Automobile Co Ltd, Stockport, who have been Standard
Distributors for more than half-acentury.

Mr. Hodgkinson was 83 years of age. His two sons are directors of The Hollingdrake Automobile Co. Ltd; Mr R P Hodgkinson is Managing Director and Mr. E A Hodgkinson is the Group Service Director.

Hollingdrake Automobile Co Ltd - rear window sticker

Hollingdrake Stockport Rover window sticker

Hollingdrake badges

Hollingdrake Automobile Co Ltd badge

Hollingdrake Automobile Co Ltd badge mentions the Stockport, Manchester, Colwyn Bay, Prestbury and Cheshire.

This rather more worn badge includes the same embelm and wording.

Hollingdrake Automobile Co Ltd - Town Hall Square

Hollingdrake Automobilc Co Ltd, Town Hall Square

When Heron group bought the group they rebranded the building as a Heron business for a period before reverting to using the Hollingdrake name again.

Heron Stockport

Later the same building was used by H R Owen and sold Lamborghini cars.  H R Owen moved out to new premises after their lease came to an end in 2014.

Lamborghini Manchester

The building has been demolished to make way for a new development on the site.

H R Owen, Town Hall Square, Stockport

Bridge advert

Hollingdrakes sold both Standard and Triumph cars.  They advertised extensively.  This advert on a railway bridge has long gone but the bridge still remains.

Recovery Truck

Hollingdrake Recovery Lorry

A Dodge recovery lorry from circa 1938 sign written as being from Hollingdrake of Stockport.

Show and Service Week promotion

Staff from Standard Triumph HQ visited the business and assisted the firm with week long Show and Service promotions.  These were held by the firm at their Bell Street premises: 22 to 26 July 1963.

Subsidiaries and other sites

Hollingdrake advert from Motor 16 October1963

Hollingdrake Automobilc Co Ltd main site was at Town Hall Square, Stockport.  They had premises in Manchester, Penketh near Warrington and Prestbury.

Browetts of Leicester were at one point in their history a Hollingdrake company.

You can read about C A Britten & Co (Liverpool) Ltd who were a another company that was a part of the Hollingdrake group from at least 1958 and possibly earlier.

Hollingdrake Automobile Co Ltd, Princes Drive, Colwyn Bay.

Paramont Garages Ltd of Manchester

Triumph car dealers in Stockport

April 1951
Hollingdrake Automobilc Co Ltd, Town Hall Square,
Smiths of Stockport Ltd, Wellington Road South,

October 1955:
Hollingdrake Automobilc Co Ltd, Town Hall Square, - phone 4464 - Distributor
Drakeson Motor Co Ltd, Wellington Road South, - phone 4249

1959:
Hollingdrake Automobilc Co Ltd, Town Hall Square, - phone 4464 - Distributor
Drakeson Motor Co Ltd, Wellington Road South, - phone 4249
Lane End Motor Co Ltd, 201/207 Welington Road South, - phone 4642/3
Yates Garage (Stockport) Ltd, Hopes Carr, Waterloo Road, - phone 4118

Yates Garage (Stockport) Ltd was incorporated 7 May 1947, it appears to have ceased trading some time ago. The registrar of companies applied to wind up the company from 26 April 1999 but as at todays date it is still reported active.

August 1961:
Hollingdrake Automobilc Co Ltd, Town Hall Square, - phone 4464 - Distributor
Clifton Garage (Cheadle Heath) Ltd, 283 Stockport Road, Cheadle Heath, - phone Gatley 7414
Drakeson Motor Co Ltd, Wellington Road South, - phone 4249
Lane End Motor Co Ltd, 201/207 Welington Road South, - phone 4642/3
Yates Garage (Stockport) Ltd, Hopes Carr, Waterloo Road, - phone 4118

February 1965:
Hollingdrake Automobilc Co Ltd, Town Hall Square, - phone 4464 - Distributor
Drakeson Motor Co Ltd, Wellington Road South, - phone 4249
Performance Motors, 283 Stockport Road, Cheadle Heath, - phone Gatley 7414
Yates Garage (Stockport) Ltd, Hopes Carr, Waterloo Road, - phone 4118 

September 1968, March 1970:
Hollingdrake Automobilc Co Ltd, Town Hall Square, - phone 4464 - Distributor
Central Garage (Reddish) Ltd, 181 Gorton Road, - phone Heaton Moor 2853
Drakeson Motor Co Ltd, Wellington Road South, - phone 4249
Yates Garage (Stockport) Ltd, Hopes Carr, Waterloo Road, - phone 4118

March 1972, March 1974, May 1975:
Hollingdrake Automobilc Co Ltd, Town Hall Square, SK1 3NQ - phone 061-480-4464 - Distributor
Yates Garage (Stockport) Ltd, Hopes Carr, Waterloo Road, SK1 3BQ - phone 061-480-4118

Austin Rover dealers June 1984:
Lex Mead, Wellington Road North, SK4  2PD
The Stockport Motor House Ltd, 35 Buxton Road, SK2 6LZ

Plea for information

If you have any more information or recollections about Hollingdrake of Stockport, photos of window stickers, dealer badges or sill plates etc please let me know. I can be contacted via the comments to this post or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/stephen.weblin

Further information and sources

Link to Browetts of Leicester who were at one point in their history a Hollingdrake company

Link to the other articles in this series.

Link to face book page: Triumph Car Dealers.

Link to my Triumph Car Dealers Flickr group .

I have a collection of Standard Triumph car dealer directories: http://vitessesteve.blogspot.co.uk/2016/03/triumph-car-dealer-directories.html

Picture credits: Dodge recovery lorryphoto by vg92 on flckr; the old press adverts were posted on the historyworld website in their advert museum; Hollingdrake Automobile Co Ltd badge shared on facebook by Richard Pearce;